Sydney House by Fearns Studio
Long brick and wood volumes extend down the narrow plot of this house in Bondi, Sydney, by local architect Fearns Studio (+ slideshow).
![Sydney House by Fearns Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/08/dezeen_Sydney-House-by-Fearns-Studio_10.jpg)
While renovating a single-storey Victorian terrace, Fearns Studio filled the thin strip of land behind with a blackened wood cuboid on top of brick ground floor that's painted white.
![Sydney House by Fearns Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/08/dezeen_Sydney-House-by-Fearns-Studio_2.jpg)
Under the pitched roof of the old house, a lounge faces the street and a bedroom behind is connected to a bathroom via a small courtyard.
![Sydney House by Fearns Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/08/dezeen_Sydney-House-by-Fearns-Studio_4.jpg)
These rooms are joined by a long corridor that leads from the front door to the large open-plan dining, kitchen and living area.
![Sydney House by Fearns Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/08/dezeen_Sydney-House-by-Fearns-Studio_8.jpg)
Ground-floor rooms are lit by skylights, as well as patio doors along the thin alleyway down one side of the house that leads to a courtyard.
![Sydney House by Fearns Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/08/dezeen_Sydney-House-by-Fearns-Studio_6.jpg)
"Skylight penetrations bring light into the centre of the plan, helping to define spaces within it," said architect Matt Fearns.
![Sydney House by Fearns Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/08/dezeen_Sydney-House-by-Fearns-Studio_9.jpg)
Stairs behind one wall of the double-height dining space lead up to two more bedrooms, which both have a balcony and share a bathroom.
![Sydney House by Fearns Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/08/dezeen_Sydney-House-by-Fearns-Studio_7.jpg)
Kitchen units, tables and cupboard doors match the wooden window and door frames, which warm the neutral interior.
![Sydney House by Fearns Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/08/dezeen_Sydney-House-by-Fearns-Studio_11.jpg)
A guest bedroom and ensuite bathroom sit above a garage at the bottom of the garden.
![Sydney House by Fearns Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/08/dezeen_Sydney-House-by-Fearns-Studio_1.jpg)
More homes down under include a zinc-clad house with a sand dune-shaped body and a periscope-shaped extension to two terraced homes, plus we recently created a Pinterest board of all the best images of Australian houses.
Photographs are by Tom Ferguson.
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Read on for more information from the architect:
Bondi House by Fearns Studio
A renovation of an inner city, Victorian terrace house, the Bondi House was conceived as a first floor timber tube above a ground level brick box behind the retained portion of the house.
![Sydney House by Fearns Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/08/dezeen_Sydney-House-by-Fearns-Studio_17.gif)
Skylight penetrations bring light into the centre of the plan, help define spaces within it and protect the privacy of neighbouring dwellings from upper level rooms while large glazed doors open new ground level interiors to unobtrusive garden courtyards.
![Sydney House by Fearns Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/08/dezeen_Sydney-House-by-Fearns-Studio_18.gif)
Deep door reveals in the kitchen and living areas frame smaller spaces within the open plan with light and rhythm.
![Sydney House by Fearns Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/08/dezeen_Sydney-House-by-Fearns-Studio_19.gif)
The doors themselves emphasise this further by sliding completely clear of their openings.
![Sydney House by Fearns Studio](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/08/dezeen_Sydney-House-by-Fearns-Studio_21.gif)
Warmth is given to the white plaster walls and ceilings and to concrete flooring with oak cabinetry, windows, doors and with blackbutt flooring through the remainder of the house.
![Sydney House by Fearns Studio_20](https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2013/08/dezeen_Sydney-House-by-Fearns-Studio_20.gif)