191 Deepwater Road

Castle Cove NSW 2069

Erby House is built to uncompromisingly high standards of design, materials and craftsmanship. The result is an expansive house, over 450 sqm of internal space on a 1,029 sq m block. The house is sited beautifully on the North Arm Reserve, almost completely unobserved from the street.

Crossing the bridge to the house, the first sighting speaks of the Sydney School of architecture, in the vein of master architects Bruce Rickard or Neville Gruzman. The house sits quietly on a sloping site, as the best known buildings of this type so frequently do, tucked gently below street level, married to the landscape, framing a natural feature in this instance, the most majestic of red-barked towering gums.

Internally, this home again speaks deeply of organic architecture: designed for easy access to sun and breezes, to co-exist in the natural landscape. Natural unadorned materials: brick and timber left in a near-original state, with rooms designed with comfortable human proportions, perfectly balancing the vastness and dominance of the natural environment.

The houses hero moment is revealed upon entry. Combining simple materials (a timber lined ceiling and warm rich red, yellow and speckled bricks) and a simple symmetrical plan, Erby has created a dramatic sense of theatre defining the two upper level living and dining spaces.

In a single fluid movement, the ceiling nosedives a full level, effectively drawing the viewers gaze both down and out through full height timber framed windows. The result is a spectacular, respectful framing of the surrounding bush.

A study, music room and hidden laundry occupy the top entry level; living, eating and cooking the next level with access to two balconies; a second living area with access to the spa and courtyard the next level; a sleeping level with four bedrooms overlooking the bush is next down, with two further bedrooms and rumpus / billiard room on ground level.

This also provides access to a fertile garden, boasting mango trees, banksia, gums, angophoras and Christmas bush, and a family sized in-ground pool.

A prime design objective for the modern house was efficiency, eliminating little used space and unnecessary room divisions to achieve generous living spaces, this is certainly true of Erby House. It is distinguished from conventional homes by the freedom with which the spaces are arranged.

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OPPORTUNITY:
Erby House is one of those rare finds: a house that is highly crafted, beautifully built and offers a flexible use of space for a family today just as the architect originally intended for his family over 40 years ago.

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SPECIFICATION:
6 bedroom, study, multiple living spaces, 4 bath, 2 car (garaged)
Approx. gross internal area: 455 sq m / 4,898 sq ft
Approx. gross land area: 1,029 sq m / 11,076 sq ft

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PROJECT TEAM:
Erby House
Designed and built: 1969 1971
Architect: Jonathan Erby of Devine Erby Mazlin
Design Architect: Jonathan Erby
Photography: Michael Nicholson Photography

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SIGNIFICANCE:
Designed as the architects own home, Erby House is the most significant single residence by the highly respected architect, Jonathan Erby of Devine Erby Mazlin.

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LOCATION:
Castle Cove is only a short drive from Sydneys CBD yet its location gives a great sense of seclusion and of being well away from the city.

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VIEW BY PRIOR APPOINTMENT:
MODERN HOUSE ESTATE AGENTS 1300 814 768
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Erby House presented by Modern House: the specialist estate agency for architect-designed residences.
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