Surface attraction

It is one of those quirks of human nature that inevitably everyone ends up in the kitchen at a party. The modern lifestyle, with its open-plan living, has placed the kitchen front and center in daily life too, so it has become even more of a gathering space.

When architect Thomas Hickey was asked to design this new house, one of the requisites was for the kitchen to be an entity from which all points of circulation would radiate.

"The client wanted the kitchen to operate on multiple levels not just functionally, but also aesthetically. So there are a number of dualities built into the space.

"Firstly, on a practical level, the kitchen is usable day-to-day as expected, but also has the capacity for large-scale entertaining as needed. Secondly, as the kitchen was not going to be locked away, it was important that it impart a presence. To that end, I've given the kitchen an identity that is its own, but with aspects that are recognizable from other areas of the house."

The color and material palettes tie the kitchen to the home while enlivening the space, thus illustrating the second of these dualities. Black matte ceramic tiles that visually demarcate the kitchen area mirror similarly dark granite planes that lead from the front gate to the front door.

"The tiled area I chose a parallelogram to offset the kitchen island separates the kitchen from the remaining space through its shape and color. Yet you come across similar colors and treatments throughout the house, so there is cohesion too," says Hickey.

Equally important was treating the island as a piece of furniture, rather than a utilitarian object so it has a sculptural presence.

"In keeping with the notion of duality, I played with a series of interlocking shapes that are a kind of geometric interpretation of the yin yang icon," says Hickey.

"The mix of materials frosted glass and Corian and the slight height difference reinforce the idea of separate entities that share an interconnectedness."

The atypical island design also fulfills the practical function of allowing light into the lower level of the home.

"When we were designing the house, we talked about getting in as much natural light as possible. So the house is designed to be completely open from front to back as well as from the top down.

"The kitchen is sited within a three-story atrium space. To ensure light from overhead windows and skylights reaches the basement level, a glass panel has been set in the kitchen floor made possible by the distinctive island."

Being accessible to every part of the home necessitated a few other design nuances. All storage and appliances have been positioned on the periphery, creating a streamlined aesthetic.

"I've never subscribed to the convention of the work triangle, and believe that a functional, user-friendly configuration can be achieved in any environment," says Hickey.

"With that in mind, and with the need to keep sightlines as open as possible, work and storage zones have been pushed to the side and concealed behind frosted glass sliding doors."

The sliding door motif is another element that is repeated throughout the home. Large internal doors 10ft x 10ft can be pulled across to separate the kitchen from the formal living space at the front of the house.

"Again, this theme of layers, of different aspects being slowly revealed through closer inspection and investigation is something that runs through the house," says Hickey.

"From the complete whole that begins at the front gate through to the glass panel in the kitchen floor, the design reinforces the concept of duality and connection."

Story by: Justin Foote