Designed in 2011 in Sydney, Australia, by Luigi Rosselli, Gordon Bay House is an illustration of raw architectural simplicity expressed in irregular curvilinear forms. This starkly beautiful building consists of three levels; each level alternatively offset from its boundary by 6 degrees. The alternating orientation of each floor was the architect’s inventive way to address any constraints imposed by the site.
Minimal in design, it’s constructed by off-form concrete slabs and edge beams, creating a “scissor effect” that lets the structure cantilever graciously. The garage floor is tilted, this way offering easy access from the adjacent lane, whereas the ground floor angles alternatively towards the view of the bay. A sequence of roof terraces and cantilevered overhangs expose and cover, respectively, the spaces above and below the first floor. The palette of materials used and the mix of new and salvaged timber with sandstone, all gracefully speak of the surreal beauty and boldness of the structure. The irregularities provided by the changing geometry of the exterior levels echo in the interior scenery, highlighting the magnitude of the space and its dramatic scale of openness.
