When a Sydney couple ditched their back fence, they got more than a nice view

Rob d’Apice and Ivan Muniz Reed bought a 1918 home in Sydney’s inner west, nicknamed “Alien Jellyfish,” largely for the uninterrupted view of tall trees and parkland behind it on Whites Creek. Neighbouring properties with roughly 1.8-metre fences had blocked the outlook, so the couple’s architect, Hannah Tribe of Tribe Studio, removed barriers during a renovation that won an NSW Architecture award. The result: the meadow feels like an extension of the house, with people and pets using the space daily. A Committee for Sydney report on “breathable density” argues green access is a powerful urban health intervention and criticises fence-heavy development.