Infinity Views is a remarkable new residence for the waterfront suburb of Bicton, situated a short distance from the historic Fremantle township in Western Australia. With its striking timber facade and graceful glass features, it commands attention – even amongst neighbouring mansions – as it clings to a cliff face overlooking the meandering Swan River below.

The expansive three-storey spec home was built by HIA member Peter Capozzi. He, along with his project manager, Drew and a team of highly skilled subcontractors, laboured over its creation for the better part of two years before it was unsurprisingly snapped up by an eager buyer.

For Peter, the final goodbye was bittersweet. ‘I was glad to have it all finished, there was a lot of walking up and down stairs,’ he laughs, ‘but I was a little upset too because it was my pet project.’ 

Capozzi Building has been constructing homes in and around Perth and Fremantle since 1962 when Peter’s father Gennaro started the business. Peter joined at 15 to learn the carpentry trade under his father’s guidance and completed his builder’s license at 24. He has remained an integral part of the firm ever since. ‘Dad worked until he was in his 80s, but I took over the business 25 years before he fully retired,’ Peter explains.

Much of the work Capozzi Building takes on is fielded through by local architects and designers that the business has grown a relationship with. A reputation for attentive, personalised service and high-quality work helps to secure more jobs in the pipeline.

Like any business owner with an eye to the market, Peter also moves on his own opportunities. He could see the potential of the Bicton plot of land which had been vacant for a long period of time due to the difficulties of building on the site. It was here that the journey of Infinity Views began after he decided he would be the one to tackle the block and build a showcase home that would serve as a shining example of his capabilities and expertise. 

Peter’s desire for a showstopper led to a collaboration with Superseed Architecture’s John LeClare Josephs. The pair had worked together before and shared a mutual respect that would see them through the project’s complexities. Peter says that ‘John did an outstanding job designing the house for the site’ since there were a lot of challenges, including difficult soil conditions.

‘From the bottom of the block to the road is a 13-metre drop,’ Peter explains. ‘Coming down the driveway, there’s a seven-metre sheer cliff. In WA, we mainly build double brick, so we included brick externally downstairs when we could get access down a steep ramp. The rest of the home was built on steel columns and timber frames.’

Q: What did you learn from this project?

This is the first home that we really focused on the sustainable side of building, but we’ve learnt so much just by this one project. All the research we’ve had to do – it has opened our eyes to a lot of new ideas and to grow our business in this direction.

What struck me is the importance of multi-generational living. Once upon a time you would think of multi-generational living as a main house with a granny flat. In the renovation market there is a lot of scope for bringing in sustainable principles into a build and thinking about how to turn homes into places that can accommodate and connect people, especially in cities where housing is unaffordable for many young people. It starts with being deliberate with how you design homes.

Q: Lastly, as a HIA member, what’s the most valuable part of your membership?

We decided to join HIA from around 2010 because we felt the support was better [compared to other builder associations] and the contracts were better! We also get our insurances from HIA.

We have been encouraged by the support from HIA and have had occasion to call and get some help on things. Everybody has been helpful, and it’s felt like we have someone in our corner. As a community and network, HIA is great for builders.

Published on 9 December 2022

Overall, the design goal for the interiors was simple: achieve views from every habitable space. Accordingly, expanses of large, floor-to-ceiling windows and doors ensure the outlook is captured on each level, with generous-sized balconies bridging the two volumes. This layout is intended to promote internal privacy, minimise the heating and cooling loads as well as encourage an abundance of natural light.

Throughout the home angular walls intentionally direct openings to specific perspectives. Peter says every room has a curve somewhere. ‘There’s not one square room in the place, except the wine cellar,’ he explains. ‘Every floor was surveyed with the main walls marked so we could measure off those.’

The cornicing, skirting, lighting and door frames are flush with the walls and ceiling, allowing no margin of error in construction. To achieve the streamlined, pared-back result he envisaged, Peter had a hand in every element.

‘During construction there were elements I could see that might have benefited from some minor changes, such as negative details on the timber around the slab edge. Following a discussion with John, these changes were implemented,’ he says. ‘We also manufactured a beam that was cast into suspended slab which would allow us to grout glass balustrade flush with the balcony decking.’

Peter says this methodology was also used in the glass panels in the pool area. ‘There’s not a single spigot used. A lot of thought was put in as we went through it all.’

An area of the house that required particular consideration included the four-car garage. When it became apparent the garage had to be constructed at the top of the site as opposed to the base, it was decided that a two-car space with a double car stacker and internal lift would help to limit its external dominance. The timber on the garage doors was meticulously crafted to match the adjacent walls and are, of course, built flush to continue the exterior’s sleek effect.

Described as the most ‘challenging’ home of Peter’s career, since its completion in 2021, Infinity Views has garnered plenty of attention from prospective clients and the industry. The 2022 HIA Australian Spec Home award is just one of many accolades it has swept up. 

Several private viewing events catered to the local design community has helped to keep the Capozzi Building name front of mind for future projects.

‘I’ve had multiple calls from architects who had attended a viewing or people looking for a quote on their plans drawn up by an architect who had been through the house,’ Peter says. ‘[The award wins and marketing] is all beneficial.’

Infinity Views at a glance

Materials:

• Roof: Colorbond
• Exterior: Mortlock Trendplank in Pacific Teak (Marineplank for decking); Midland Estilo Blanco brickwork with white mortar; Dincel retaining walls; Porfido cobblestone (paving)
• Interior: Spotted gum stairs; Ezy Jamb frameless door system; Unios supplied by HS Reflections lighting; Velux Skylights
  Framing, cladding, decking, fixing: Contrast Carpentry
• Aluminium windows and doors with Dulux Electro Flat White powder coat, DGA Windows
• Kitchen: Caesarstone airy concrete textured to island bench; Excava Caesarstone benchtops and splashback; Polytec Prime Oak Wood Matt MR MDF – doors and panels; Project Interiors (cabinet maker); Smeg appliances
• Bathroom: Strommen Pegasi faucet in Antique Brass; Oliveri basins, sinks, baths and toilets; Billi Quadra Compact XL in Urban Brass
• Floors: Pennyrounds floor tiles in Mid Grey, Kit Kat wall tiles in Vintage White, Paradigm tiles in Light Grey rectified porcelain, all from Myaree Ceramics; burnished concrete, APCG Polished Concrete
• Home automation: Cbus 
• Car stacker/elevator: Phoenix four-car system; Easy Living elevators.

Published on 5 December 2022