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Casa Dos
Sydney Open Symposium: House Tours
Sunday 24 May 2026
A deft renovation of a 1920s house that makes the most of its harbour views
About the building
Casa Dos is a renovation of a family home in Rose Bay. The original house, built in the 1920s, was bought and renovated by architect Ed Lippmann’s parents in the 1960s. Ed grew up in the house and returned to renovate it a second time 60 years later.
Deft alterations and additions provide spatial clarity through the use of a rich palette of materials, including steel, glass and timber. The house has a footprint of 194 square metres, with the site’s remaining 539 square metres preserved as dense native gardens, a habitat for native wildlife.
The brief for the house was defined by the inhabitants’ change in circumstance: two empty-nesters with adult children living elsewhere. Requirements included a master bedroom with ensuite, a work-from-home study and two guest bedrooms with a shared ensuite.
These spaces are sited along the eastern side of the property with access to intimate courtyards. The western zone is a flexible series of spaces – living, dining and study areas punctuated by a high ceiling ‘piazza’. Panoramic harbour and city views become part of this space, separated only by a double-glazed curtain wall with operable external sun louvres that address changing climatic and solar conditions throughout the day and the year.
Casa Dos is a response to its place – topography, geography and ecology – and a celebration of its views of Sydney Harbour and the city skyline. Furniture, artworks and lighting are carefully curated to create a contemporary domestic environment that complements its setting.
Architect/Designer
Lippmann
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