The Local Project | Grace in Place – Riserva Cammeray by DKO Architecture

Embedded in a leafy setting with views of Cammeray Harbour and Northbridge Golf Course on Sydney’s Lower North Shore, Riserva – meaning ‘reserve wine’ in Italian – is the result of a collective ambition to create a place of timeless appeal. Harnessing the site’s natural attributes, DKO Architecture has created a series of homes intimately connected to their milieu.

Establishing personal and shared outdoor sanctuaries that foster a sense of community was an integral factor in the design process and one that was easily facilitated due to the existing vegetation. Inside, generous views are framed by floor-to-ceiling windows that allow light to soak the walls while altering the line of indoor and outdoor living. Similarly, all apartments – even those on the lower level – are granted canopy views thanks to the abundance of large trees in the neighbourhood and Riserva’s private terraces and gardens.

Establishing personal and shared outdoor sanctuaries that foster a sense of community was an integral factor in the design process and one that was easily facilitated due to the existing vegetation.

Riserva’s built form stands in material harmony with its surroundings yet provides a depth of visual impact. DKO Architecture selected materials that would age gracefully, taking on a natural patina that will continue the development of the building’s character within the landscape. The smooth concrete façade and sequence of sculptural bladed edges on the upper level – enabling privacy, shade and views – collide in a dynamic composition that exudes modern luxury. The warm brickwork on the ground floor exhibits a textural modesty amid the bolder thin steel features above.

Combining classical proportions with a sensitivity to landscape and climate, Riserva Cammeray basks in the beauty of its locale while offering a grounded and connected place to call home.


Words by Aaron Chapman

Architecture by DKO Architecture

Photography by Tom Ferguson

Build by Dynamic Projects

Interior Design by DKO Architecture

Development by Pierce Property

Landscape Design by SITEDESIGN Studios

Engineering by Patridge