Elizabeth Bay Apartment is a project designed by Rolf Ockert. Architect. The apartment they had bought had the great location and a broad front to Sydney harbour as its core attributes. It is spread over three levels, with the main level, the one with the greatest qualities, having been divided into a kitchen area and a bedroom, and the living level having been located below ground. Two bedrooms on the upper level did not require much attention and were in principle left as they were. Photography by Mark Syke.

We decided to completely rearrange the interior organisation, dedicate the entire main level to day-to day living and turn the former living level into the Master Bedroom Site with Robe and Ensuite.

Doing this in a rigid space with two other apartments above us required some thinking outside the box and use of specialist methods. The resulting new apartment has a very open character, allowing view connections, both internal and to the stunning outside, that were previously not imaginable. The living space opens up seamlessly along its full length to a large deck, doubling the living space for all but 2-3 months per year when Sydney gets colder.
Being essentially a low, enclosed space with light and views only to one side we agreed to focus on the materials to be used to be rich and dark, tactile and luxurious.

Certain materials carry through the entire apartment, such as a matte Smoked Oak veneer and an even mat...