In the heart of Alexandria, a bustling suburb of Sydney once dominated by industrial and warehousing spaces, stands Teracota Apartments. Designed by Bennett Murada Architects, the name Teracota owes to the burnished, intricate brickwork that defines its exterior. This element inspired Studio Minosa's award-winning kitchen redesign of the penthouse and recently earned them the 2024 HIA Australian Kitchen Design award.

Known for crafting luxury environments that balance comfort and security with functionality and innovation, Studio Minosa has now claimed this honour for the fourth time. This recent win has solidified them as industry leaders in the kitchen design field. When speaking with co-founder Darren Genner, he described the win as nerve-wracking and nail-biting leading up to it but very exciting to take home the gong.

The kitchen itself is opulent and sophisticated. Blending luxurious materials of Corian, liquid metal, quartzite stone, timber veneers and bronze accents, it’s warm and inviting. The textured walls mimic the raw beauty of off-form concrete. At the same time, meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail have transformed what was a conventional kitchen into an artistic but highly functional masterpiece.

The brickwork from the exterior is repeated on the island bench and around the fireplace in the adjacent living room, unifying the space. Darren explains, 'We wanted to reflect the exterior in our material choices, so we worked with mixed metals and terracotta. There is concrete outside, which we didn't want to use inside. So, we went with quartzite instead, and also went with a textured French wash on the walls to reflect the off-form concrete outside.'

But according to Darren, good design is not always about its aesthetic. 'It's a feeling – how your senses are connected once you walk into a space. It's inviting, it’s warm, and you are intrinsically linked to the environment. It's as intimate as it can be when everything's voice-activated (laughs). You know there's someone always listening.'

Like so many other builds, the design took place right before COVID hit. 'We handed over the design work, priced everything, and they signed the contract,’ says Darren. ‘Then that week, we went into lockdown. We couldn't leave our home. Our joiner was the same. For six or seven months, we were really restricted. We basically had to pause.'

While the owners were travelling, the property was free for the team to work their magic. ‘They said, “Here are the keys,” and jumped on a yacht. So we started, and it took 18 weeks to complete. We sent them updates and photos and had Skype meetings, but it was good to get it done without too many more disruptions.”

COVID lockdowns weren't the only challenge. The detailing and materials posed their fair share of hurdles. 'All the edging, the lipping around the kitchen and all the doors are all liquid metal. The breeze blocks were also very brittle. We had to make the thin terracotta tiles look like bricks because we didn't have the depth on the floor to cut them in. Detailing a job like this is always like that. But that's what we like to do,' says Darren.

But the biggest challenge of all? 'Two little words: No budget. ‘This is always the hardest part of a project like this because everyone does have a budget. People say they don't, but they really do.’

Beyond its elegant aesthetic, the kitchen featured hidden elements such as a small appliance section, ovens that neatly tucked away when not in use, and the showstopper pop-up bar.

But in essence, clever planning and hidden features make this kitchen outstanding. The layout has functionality at its core, and the concealed appliances result in a sleek, cohesive look. The pop-up bar exudes glamour and provides a space for mixing drinks. Integrated voice control, layered lighting, and hidden speakers create a tech-savvy, immersive experience.

'The clients are pretty techie. So, when they wanted to say, “Hey, I'm thirsty”, and then this bar popped up, we had the idea of it being voice or electronically controlled. We did all the speakers for the living room and entertainment area, all plaster set-in. You can't see them, and everything looks simple and refined. But there are so many big things going on behind everything. It's ridiculous.'

The HIA Housing Awards judges agreed. They felt the design ticked all the boxes, calling it stunning and the right balance of form and function. They commented that this reinvents traditional kitchen design and creatively redefines luxury living.

Darren and his business partner, Simona Castagna, are proud of the project and its achievements. 'It’s so unique and an incredible place to live,’ says Simona. ‘But it's mostly about how the client feels about it because, ultimately, it's not about us; it's about them. And they really do love it.'

Materials:

• Tall cabinet doors: Bronze applied metal in ‘Smooth - Black Florentine’
• Breakfast bar shelves: Bronze glass in ‘VFloat Bronze’ from Viridian Glass
• Island end panels: Celosia extruded terracotta for Mutina from Di Lorenzo
• Selected floor & vertical cladding on island: Cotto Manetti Levigato terracotta tile from Artedomus
• Island benchtop: Corian Neutral Concrete from CASF Australia
• Breakfast bar benchtop & splashback: Honed Quartzite in ‘Sky White’ from Marable Slab House
• Rangehood: Whispair X9C12S twin motor rangehood in white powdercoat from Winning Appliances
• Fridge/freezer: Liebherr fully integrated248L with Bio Fresh from Winning Appliances
• Cooktop: Pitt natural gas cooktop from Winning Appliances
• Ovens: V-ZUG combi-steam and electric pyrolytic ovens from Winning Appliances 
• Wine fridge: Vintec wine fridge from Winning Appliances
• Tap: ZIP HydroTap G5 Arc BN in brushed nickel from Winning Appliances
• Sink: Axix sink 450 SS in stainless steel’ from CASF Australia 
• Walls: ‘Bone’ low-sheen paint with French wash in ‘Soapstone’ from Porter's Paints.

First published on 2 October 2024.