This project is an exercise in distillation — of space, memory, and material. Designed for a downsizer transitioning from a large family home to a waterfront apartment in Darling Point, the renovation transforms a dated 1960s floor plan into a tactile and deeply personal home that balances simplicity with richness.

Facing north with panoramic views across Sydney Harbour, the apartment sits within ‘Salacia’, a building originally designed by Peddle, Thorp and Walker and named after the Roman goddess of salt water. The original plan splayed the bedrooms to maximise water views. Studio ZAWA’s design embraces and extends this gesture, drawing the harbour view deep into the plan through a careful orchestration of mirrors, joinery, and sheer curtains that animate light and reflection. Large-scale views are honoured, while quieter vignettes are carved out — allowing the occupant to enjoy both the expanse and the intimacy of her surroundings.

Inspired by the client’s visit to the Claude Monet room in the Chichu Art Museum, the material palette is restrained and recessive — allowing her curated collection of objects, ceramics and artworks to stand out. Walls, floors and ceilings are wrapped in hand-applied micro-cement, creating seamless surfaces that are soft in texture and tone. Bathrooms are crafted in traditional Tadelakt plaster, contributing to the space’s quiet tactility. Every detail, from joinery to recessed lighting, is designed to be felt as much as seen.

The approach to light is equally considered. With windows only on the north and east, the apartment is vulnerable to harsh morning sun and dim afternoons. A palette of matte materials and white sheers soften the light, while mirrors help draw it deep into the plan. Tasmanian oak joinery brings warmth and a golden hue to filtered daylight, and concealed lighting creates a soft, ambient glow at night

Functionally, the home accommodates the complex brief of a solo dweller with an extended, international family. Rooms are designed for dual use — such as a music room that becomes a guest bedroom — and storage is designed both to exhibit and to conceal. This flexibility allows the home to expand and contract with the rhythms of family life.

Built in collaboration with craftspeople and a passionate builder, the apartment demonstrates how quality, care and adaptability can be achieved even under the pressures of supply disruptions and cost constraints. The result is a space that elevates daily rituals and welcomes life in all its complexity — serene, expressive, and deeply human.