1+ Hour of Sydney’s Best Small Homes Under 60sqm/646sqft

Never Too Small

Subscribe to NTS magazine to get free worldwide shipping and 10% of all our books and publications. Subscribe now to never miss and issue https://www.nts-store.com/    Sydney is a city defined by its light, outdoors, and laid-back energy—but it is also home to some of the most inventive small-space designs we’ve shared on our channel. Join us and we revisit 8 of our favourite Sydney homes under 60sqm/646sqft. From a 19th-century warden’s cottage reimagined as a bright home and office, to a Japanese-inspired terrace where a hidden courtyard garden brings light and calm. Explore a pared-back warehouse apartment designed by a father for his chef son, and a playful 1960s artist’s flat where a mirrored gold storage pod conceals wardrobes, laundry, and even a guest bed. Each of these small Sydney homes shows how smart joinery, light-filled layouts, and clever rethinking of history can make small living generous, joyful, and deeply personal. #smallapartment #architecture #interiordesign   Episodes & Credits  00:00-10:38 Convict Cottage https://youtu.be/NICHegYlPjY?si=OEmnZT46w4QWhut_  Designer: https://www.convictinteriors.com/  10:38-21:57 Hidden Garden House https://youtu.be/hrOeEdf41cE?si=W2qslKZqgoJ4q5-y  Architect: https://www.trias.com.au/  Owner: Laura Butler https://mennt.com.au/  21:57-30:38 Crown St Apartment https://youtu.be/qPAhLxUkCVQ?si=za3KRE_l8ZMX_xP3  Architect: https://www.lippmann.com.au/  30:38-37:00 The Warren  https://youtu.be/nBq89b9ZRQw?si=4Ze2k3prdxlsb4dK  Designer: https://www.nicholasgurney.com.au/   37:00-44:42 House in Newtown  https://youtu.be/sO4w2lwq-EY?si=wtnrJl1vW5bdMkSW  Architect: https://www.architect-george.com/  44:42-51:06 beâCHâlet https://youtu.be/p7bWtw5BjFo?si=VtVvPdBO6PFSqu1D   Architect: https://www.mattr.studio  51:06-56:33 Downsizers https://youtu.be/gVpaljtBhc4?si=8VEmAjdlozNeoQCb  Designer: https://www.nicholasgurney.com.au/   56:33-01:03:27 Compartment No.3 https://youtu.be/yHt8uUZ6GLk?si=czx2cjadfUY7xIpP  Interior Designer: https://www.struttstudios.com.au/  Music: Artlist.io Smoke and Rain by ZISO Love Letters by warmkeys For the Rainy Days by Skygaze better off by warmkeys & Some Good by Kyle Cox Rotational Flow & Deep Water by Adi Goldstein Chili Crisp by Aves Winter by Magiksolo Velvet Sky by Ariel Shalom Please Send Rain & When Skies Meet Shores by We Dream of Eden Homesick (feat. Bad Room Producer) by Vestalgia You feel far away by Marshall Usinger  We almost flew away by Jon Gegelman  Share your projects with us- https://www.nevertoosmall.com/submissions Subscribe to our newsletter- https://www.nevertoosmall.com/subscribe  Check out our store- https://www.nts-store.com Website- https://www.nevertoosmall.com Instagram-  https://www.instagram.com/nvtsmall Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/nvtsmall

Transcript

00:00:04The cottage dates back to around 1849. This was built by the inmates of the

00:00:10nearby Darlinghurst jail to house the wardens. So it has a colourful past and

00:00:18it's had many iterations over the years. Most recently, just before me, was an

00:00:25active sex worker premises. The cottage is located in the vibrant inner city

00:00:34suburb of Darlinghurst here in Sydney. We're just one street back from Oxford

00:00:39Street which is the iconic Mardi Gras parade route and we're surrounded by

00:00:43restaurants, cafes, bars and just a stone's throw away from the Sydney CBD. My

00:00:56home. This is my home and also my office. The renovations spawned my business. I live

00:01:05here with my very handsome man, Tarko, the tuxedo cat.

00:01:18This is a fabulous community. This row of seven terraces, almost the seven dwarves,

00:01:24it's not uncommon for us to pop by with a bottle of wine on a Friday afternoon or

00:01:28catch the sunset over the skyline with a cocktail.

00:01:33I wanted to create a home that was warm and inviting and really welcomed in that

00:01:39rear to north aspect light. Using traditional materials in a tonal way

00:01:46really made the space not try to be something that it's not.

00:01:53When we first acquired the cottage it was dark, it was clinical, there was white shiny tiles on the

00:02:00floor, the dark pine ceiling and there's a rotting laminate kitchen. So the original

00:02:07floor plan you walk directly into living dining. There was a small pokey kitchen

00:02:12tucked into the rear wing extension and the bathroom and laundry combination, quite impractical,

00:02:18with an upstairs loft bedroom. We moved the cook zone from the bathroom wing over to the

00:02:24central location of the kitchen, making use of an old storage cupboard. We added a

00:02:29kitchen island and that really tripled the usable workspace. We actually made the

00:02:35bathroom smaller but by removing the laundry, moving the shower to the end of

00:02:39the bathroom, really made for a more practical floor plan. And upstairs in the loft

00:02:43bedroom we found some extra space and we opened up and made use of that extra

00:02:47ceiling height. Looking from the street the facade is quite unassuming. You enter

00:02:55into the main living and dining which you can see straight out through to the courtyard.

00:03:02I work mainly from home, so perched right in front of the window looking out to the street. I've got

00:03:08my

00:03:08desk so I can catch the greenery and the beautiful light. These blinds allow me to

00:03:15shut the bottom half off and still allow in light. It just allows for some privacy.

00:03:24The first thing I actually bought was this stunning artwork by my pal Xander Holiday.

00:03:29His fun use of shapes in the artwork and the pops of colour really influenced how I

00:03:33styled the property. Finding a scratching post that doesn't look like typical cat

00:03:39furniture really plays into the artwork in the living room as well.

00:03:44We've orientated the room to place the sofa underneath the stairs. It almost feels

00:03:50like the stairs are giving you a big hug. Under the stairs we discovered there was

00:03:56some unused space. So we popped on a secret door and that's now become my shed.

00:04:03When we bought the place the fireplaces are actually boarded up. So we opened them up,

00:04:07engaged a stonemason to match the sandstone on the front windowsill and it just creates a

00:04:12great place to store plants and artwork. In between the two fireplaces we've

00:04:19installed some custom joinery. So this matches the kitchen and the bathroom

00:04:23upstairs as well. It just creates a space to store all of the entertainment unit

00:04:27items and electrical. And hung above we've gone with a Samsung frame. It just

00:04:32makes it feel a little less like a TV and less imposing. We built in some custom

00:04:38shelving just out of MDF and painted it the same color as the wall to really feel

00:04:44as though it's always been there. And it's LED underlit so it creates some

00:04:47beautiful ambient lighting at night.

00:04:52The kitchen really connects seamlessly to the living space. This kitchen island really

00:04:58tripled the workable size of the kitchen.

00:05:03I made an intentional choice with the placement of the oven and the microwave

00:05:07into this side of the island so that it's more hidden from the living and the courtyard.

00:05:15In what used to be a storage cupboard we've now turned into extra workable kitchen space.

00:05:23The drawers right below the cooktop keep to the pots, utensils and the spices within easy reach.

00:05:33One of the showpieces in the kitchen in terms of materials is the kitchen splashback. So I've opted

00:05:39for a Moroccan handmade tile and they're intentfully irregular. So the pits, the tones and the various

00:05:47shapes catch the light at different times throughout the day.

00:05:52The area where the old kitchen stood has become the wash zone. So it incorporates much needed but

00:05:59albeit a really teeny dishwasher we've got bins and coffee and smoothie prep area.

00:06:05The area above the sink presented some tricky roof lines and it was difficult to build in some

00:06:11concealed cabinetry. So what we did was opt for open shelves to store everyday items and pulled that

00:06:18same timber finish from the floor up into the shelving.

00:06:24In this thoroughfare we've also placed a pantry. It's slim but because of the drawers it's super

00:06:30functional. So where the washing machine was once in the middle of the bathroom we've relocated into

00:06:37a cupboard in this thoroughfare. And because of this I've also been able to add a dryer stacked on top.

00:06:47There was previously a small acrylic skylight, didn't let a whole lot of light in and there were

00:06:53security grills on that smaller skylight as well. Opening up that Reader North roof line just bathes

00:07:00this back part of the house in natural light all throughout the day.

00:07:05I've also got the ability to draw the shade to control the light throughout the day.

00:07:13This courtyard really is an extension of the living space. I use it all year round.

00:07:20We made the decision to colour block the exterior walls black. It's just such a striking contrast against

00:07:26the sandstone tiles and gives an illusion of enlarging the space.

00:07:34The bathroom is situated behind a pocket door in the rear wing of the property.

00:07:39A white on white bathroom can often present cold or clinical but we avoided this by choosing matte surfaces

00:07:46for the sink and the tiles. The copper fixtures throughout add warmth and they complement the accent stone tiles.

00:07:58An in wall cistern toilet and wall hung vanity expose more of the floor tiles creating a more open feel.

00:08:04Most importantly this created a spot underneath Patako's kitty litter tray.

00:08:12The stairs in the living room leads up to the generous king-sized loft bedroom.

00:08:18One night there was a massive leak in the ceiling. This led us to discover there was some unused and

00:08:23untapped space within the attic. So what we did when replacing the ceiling was we raised the original

00:08:281.9 meter ceiling to a three meter cathedral style ceiling creating a sense of grandeur.

00:08:35I really love the contrast of the clean sharp lines of the new ceiling structure and the organic chimney stack

00:08:42and brick work.

00:08:46On top of the architectural beams we installed some LED lighting which really up lights the space

00:08:52creating a sense of height. Being up in the loft it can get quite hot in summer. I searched high

00:08:59and low

00:08:59for a fan that would fit within the apex of the roof but I just found the absolute perfect one.

00:09:06Designing for this room's awkward shape we maximized the space and storage by building into the roof line.

00:09:13We actually reduced the size of the wardrobe providing some additional floor space in the bedroom.

00:09:19Down by the side of the bed bi-fold doors were a space-saving alternative to traditional sliders.

00:09:28From the hanging space we actually installed some low drawers with open space on top to allow for

00:09:34as you enter up the stairs to see more of the roof line and create more of a sense of

00:09:38space.

00:09:44The Juliet balcony is a beautiful spot to catch the morning sun with a coffee

00:09:48and offers peak views of the Sydney skyline and the neighbourhood surrounds.

00:09:58When it comes to designing small spaces I really just had a look at

00:10:01myself as a person and how I actually want to use the space.

00:10:06So through that I created a list of all the features and functions that I'd like to incorporate into the

00:10:11property and then I really had to come up with creative solutions of how that's all going to fit within

00:10:15those four walls. Don't be afraid to shift, repurpose or reuse certain spaces because every millimetre

00:10:25counts and also you can't change the direction of the sun so capturing as much light as you can with

00:10:30that aspect is just also so important in making a space feel bright and breezy.

00:10:43For the design of Hidden Garden House we were particularly inspired by Japanese temples and

00:10:49the hidden gardens and special places that you find in really dense cities like Tokyo.

00:10:56When you're living in the middle of the city there's this hustle and urgency and energy to the

00:11:01life that happens around you. So we liked this idea of in the middle of Darlinghurst in Sydney's

00:11:07bustling heart providing this place that would bring peace and quiet and calm to our clients lives.

00:11:19This terrace house is located in Darlinghurst which is an inner city neighbourhood that's quite dense

00:11:24just on the fringe of the Sydney CBD and it's characterised by a lot of small terrace homes,

00:11:32pocket parks and really charming streets.

00:11:36The original house was built in the 1890s and it was originally workers accommodation as was really

00:11:42common in this neighbourhood at the time. More recently into the 20 and 21st centuries it was used as

00:11:48domestic housing. The house is the home to Lauren Ammon who are a pair of creatives alongside their dog and

00:11:57their cat.

00:12:01Our clients originally moved into the terrace and found it to be very dark, very damp and dilapidated.

00:12:08The original house was a two-storey terrace.

00:12:14The original staircase cut the terrace into two. Even though Lauren Ammon had an outdoor space,

00:12:20it was quite heavily overlooked by all of the neighbours. The stair was moved to the edge of

00:12:25the house and so it sleeves in along one boundary and beneath it we managed to tuck in the laundry

00:12:29and some bulk storage. We've also included our little hidden garden so it's a courtyard that you can access

00:12:36from that easement laneway. The green roof sits where the previous deck was and crowns the new extension

00:12:42we have at the back of the terrace house. The bathroom was also relocated upstairs.

00:12:50You enter the house off this really charming Darlinghurst laneway.

00:12:54When you open the door you get to see the living room and the hidden garden in the distance.

00:13:02Behind the front door there's a series of little brass hooks designed and commissioned by Laura

00:13:06along with the door hardware as part of the house. Right beside the front door there's also a bench

00:13:15which can be used as a seat or also to house different objects. So at the moment it's home to

00:13:21Lauren Ammon's record player and speakers. In the front two rooms we put down some Victorian ash floorboards

00:13:28and they're a really light, bright, consistent timber and so they help bring some warmth to the space.

00:13:35Laura commissioned a custom sofa for the space so it's really well designed in proportion to the room.

00:13:43In one corner there's quite a petite bookshelf

00:13:49and above that is a swinging potence lamp that can be tucked away or pulled out depending on where

00:13:55Laura and Ammon would like their light positioned.

00:14:00Stepping up into the dining space the L-shaped bench wraps around to provide seating for a custom dining table.

00:14:09We worked with Laura and Ammon to design and commission a table that was a little bit narrower than

00:14:14normal but also quite long to fit the space.

00:14:19To the other side of the dining room we have the laundry which sits concealed beneath the stair.

00:14:26We also have a washer dryer which is really space efficient.

00:14:30Tucked behind one of the fixed panels there's also some extra storage so it really makes the

00:14:35most of all of the room that we have behind and beneath those stairs.

00:14:41Right at the edge the bench pulls to actually become the second step up to the kitchen and there's

00:14:46an original stone block which we found in the Holmes Foundation which firms the first step.

00:14:54Coming up into the kitchen we step onto the new part of the house. We floated the idea of Laura

00:15:00who's a ceramicist making some tiles for the house. So her handmade terracotta tiles are also present on the

00:15:07floor of the kitchen. In the passageway we have another custom design piece of furniture which is a day bed

00:15:14that has a timber base and Laura's also furnished this area really beautifully with a custom ceramic artwork

00:15:22that she made. The kitchen is the back of the terrace house and it's got a brass bench top and

00:15:32folded custom

00:15:33integrated sink. All of the cabinetry is Victorian ash veneer and we chose to not include any handles

00:15:42but instead do a shark nose edge pull on all of the joinery just to make it really sleek and

00:15:47calm and minimal.

00:15:50The gas stove sits directly on the countertop which gives it a really seamless minimal look.

00:15:56We actually have a concealed LED light strip and that washes this really beautiful soft light down the back wall.

00:16:04Laura and Amon were very willing to I guess sacrifice some of the things that we often have in our

00:16:10kitchen so something like a microwave and a toaster and they didn't feel the need for a large pantry

00:16:16or fridge. The really nice by-product of this was that we were able to keep all the joinery really

00:16:20low

00:16:21and really minimal. That also means that the kitchen is really uncluttered and that the countertop

00:16:25doesn't end up crowded out with a million appliances. It was a really deliberate decision on behalf of

00:16:34ourselves and Laura and Amon to make the garden ornamental rather than a place that you would go

00:16:38out and sit in. It's somewhat counterintuitive but we often find that if you have less house and more

00:16:46garden our homes often end up feeling more spacious and that's just because you can sit inside at your

00:16:52dining room table or on your lounge and look out and get access to that light and greenery and sky.

00:16:58Because it has windows on all three sides it provides really beautiful soft natural light to

00:17:03all of those spaces so that they don't need to rely on any artificial lighting during the day.

00:17:10And then in the kitchen we have a big fixed piece of glass which is complemented by

00:17:15a fixed ventilation solid panel that can help with cooking and smells and all of that kind of thing.

00:17:22For the courtyard design we worked really closely with Kirsty Kendall who's an incredible landscape

00:17:27architect. The crowning feature is the Japanese maple which is a beautiful tree and one that changes

00:17:34throughout the seasons. There's a datum line that we have which expresses Laura's tiles and having those

00:17:42glazed tiles really enhances and complements the courtyard by drawing light and bouncing light

00:17:47around not just the courtyard but the interior of the home as well.

00:17:53We made a decision to raise the floor of the new extension so the kitchen is actually about 450

00:17:58millimetres higher than the previous kitchen and bathroom were. It allows us to drain the garden.

00:18:03The second thing it does is pulls us up closer to the light.

00:18:09The stairs are made from Victorian ash timber and they wind their way up and around and then arrive

00:18:15in at the edge of the bathroom and the bedroom. We also decided to place a small window at the

00:18:21top

00:18:22of the stairs so that the staircase would be bathed in really soft natural light.

00:18:29The bathroom sits to the left.

00:18:32The tiles used in the bathroom are a really simple Japanese sugi tile that were actually a wastage

00:18:38product that we found and they're also repeated down in the laundry as well.

00:18:44The toilet is tucked away into a timber block

00:18:50and the shower sits hidden behind that in a tiled shower niche.

00:18:57The basin is actually almost like a lab sink and it sits suspended off the wall with an exposed trap.

00:19:06We use brass tapware which has a really beautiful warmth and patina

00:19:10that tends to become more lively and beautiful over time.

00:19:17The bathroom cabinet is hidden away and it almost looks like it's part of the wall.

00:19:22When you push to open it it reveals the mirror and the storage.

00:19:29The new window infills the old opening left by the door. The hidden shower also gets to enjoy this

00:19:37amazing sliver of view across the green roof and to nearby terraces and greenery. The bottom half is

00:19:44fluted glass which makes it private but also still brings the light in and then the top half is operable

00:19:50so that you can welcome in some natural air. The main bedroom space is a really simple room

00:19:57with a higher raked ceiling and it feels even more generous because the bed is quite low in the space.

00:20:05Beside the bed Laura and Ammon have installed these incredibly beautiful

00:20:08wall-mounted reading lights so they can tuck up in bed and enjoy a book.

00:20:15The wardrobe contains a few different sections so there's a section where Laura and Ammon store

00:20:21their shorter and folded clothes and then a long hanging section but that space also functions

00:20:26like their linen cupboard, their garage storing camping gear and things like that.

00:20:34There's a saying we like to paraphrase at Trias which is that the greenest building is the one that

00:20:38already exists. When we're working with existing homes we have the opportunity to re-imagine and

00:20:44reinvent them. We can keep the character of the places that already exist and it's almost like

00:20:50we're adding a new chapter in that building's history. When we're designing small spaces something

00:20:55we always try and do is really minimise the material palette and the design decisions that we make.

00:21:02So of course you still want to have light and brightness and air happening in the building but

00:21:07it's also really important that it doesn't end up being too busy and fussy.

00:21:12Simplicity is absolutely key and so making sure that what we choose is really restrained and

00:21:17really calm and uncluttered makes for a far more calm living environment.

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00:21:58Simplicity is something that I strive for. So it's a process of finding the most simple, practical and

00:22:07high-performance solution. So in a small space that becomes very important because there's no room for

00:22:13extravagance. There's no room for excess. There is a need to make the space livable and delightful.

00:22:22I'm Ed Lipman. I'm the founder of Lipman Partnership and Mitch, my son, asked me to help him renovate his

00:22:29apartment. The apartment is in Darlinghurst, which is an inner city part of Sydney. It's a dense,

00:22:40populated neighbourhood close to restaurants and shops and very close to the central business district.

00:22:47Mitch, his brief was, you know, he's a chef, so he wanted a good kitchen and he wanted this mezzanine

00:22:53bed. And the other requirement that he insisted on was that this should be good enough to appear on

00:22:59and never too small. Luckily, I satisfied the brief.

00:23:12This building was originally a Reader's Digest warehouse. It was converted into a residential apartment

00:23:18building 50 years later. That's why it's as high as it is, 3.6 metre ceiling. The goal of the

00:23:26design

00:23:26was to do more with less. We used a lot of timber because it's a sustainable material,

00:23:33it smells nice. So we just wanted to keep the palette very simple.

00:23:41Originally, when we first saw the apartment, it was pokey and dark. The light fittings were

00:23:46pretty ugly. The bed was in a room.

00:23:51The kitchen was a galley kitchen. There was an island, which made the space a bit smaller.

00:23:57In terms of the layout of the space, it's not very different to what was here before,

00:24:01but the major move that we made, we elevated the loft so that the space below the bed was usable.

00:24:07Around the perimeter of that undercroft, there's clothing, wardrobe and a desk, which has a window.

00:24:16The bedroom overlooks the living room, so that's very grand and luxurious.

00:24:22When you come through the front door, you walk through the storage wall.

00:24:27There is a sort of a sense of arrival. With the bathroom on the right, the loft bedroom up the

00:24:34stairs right there, entrance to the study wardrobe and the living room.

00:24:40It's a couple of steps away, there's space for shoes.

00:24:43The original floor was a vinyl floating floor, and we put down a new timber floor,

00:24:48which is similar to the joinery. There's really only one material that we've used in this apartment,

00:24:56and that's timber. I try to always get the lines working through a piece of joinery,

00:25:03try to integrate the horizontal lines. It's a purely visual thing. I think it adds some beauty.

00:25:11It was really important that that storage wall, the kitchen, incorporates not just the kitchen,

00:25:16but also storage area. And then taking the joinery up to the ceiling. There are things that you may not

00:25:21need to get access to every day of the week, and so I make use of that space.

00:25:27The joinery is new, and as you can imagine, an old building like this, the floor's not level,

00:25:32the ceiling's not level. It's got to be custom designed, and got to make allowances for all these

00:25:36sort of defects in the old building. The mirrored splashback is a good idea in a small space,

00:25:44so that when you've got your back to your guests, you can still see them,

00:25:47and it also makes the room feel bigger. The stainless steel bench, given the fact that

00:25:52Mitch is a chef, that's what he's accustomed to. The fridge was here before. The gas cooktop

00:25:59was being thrown out by a friend of mine who was renovating his apartment.

00:26:06It's much more practical to have deep, wide drawers. Easier to get into the back of them,

00:26:12and it's also more practical to have one wide drawer than two narrow drawers.

00:26:17Mitch, he found the table nearby and lugged it in with the help of a friend, I think.

00:26:24The chairs were also secondhand. The aluminium uplight is part of the lighting strategy for the whole apartment.

00:26:33It's throwing light up to create a greater sense of space. It takes your eye through the space.

00:26:40It's parallel to the joinery, so that it's kind of part of that service zone.

00:26:46The living area has been stripped back to its basics, so you can see the original structure.

00:26:52There are some beams in the space supporting the slab above, and the walls were as we found it.

00:27:01The living area talks to the bed loft, so you can sit up there and engage in what's happening down

00:27:07here.

00:27:09All the furniture was Mitch's doing. It's all secondhand. He got it off Marketplace,

00:27:15and it's quite eclectic. The apartment is suitable for flexibility.

00:27:21The choice of white is really just to make the space feel bigger. In a small apartment like this,

00:27:28our approach was just to keep it all very simple and to create the warmth with the timber.

00:27:34The shelving between the living room and the study creates that permeability and transparency through the space.

00:27:45Because the bed itself is elevated, there's sufficient headroom to walk under the mattress.

00:27:51It was a good use of space because it increased the usable floor area.

00:27:56On one side of the dressing area, there's hanging space to create flexibility and transparency.

00:28:03The wardrobe space is not completely separated from the living room.

00:28:07So there's a timber screen, so you can get a sense that there's a room behind there.

00:28:13On the other side of the room, underneath the stairs, are storage cubicles.

00:28:18Space for shoes, jumpers and knitwear. No space is wasted.

00:28:26In the study area, once you're seated, you're in a nice cosy space,

00:28:30which reminds me of a caravan or a boat. It's another experience within the apartment.

00:28:39The bathroom hasn't been renovated yet, but it will be.

00:28:43The bathroom is functional, as it is.

00:28:47There's a small bathtub, a shower, a washer and dryer, a hand basin with some storage and a toilet.

00:28:56The mattress is raised above the platform for two reasons.

00:29:00Firstly, to make it easier to get into bed.

00:29:03And secondly, to create headroom in the space below.

00:29:07It's all made out of plywood.

00:29:09The floor, the bed base, the cupboards below, it's all one material.

00:29:12And it was made in the joiners workshop and then brought here and assembled in pieces.

00:29:20We wanted to combine the bedroom loft with the living space.

00:29:25We needed some barrier to prevent an accident.

00:29:28We put some big timber shelves, which also act as a desk,

00:29:33so you can sit on the floor of the bed loft and dangle your feet and write your memoirs or

00:29:38read a book.

00:29:39It also creates a screen between the bed loft and the living room.

00:29:46The existing window was integrated with the platform.

00:29:50The platform doesn't actually meet the window.

00:29:51And the good thing about that is that it allows light through to the desk below.

00:29:58The approach to this project is to make things practical and livable and enjoyable to live in.

00:30:05So in a very small space like this, one has to work a bit harder.

00:30:09It's a place for one person or maybe a partner.

00:30:12So you don't really need to worry about privacy.

00:30:14Without those requirements, the space becomes much more luxurious because it's one big volume.

00:30:21Rather than demolishing a building like this and building a new residential flat building,

00:30:26it's more sustainable to actually convert buildings like this for new use.

00:30:39This apartment is located in the inner west of Sydney in a suburb called Murrickville.

00:30:46Known by locals as the Warren because it's a sort of rabbit warren of an area.

00:30:52The apartment is in a three-storey walk-up.

00:30:57Built in 1960 and the unit is one of 18 in the building.

00:31:07This apartment is 49 square metres.

00:31:12The client had a very clear understanding of what they wanted.

00:31:16They wanted to carry the same ambience that was in this place already over to the renovation.

00:31:20However, he needed vast improvements to functionality.

00:31:25The client's style is anything but ubiquitous.

00:31:28It's completely personal. It's very loose.

00:31:30The client is certainly not interested in reductivism.

00:31:34And he will continue to accumulate things.

00:31:37So ample storage was very, very important.

00:31:41We removed a series of walls that divided the master bedroom from the rest of the apartment.

00:31:46And we shifted the sleeping space into what was the old bathroom.

00:31:51The old bathroom went into what was the old laundry.

00:31:54And what was the master bedroom became an art studio and a sleeping space for guests.

00:32:00By removing the walls, we decided to insert a really large storage pod into the centre of the unit.

00:32:11The new insertions were realised in mirror gold.

00:32:16The reflective gold is really quite dynamic in that it reflects the light.

00:32:21And it amplifies the effect of all of the trees and the plants

00:32:25that the client has dotted around the apartment.

00:32:33And it's really important.

00:32:33Inserting the pod enabled us to demarcate spaces and distribute zones.

00:32:39And that pod contains all of his clothing,

00:32:44general dump storage,

00:32:47a laundry,

00:32:49art supplies,

00:32:51and also a niche where he can create art.

00:32:55We used black in the art space niche. It's quite reductive. It doesn't detract from the effect of the mirrored

00:33:01gold.

00:33:04It's much easier to keep clean with all of the mess related to the art.

00:33:07And there's some continuity because the front of the pod is imagined entirely in black.

00:33:16The sleeping nook is where the original bathroom was.

00:33:20We're conducive to fitting a queen bed.

00:33:23The gold panels make the sleeping nook feel like a much larger space than it otherwise would.

00:33:30The sleeping nook is elevated by two steps so that we can store a pullout bed underneath.

00:33:38So that on the other side of the pod, a bed can be pulled out for guests.

00:33:45And the room can be shut off with the use of a curtain that retracts from the pod.

00:33:54The soft light that emanates from the junction of storage pod and the wall draws the eye through to the

00:34:00rear of the space.

00:34:05The client had a desire to have plants in every space within the apartment and that included in the bathroom.

00:34:10So we created a small soaker tub come shower and then a secondary tub if you like to house a

00:34:18garden.

00:34:22We used the reflective white tile and a white shower curtain to create a very light airy and bright space

00:34:29which is offset with the polished gold tapware.

00:34:36The kitchen has all of the functionality and amenity of a regular kitchen.

00:34:39However, it's completely concealed.

00:34:42All of the appliances are hidden because it was important that the kitchen be probably

00:34:46the most recessive component within the design.

00:34:49There's an underbench integrated fridge, oven, dishwasher, cooktop.

00:34:57There is no overhead storage, instead that space has been reserved for art

00:35:02to again help the kitchen blend into its environment.

00:35:12We decided to paint the walls in a semi-gloss rather than a flat paint.

00:35:16And the paint continues from the walls up to the ceiling.

00:35:22Even with all of the decoration, there's a calmness and a continuity to the space

00:35:27because the tile pervades every space.

00:35:33This sort of building stock has great access to light and to breeze.

00:35:38And by removing all of the partitioning in the apartment and starting the layout again,

00:35:43the spatial organisation again, we've unlocked a whole heap of new potential.

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00:37:01I do feel in Australia that architecture suffers from being a little too private.

00:37:08In dense environments and on small sites, I think it's important for our buildings

00:37:13to breathe and open up to the rear laneway or a park or the street.

00:37:19My name is Dean Williams. I'm the director of Architect George,

00:37:22and I live here with my partner and my dog-auntie.

00:37:34The house is located in Newtown, which is in Sydney's inner west.

00:37:38Newtown is a really quirky, diverse environment.

00:37:45There's a great sense of community in Newtown, and it's a great place to live.

00:37:52The original house was built in the 1930s. It would have been built as a modest workers cottage,

00:37:57providing cost-effective housing for people in the Newtown area.

00:38:02The footprint of the home is 35 square metres.

00:38:06And with us adding the second story, the total size of the house is just under 60 square metres.

00:38:12We lived in the home for about two or three years before we undertook the renovation.

00:38:16The key priorities for us was a house that was generous in its connections to the outdoors

00:38:22and to sunlight and views of the garden and the community.

00:38:28The building was liveable. However, it was very enclosed, very small,

00:38:34and had a series of pokey rooms. But the structure was in relatively good condition.

00:38:39When you walked through the front door, you entered into a small living space,

00:38:44which was completely disconnected from the rear courtyard. And then upstairs,

00:38:47there was a small attic accessed by a pull-down ladder, which is where we used to sleep.

00:38:51Removing a few internal walls and a rear bathroom addition provided some dramatic

00:38:56improvements to the site. Upstairs, we retained the existing loft and added two bedrooms,

00:39:03a bathroom and a small green roof to the back of the site.

00:39:10The house is in a heritage conservation area. We can't change the appearance of the street frontage,

00:39:17so all new works are at the rear of the site, hidden from view from the front street.

00:39:22The entrance to the house is raised from street level and opens directly into an open plan living space.

00:39:29The living room is retained at the front of the home and we kept an original fireplace which was restored.

00:39:38The home uses engineered timber floorboards throughout in a dark brown to contrast all of

00:39:44the white textures of the internal living areas.

00:39:48The flooring continues throughout all rooms of the home to provide a seamless connection to all rooms

00:39:54to make the home feel larger.

00:39:56A new kitchen joiner is built around an original chimney breast.

00:40:01We specified a stone bench top for the kitchen island, the kitchen bench tops and wrapping up adds the splashback.

00:40:09On one side of the kitchen houses a dishwasher, sink and all of the cooking facilities.

00:40:16The other side under the stair houses an integrated fridge, pantry and a lot of the storage for the home.

00:40:24A thin stone island bench unit is located in the middle of the room to encourage

00:40:28a social place to gather when entertaining.

00:40:31From the kitchen to the dining room there's a single step in the floor level which provides this really

00:40:37nice delineation of the kitchen and dining functions but connects them visually.

00:40:42We expose the beams of the ceiling above to give the sense of extra space.

00:40:47It's detailed in a way to provide shelves for books and household belongings.

00:40:52The dining room sits adjacent to a semi-internal light well that has dense greenery planted throughout.

00:41:00This light well drenches the dining space and kitchen with sunlight all day long.

00:41:07A new smaller concrete block bathroom was positioned in a part of the courtyard that would have been

00:41:13otherwise unoccupiable because of the triangular nature of the site.

00:41:18The bathroom is a somewhat sculptural element in the garden providing a curved mosaic shower with

00:41:24a glass skylight above. The roof of the bathroom is planted with greenery to grow over time and

00:41:30dangle down the concrete block walls and over the skylight. The curved shower is quite modest in size

00:41:37but it kind of wraps around you like a warm hug. Tiles were only used where needed in the bathroom.

00:41:44The bathroom floor tiles use beautiful green terrazzo tiles to provide a seamless floor finish that

00:41:50looks almost like one single slab. On the first floor the main bedroom is located at the rear of the

00:41:59home overlooking the courtyard and out onto a small park with a community garden. On the other side of the

00:42:07room we have floor to ceiling wardrobes which provides all the storage for the bedroom.

00:42:15There's a hidden door from the bedroom out to the new green roof. When you're lying in bed you can

00:42:21get

00:42:21this view out to the garden and to the rear part beyond. One of the key requirements of the brief

00:42:28from

00:42:28my partner was to reuse some stained glass panels from our old rear door. When the sun shines you get

00:42:35these beautiful coloured patterns across the wall in the bedroom. Our second bedroom is located in the

00:42:42old attic where we used to sleep. It's now been repurposed as a guest bedroom for family to stay with

00:42:48us

00:42:48and Alex utilises this room as a home office. The bedroom is located in the pitch of the existing

00:42:55room and we incorporated a new large skylight to provide access to light and ventilation to this room.

00:43:04We have full width storage on one side of the room which utilises the old roof space to provide a

00:43:11whole

00:43:11bunch of extra storage for the home. Our second bathroom is located on the first floor at the top

00:43:18of the stair. We integrated a small north-facing window to provide great access to sunlight to the

00:43:24room all day long. The materials in this bathroom utilise the same materials as the ground floor

00:43:30bathroom for consistency. It's really nice to have a small courtyard in this part of Sydney in such a

00:43:39dense environment. Even though it has these awkward shapes and angles it provides a seamless extension

00:43:46of the living spaces. We repurposed an old outhouse at the back of the site as our laundry which houses

00:43:54a washing machine and storage for shed supplies. It was really important to upgrade and repurpose this

00:44:03existing house rather than demolish it. It provided a more cost-effective option to provide a new family

00:44:11contemporary home. It's also really important to maintain our historical connection to our cities by

00:44:17retaining our streetscapes. We deliberately make spaces smaller if it provides more opportunities for

00:44:24improved access to sunlight, the outdoors and ventilation. Nothing has to be given up to live in a smaller home.

00:44:30We just need to readjust our thinking of what a comfortable contemporary home is,

00:44:34how big a bedroom needs to be or how wide a doorway should be.

00:44:44Beach Chalet employs a full bag of architectural tricks to conceal and reveal, hide and display.

00:44:51My primary influences are Japanese and Scandinavian architecture and interiors

00:44:56and also the super efficient use of interiors within yachts and caravans and the in-built joinery that

00:45:03goes into those. My name is Matt Reynolds, I'm an architect and I make a lot of sawdust. I'm also

00:45:10the

00:45:10founder of Matter Studio and I focus on architecture, interiors and furniture as well as art and this is my

00:45:18apartment Beach Chalet. Beach Chalet is located just up the hill from Bronte Beach and is on Gadigal land of

00:45:32the Eora Nation.

00:45:34The building was built in the 1970s and comprises 16 units, four studios and 12 two-bedroom apartments.

00:45:44I built a shed down in my carport prior to starting this renovation so that I then had an area

00:45:50in which

00:45:51to build everything myself. I learnt all of my carpentry skills from my dad and then employed

00:45:57those with my architectural background to create Beach Chalet. The apartment was quite run down with

00:46:04a tiny hallway leading to a dining living area with a small kitchen beside the hallway. There were also

00:46:11two bedrooms and a rather tired bathroom all of which were lacking storage and no laundry so I always

00:46:17had to do my washing downstairs in the communal laundry. I changed the floor plan by demolishing the

00:46:25wall separating the kitchen from the entry and removed the shower bath to make room for an internal laundry.

00:46:32The remaining spaces were adapted through the use of multi-functional joinery elements.

00:46:41As you enter the apartment the front door houses a small art gallery. In lieu of the previously

00:46:49confining entry hallway I introduced a Genkan or a Japanese space in which people enter the unit,

00:46:55sit down and remove their shoes. The seat also folds down revealing long-term storage.

00:47:04The open plan living dining space is a multi-functional space. It also features plenty of display areas

00:47:11including a floating bookshelf. It wraps around all of the walls in the living room as well as every other

00:47:18room in the apartment and acts as a device to bring the whole apartment together. Both elements of the

00:47:25two-piece couch are mobile and can be reconfigured to become a queen-sized bed or two single beds for

00:47:33guests.

00:47:35They can also turn around to become a bench seat for the dining table when I have eight people over

00:47:41for dinner.

00:47:44The pegboard wall is a sliding panel that opens to reveal the TV as well as more display shelves

00:47:51and slides to the end of the apartment.

00:47:55The home gymnasium is concealed behind a curtain.

00:48:02The dining table has an end dedicated to working from home with plenty of power and USB outlets.

00:48:10I designed and built the suspended brass and tassie oak light fitting and it can be dimmed and changed

00:48:17with colours to suit my mood. The cook's kitchen has plenty of preparation space with full-size appliances

00:48:27and integrated dishwasher. The cupboards above the breakfast bench are finished in a gloss black perspex

00:48:33to match the drawers and doors below the bench. The overhead cupboards on the window side are finished

00:48:40with clear purse specs to allow the light to shine through from the window and through the glassware.

00:48:47And I've maximised storage everywhere I can find it.

00:48:53Beach Chalet has two bedrooms, the larger of which serving as the main bedroom. The raised platform has

00:49:00hidden long-term storage as well as easily accessible drawers. A wall of joinery provides a wardrobe,

00:49:08drawers and cupboard space for clothing. The mirrors on the wardrobe and at each end of the bedroom

00:49:14bounce light around the room and create a sense of more space. There's some hinged panels that block

00:49:21out light from a window above the bed. The pegboard wall allows plenty of flexibility on how to arrange artwork.

00:49:30The second bedroom doubles as a guest bedroom as well as a storage room for all my sports equipment.

00:49:37There's a built-in desk that folds down to allow the two single sofa beds to pull out when guests

00:49:44turn up.

00:49:46Like the main bedroom, it's also on a raised platform with skinny drawers that recede back underneath the platform.

00:49:55The bathroom was reconfigured by removing a step-in bath shower and replacing it with a full-size shower,

00:50:02which allowed me the room to introduce an internal laundry with a separate dryer and washer.

00:50:09The ceiling's made of western red cedar to evoke the sense of being in a sauna when the steam hits

00:50:16it.

00:50:17A wall of mirrors bounce light around the bathroom as well.

00:50:23The balcony faces east towards the ocean views with a small garden of succulents and palms.

00:50:31I've also recently introduced a vertical herb garden to help feed myself and my guests.

00:50:39In response to the need to reduce the size of Australian homes, Beach Chalet is an example of smaller, smarter

00:50:46design.

00:50:47We need to reduce the amount of impact on landfill, on green open spaces with new development in Australia,

00:50:55and if we can repurpose existing apartment stock, then that's a better use of our built environment.

00:51:12This apartment belongs to an elderly couple who relocated from the country.

00:51:18I like to joke that they moved from 250 acres to 38 square metres.

00:51:23This building is located in Darlinghurst in Sydney and is a circa 1920s building and it was a distribution warehouse

00:51:31in its previous life.

00:51:33In the late 1990s, it was adapted for apartment living.

00:51:39The apartment was actually in very good condition.

00:51:43It just didn't have the required functionality or utility inherent within it for the needs of my client.

00:51:49Coral and Jim.

00:51:51This is a studio unit.

00:51:54By demarcating the space and providing a number of zones,

00:51:58we've given each occupant the opportunity for privacy or solitude.

00:52:03Given the age of my clients, it was important that all of the spaces were deemed accessible and compliant for

00:52:09a wheelchair.

00:52:14Coral and Jim are very well travelled.

00:52:16They worked overseas.

00:52:18Coral was a chef and is still a very keen cook.

00:52:22The kitchen has a lot of integrated functionality, both for its appliances but also for storage.

00:52:32And neatly, the kitchen appears to sort of float off the floor to give it a sense of lightness.

00:52:36The kitchen is very functional with fully integrated appliances like the refrigerator

00:52:43and the dishwasher.

00:52:46There's a large pull-out dining table that seats five guests.

00:52:50When that's put away, that enables more space in the living and more circulation space in the kitchen.

00:52:59The handle details are a cutaway rather than a protruding handle.

00:53:03And this appears en masse throughout the apartment, which creates a nice continuity.

00:53:09The kitchen joinery extends all the way through to a credenza, which lends itself to a seven metre long worktop.

00:53:16The credenza provides ample storage for all of those things that the clients didn't want to part with.

00:53:21Photo albums, books and the like.

00:53:25The clients very much opted to favour storage.

00:53:29There's a lengthy hallway, flanked either side by storage.

00:53:33On one side is the integrated laundry, a linen cupboard and some miscellaneous storage.

00:53:39And on the other side is the his and her wardrobe.

00:53:47The secondary space is primarily a bedroom.

00:53:50The bedroom is accessed by each occupant from one side only.

00:53:54So Jim has his own side and Coral has her own side.

00:53:57And that's because we needed a large enough hallway and a deep enough storage block

00:54:01that the bed came quite close down to the wall.

00:54:06The flip down bed sides mean that that can be tucked away when converted to an office space.

00:54:13Jim is a very keen writer and requested a separate zone.

00:54:19So we used a large sliding door with frosted panels so that he could have private space to be able

00:54:25to do the things that he likes to do.

00:54:28The sliding screen serves three distinct purposes.

00:54:32One is to bring light into the spaces that it closes off.

00:54:35The first space that it closes off is the bedroom.

00:54:39And the second space that it closes off is the hallway which can become a changing room off the bathroom.

00:54:45We were very fortunate that the bathroom was a large size.

00:54:49We maintained the idea of accessibility if that's a requirement in the future.

00:54:54There's underfloor heating, heated towel rails, integrated lighting,

00:54:58and a really, really large shower space with provision for a shower seat for the future if they need that.

00:55:05We decided to stop all of the new joinery insertions at 2.2 metres high.

00:55:11And what this does is lends itself to the feeling of more height.

00:55:16What we've done in the bathroom is bring the ceiling down to that level

00:55:19and then make use of all of the space above the bathroom for their storage of wine

00:55:23and for things that you really need like your luggage.

00:55:28Given the magnitude of the downsides, it was a nice opportunity for them to pick as much of the fittings

00:55:33and fixtures as possible.

00:55:34Things like the red sink in the kitchen, the dotted tiles on the bathroom floor,

00:55:38and it was the client's preference for ceiling fans over mechanical air conditioning.

00:55:43We moved all of the lights off the ceiling so it would be much easier to change the light fixture.

00:55:48And the fold-down seat is great when you're on your way in and out of the unit,

00:55:52and it's nice and close to a pull-out shoe draw.

00:55:57We designed to ensure that everything was easily accessible.

00:56:00The bed, for instance, doesn't need to go away. It can stay down and be a bedroom.

00:56:05The storage space above the bathroom by the ladder, it's there now, but it's not a necessity.

00:56:11It was really lovely to be able to design for Coral and Jim.

00:56:15Not only are they thinking very clearly about what they need now,

00:56:18but they're also thinking about what they're going to need in the future.

00:56:23This is their 28th place of residence, and they're adamant that this will be their last place.

00:56:28They're very happy here.

00:56:36This apartment was built in 1926 and was originally designed for the jockeys who worked around the corner

00:56:41at Randwick Racecourse. This included a lot of original fixtures and fittings,

00:56:45such as brass work and terrazzo stone tiles.

00:56:49This apartment is the first-owned home of myself and my husband, Josh,

00:56:53and we share it with our little dogs, Billy and Remy.

00:56:57It was very important to preserve the natural character of this building.

00:57:00That's what drew us to the space in the first place. The natural light surrounded by the timber

00:57:05sash windows led into the heritage nature of the building, and that, along with some other

00:57:09fixtures and fittings, really encouraged us to stay in an Art Deco style interior.

00:57:20This project was designed for us to work functionally today, but we were also very mindful

00:57:24of how it could work in the future for small families. This apartment's internal footprint is

00:57:30just over 50 square metres. The existing ceilings in the living room and bedroom space are a real

00:57:37feature throughout the apartment. This was something that we fell in love with immediately when walking

00:57:41through the space. The layout has retained its original configuration, except for the removal of

00:57:46a 500mm thick wall in the kitchen dining space. This has allowed us to add in over three times the

00:57:52amount of

00:57:52storage, an integrated laundry, as well as some new appliances. By creating a neutral palette between

00:57:59the floor wall and ceiling, it allowed us an opportunity to put in some bold colours and really make the

00:58:04brass fixtures the highlight of the space. The furniture within the living room is again of a very

00:58:11neutral palette, allowing the character of the space to speak for itself. In the kitchen space, we removed the

00:58:17500mm thick wall, thus opening up the whole dining and kitchen area. We were able to raise the floor

00:58:23not only to get all of the plumbing work across to the laundry space, but this also created a zone

00:58:27of

00:58:28demarcation. We've emphasised this zone as a separate area to the rest of the apartment by going with a

00:58:33different floor finish seen in the grey floor tile, as well as accentuating this step by adding a brass

00:58:39trim to the front of the step. The main functional requirement of this space was to fit in as much

00:58:46storage as possible within the kitchen. We've included a full-size induction cooktop and oven

00:58:52within the space. This leads into an integrated microwave cavity, as well as an inclusion of a

00:58:57brand new laundry space. This laundry space has a continuation of the engineered stone bench top,

00:59:03so that we can include all of our appliances in this area as well. Next to this is an integrated

00:59:13fridge freezer, as well as a cleverly concealed pantry. This pantry is against a wonky wall,

00:59:19which proved a real challenge for the joiner, but has maximised the storage space within the kitchen.

00:59:27Opposite the pantry is our dining zone, featuring our custom banquette seat.

00:59:31This stone top continues from the bench top down into a waterfall onto the top of a custom designed

00:59:37upholstery unit. The back piece is hung off the wall rather than connected to the base,

00:59:42which creates a sense of lightness by negative space. Additionally, we have a lot of storage

00:59:48underneath this, which is always helpful in a small apartment. The finishes throughout the kitchen

00:59:54design have been carefully considered to tie in with those original features which we first fell in

00:59:58love with. One of my favourite features in this apartment design is the brass shelving over the

01:00:04sink. The continuation of brass handles as well as a brass tap have been left unsealed so that they

01:00:09can gradually patina with age. The pink splashback tiles tie in with the pink terrazzo floor steps upon

01:00:16the entry to the apartment unit. The sliding glass door proportions have been designed so that when

01:00:22they're opened it completely conceals the exhaust unit and when closed again creates a very seamless

01:00:27pattern which continues up into the linear bulkhead. This fluted glass is a tie back to the art deco

01:00:33nature of the apartment design. We kept the original bathroom door but changed the mechanism from a swing

01:00:40pivot door into a concealed sliding door thus creating more circulation within the bathroom.

01:00:47One of the main features within this bathroom is how much storage has been considered and added into

01:00:52the room. Not only do you have a typical vanity which includes a large pull-out drawer, an overhead

01:00:57mirrored shaving cabinet and some low storage underneath, and also the addition of the brass shelf, it creates

01:01:05a long slimline look continuing from the entry leading all the way into the bath area. The inclusion of a

01:01:12bath

01:01:12within the space was not only a huge win for myself but also for future young families. To get a

01:01:18bath

01:01:18within this tiny 1.4 meter wide bathroom area we had to cut a hole in the living room wall

01:01:24and feed the bath

01:01:25into the space. The layout of the bedroom is very simple maximizing the use of the floor space. The integration

01:01:34of full height joinery conceals our wardrobe. Because we have a lot of natural light in the bedroom and sunroom

01:01:41space we've been able to do the black floor trims, the black skirting, the black window frames as well

01:01:47as a black feature artwork to create a much more moodier interior scheme.

01:01:54The original French glass doors lead into the sunroom from the bedroom space.

01:01:59The sunroom is a dual purpose room which serves as an office, a plant nursery and as well as another

01:02:05casual zone. The shelving in the sunroom has been directly mounted to the walls which maximizes the floor space.

01:02:12The day bed there is a full size single bed which could be pulled out into a double bed if

01:02:17we have

01:02:17any guests staying over. When it comes to small space design Strut Studio's philosophy is that it

01:02:23has to be all about function and pairing that also with comfort. We've included a low back sofa which

01:02:28allows the visual connection between the living space and the kitchen to remain. By keeping this sofa low

01:02:34and on the ground it's quite heavy in its aesthetic but balancing that with the grey toned fabric it

01:02:40blends into the grey wall seamlessly. All of the table units have skinny metal legs on them which

01:02:46creates as much visible floor space as possible in the zones. We've changed this design philosophy

01:02:52slightly by using white floorboards white ceilings and grey walls. The white ceilings and floors also elevated the rooms

01:02:59thus maximizing the appearance of the space we have.

01:03:03The design of compartment number three was all about respecting the heritage nature of this apartment block.

01:03:10Modernizing this space for our contemporary style of living was easily achieved without changing the

01:03:15layout too much. Keeping the landscape filled with these beautiful heritage and art deco style buildings

01:03:20is very important to me as an interior architect as it adds to the fabric of our society.

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