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A staircase leads to the kitchen, outfitted with Ikea cabinets.

The gate leading to Geoff Carroll and Julie Young’s rebuilt terrace house in an inner suburb of Sydney, Australia, holds an array of succulents, signaling what lies within: a greenery-filled home that includes a central courtyard, vertical gardens, aquaponics and rain filter systems, and even a chicken coop. Architect Clinton Cole of CplusC Architectural Workshop led a team of collaborators in revamping the property.

In the dining area, a Guild chandelier hangs above a table and chairs from Carl Hansen.

The fire pit area is arranged near the rear of the yard, where lush plantings create the feeling of an urban oasis.

Three-quarter partitions divide up the colorful, tiled bathroom into zones. Light pours through the skylight. “It’s a very hardworking little room,” says Dovey. “It’s my favorite place in the house.” Sandblasted glass creates privacy, without sacrificing light.

Next to a wood-burning fireplace is a setup for the family’s record player and albums. Instead of a standard television set, they use a projector.

Yoni and Lindsey say the fire pit is one of their favorite features of the house because it allows them to get into the camping spirit. "Even though we have this nice home to sit in, we can also just put our feet in the dirt and sit outside and roast marshmallows and hang out with the kids,

The fireplace chimney became the stove backsplash and vents the custom exhaust hood.

A modest kitchen is tucked at one end of the great room, illuminated not only by two walls of glass but a pair of skylights above.

Jack and Alice feel lucky to rely on natural light during the day, augmenting as necessary for photo shoots. In the evenings they enjoy the soft glow of their Akari lanterns.

The open stair, tall ceilings to the living space and openable windows all contribute to passive stack ventilation which assist in keeping the space cool.

Ferns, trees, and flowers make up a large part of the backyard, ensuring residents can unwind amoung nature.

A concrete block wall (above) separates the entry from the living area, where an Arne Norell Kontiki easy chair joins an Eames lounge chair.