Krause Emperor bricks from Robertson's Building Products Pty Ltd were selected as part of a natural materials palette for a new home in Point Piper, NSW.
Set high above the street, the house designed by Luigi Rosselli Architects in collaboration with RdotR Studio delivers on the brief to capture breathtaking views, maintain privacy and create a robust and low maintenance, yet stunning home.
Krause bricks stand out in the simple, natural palette by providing a warm contrast to the crisp, white render on the external facade while working well with the natural American Oak finishes inside the home.
Luigi Rosselli of Luigi Rosselli Architects and Raffaello Rosselli of RdotR Studio designed the four-bedroom, four-bathroom Point Piper home with absolute attention to detail and finishes. Raffaello, who is passionate about applying sustainable building practices using carbon neutral materials, was able to convince the initially reluctant clients to try bricks by showing them the material’s true value.
“The Krause Emperor Ghost brick is a beautiful brick, and not something that you’d usually see, because there seems to be some reluctance by clients to use bricks for high end jobs. So, we wanted to show them that bricks can be beautiful, and are not just reserved for project homes. In doing so we hope to remove some of the stigma in the street and provide something different,” Raffaello commented.
The light, sandstone tones of the Krause Emperor bricks evoke a sense of elegance and warmth on the home, impressing both the owners as well as passers-by. The bricks have been used both externally and internally.
Externally, the slimline bricks have been laid in an offset pattern, breaking up the façade and adding beautiful detail. The stunning brise soleil adds an interesting depth to the facade and – placed on an angle – captures filtered light to create a sense of privacy for the owners while maintaining access to water views.
Inside, the bricks have been applied in a more muted form, courtesy of a limewash with brilliant results.
“The vibrance of the bricks is beautiful and bringing them inside looks great… On the outside of the house, bricks provide a big contrast, but we wanted the inside feeling to be relaxed, so more muted, and less visible in the palette, and the limewash really helped to achieve that,” Rafaello added.
About the owners, Raffaello says, “They have now moved in and are really happy, and they really love the bricks, especially inside. Actually, they are one of the things they love most in the end, and I really love them too.”
Photographer: Jeffrey Blewett
