Uncover the unexpected things in architect William Smart’s own home, Stokes 14. Perhaps one of the most striking of the unexpected things in architect William Smart’s home is its vaulted volume. “When people walk into the space they are often in awe, and I haven’t tired of watching their faces light up as they see this quite unconventional space. I think it’s because it’s not square and the walls aren’t vertical,” reflects Smart. “We made the vault by laying bricks over a timber frame and then spraying them with a very thin layer of concrete. This vault is structurally self-sufficient, so it’s a perfect structural shape and I think that’s part of its beauty – it’s so pure in its geometry.”
Somehow, large windows sit harmoniously within the distinct, angular shape of the home. “One of the biggest challenges on this project was installing the windows above,” says Smart. To achieve this, the windows were cut from a large sheet in quite unusual shapes. The difficult part was getting these shapes to fit in the openings, like a puzzle. For Smart, watching the windows get installed was “too stressful” and admits he had to leave after just half an hour.
Another one of the unexpected things in architect William Smart’s home is the materiality, which is dominated by subtle finishes that often go unnoticed but have a significant impact. For example, the bricks used are Bowral Chillingham from Bowral Bricks, which are glued together in a way that means the mortar joints aren’t visible. “This gives a lovely layer and texture to the room, kind of subtle to see but when you know it’s there, it’s very beautiful,” notes Smart.
The unexpected things in architect William Smart’s home extend to furniture and decor. For example, a coffee table doubles as a television. “We couldn’t hang a television on the wall even if we tried, because the walls aren’t vertical, so we designed a coffee table to lift up like a giant laptop and inside we have the television, a soundbar and trays for food,” says Smart. Similarly, an art stand designed especially for the apartment – as it is difficult to hang art on the vertical walls – seems to float within the space. “We like the idea of layering the space with things that float in the room, and I think the design of this art piece, where one element is just laid next to each other, but done beautifully, is the epitome of our design essence,” notes Smart.
Of all the unexpected things in architect William Smart’s home, the staircase is his favourite. “It is completely freestanding, so it’s supported off one column at the base and it spirals up through the building without touching the sides, which allows light to come up or go down to the level below,” says Smart. Made of steel with stone laid on the steps like pavers, the staircase is almost an art piece in itself.
00:00 – Introduction to The Unexpected Things
00:24 – No. 01: Coffee table and TV unit
01:15 – No. 02: Chillingham white bricks
01:46 – No. 03: Artwork built into joinery
02:28 – No. 04: Dining table
03:25 – No. 05: Art stand
04:10 – No. 06: Staircase
05:00 – No. 07: Stools
05:34 – No. 08: Windows
06:19 – No. 09: Credenza
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Photography by Sean Fennessy.
Architecture and interior design by Smart Design Studio.
Build by A J Bristow and Sons.
Styling by Alexandra Gordon.
Landscape design by Fieldwork.
Engineering by Northrop.
Joinery by Interex Custom Joinery.
Artwork by Bianca Chang, T-yong Chung, Peter De Potter, Dung Ming-Ling, Mike Parr, Todd Robinson and Coen Young.
Filmed by The Local Production
Edited by HN Media.
Production by The Local Production.
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
The Local Project acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners of the land in Australia. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our country and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands.
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