Balmain Houses by Benn + Penna, Australia

Creating a family home of their own in the Balmain suburb of Sydney, architect Andrew Benn and interior-designer Alice Penna of Benn + Penna reimagined two interconnected semi-detached, Victorian-era workman's cottages.

(Image credit: Tom Ferguson)

By Ellie Stathaki

last updated 21 October 2022

Many of these cottages cascade down the hills of this once-working-class, harbour-side peninsula.

Top view of house — Over the years the two houses had become 'divorced' from each other with different materials used. So timber was chosen as the consistent material palette, which sits comfortably alongside the historic fabric of heritage Balmain.

Enterance of house — Benn + Penna's idea was to create two houses that were part of a whole, yet separate family homes for Andrew and his wife, and Andrew's mother and her partner.

Stairs and sofa — The dilapidated dwellings burdened with crude additions, once dark and introverted, now swell with light and life.

Bedroom with bed — Though the design is lively, striking and geometric, it is also adaptable, offering shade from the sun, direct harbour views, and privacy from neighbours.

Open shelf — Inside, the use of timber and geometrics continue to play to the different characters and needs of the families.

Open shelf and door — One house has a contemporary aesthetic, with references to Scandinavian design using birch plywood joinery and lime-washed timber floors.

kitchen with sink — ...the other uses a warmer palette of finishes with a focus on natural materials such as slate and recycled Australian timbers.

Living room with fire place — The aim was to create light, open-plan houses that were more 'semi-attached' than 'semi-detached', reassembled for family living.

House with wooden flooring — Built-in storage and furniture increase the sense of space in both houses

livingroom with chair and open shelf — Though constantly connected, the houses offer occasional moments alone.

Stairs and frames — The cottages take advantage of all the available light.

Terrace view — The pair of dwellings create an intimate universe for the two families to grow together

Stone wall — There is flow and interconnectedness between the two houses: for example, the stone wall that divides them has in-built peep holes; and you can slink through a gap at the end.

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture Editor at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018) and Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020).