Built between 1910-1915 by the Sydney Harbour Trust the heritage listed Finger Wharf at Woollomoolo was a former wharf and passenger terminal. It narrowly escaped demolition in the late 1980’s due to public outcry and instead was renovated into a boutique hotel, apartments and hospitality precinct. Its heritage and cultural significance is diverse and anyone that lives or has spent any amount of time in Sydney knows it as a major landmark on the Harbour.
These Wharf apartments were built in the late 1990’s - developer driven, the smaller apartments lacked any charm as was the case during this time when energy and funds were chanelled into the large, glamorous apartments. Fast forward to 2023 and even the smaller stock are now highly sought after in this marina complex due to its unique character, stunning views and central location.
The most obvious features of the apartment is the view across the wharf to the city and the historical ‘bones’ of the space. The steel trusses, I-Beams littered with rivets, and voluminous ceilings means the architecture is doing all of the work. We therefore wanted to create a quiet, calm insertion and exploit the beauty of the existing character.
The apartment was initially designed with two bedrooms, the second bedroom however ‘borrowing’ light from the living areas and common corridor. Not ideal. Our brief was to create a spacious one bedroom apartment for everyday living & working as well as entertaining. A light, relaxed palette that sort of felt like you were on holiday was the asking. All on a tight budget.
We spent a lot of time workshopping the mechanical services with the client, being heritage listed there were obviously rules to follow. We managed to push back a lowered ceiling to expose more of the trusses, still managed to sneak in a main bathroom and a small second bathroom/laundry and navigate around exposed beams, hidden structure and a myriad of other services to slot the kitchen in without compromising on any functionality. Instead of separating the bedroom with a solid wall, white steel and glass doors were designed with heavy linen curtains behind so the space could open or be closed off. The different areas are therefore always connected and the view can be seen from everywhere all of the time. The maritime history is evident. Wall-to-wall carpet which had seen better days was replaced with limed oak parquetry, Savannah marble was used for the kitchen and everything else painted white. Simple linen sofas were teamed with Knoll Wasily chairs in canvas and chrome alongside concrete tables from Tigmi Trading. A large custom sisal rug anchors the living area. When you live in a piece of history with a spectacular view, it’s about looking out not in.
PROJECT: Wharf Apartment
TRADITIONAL PLACE: Gadigal Land
LOCATION: Sydney Australia
INTERIOR DESIGNER: Lawless & Meyerson
Jo Lawless, Sam Davidson
PHOTOGRAPHY: Prue Ruscoe
STYLING: Lawless & Meyerson
COMPLETION: 2023
