Translucent polycarbonate panels and metal louvres create dynamic patterns of light and shade throughout this minimalist residence in Sydney, Australia, designed by the local studio Nick Kent Design.
Named Bondi House after its proximity to Bondi Beach, the two-storey, two-bedroom home replaces a dilapidated structure on a long, narrow site.
The house features a lightweight steel frame, described by Nick Kent Design as a “kit of parts”, finished in white and clad with a combination of translucent and reflective materials.
This structural approach ensures that both internal and external walls are non-load-bearing, making the home adaptable for future reconfiguration or as a prototype that could be tailored to different locations.
“We intentionally limited ourselves to a simple ‘kit of parts’ repeated throughout the building to create a rich and varied spatial experience,” said studio founder Nick Kent in an interview with Dezeen.
“We selected materials that interact with light and shadow—a blend of transparent, translucent, and reflective surfaces—that both engage with the natural environment and provide privacy from neighbouring properties.”
Making use of the site’s length, the house is set back from both the street and rear boundary, creating a buffer from street noise and allowing space for a rear garden planted with indigenous species.
Behind stainless steel garage doors at the front, a corridor runs past a bathroom to the central living room, which is bathed in natural light from a translucent polycarbonate wall and overlooked by the home’s white steel staircase.
