This terrace in Redfern might be predestined for revamp, with its 4.5m frontage and untouched form offering riveting viewing through the lens of any renovator. But something special radiates in its current guise.

Both a time capsule and a peek into a life filled with curiosity and literature, it was previously home to the late Alida Whiting, a linguist who taught English, German and French at The University of Sydney. An avid reader and collector of books, she surrounded herself with printed works and documentaries, VHS recordings, classical records and art.

Born in the Netherlands and moving to Sydney in 1960 at 25 years old, Alida was well-travelled throughout Europe, especially France, as an avid Francophile. With an interest in property investment and renovating, this home was one passion project that never eventuated.

A block to Redfern Park and the premier cafe/dining strip of Redfern Street, it sits in a desirable pocket of this city-fringe area, where village draw cards seemingly open new doors weekly. Raw and soulful in a laneway row and behind a weathered brick facade, its portico entry is a humble gateway to what lies inside, and the hidden north-facing courtyard beyond.

The interiors are stacked with full bookshelves and oddities, encyclopaedias and trinkets, while the original fireplace is the focus of the central lounge room. The home opens into the main living space, meanders through to the dining and kitchen, leading from the sunroom to the outdoors.

Within a walled courtyard setting is a vine-wrapped space of greenery and seclusion, where the living surrounds infiltrate the bones of the home at times. Upstairs leads to the traditional terrace layout of two bedrooms, one with an open WC, while a traditional older outhouse sits in the backyard.

Offered for auction with BresicWhitney selling agent Michael Kirk, it presents an opportunity to reimagine a terrace that hasn’t changed hands in more than 30 years.

“These homes in their original form are becoming increasingly harder to find on the city fringe,” Michael says.

“The house itself is a blank canvas that hasn’t been modified to suit someone else’s style, which adds a layer of desirability for many people, while the surrounding neighbourhood is one of the most convenient settings in Inner Sydney near university life, parks, transport and culture.”

While these homes often come to market with whitewashed interiors and their curios removed, this residence stands as it was left, a vignette of time and place in Redfern, its future unwritten. C’est la vie.

The property goes to auction on site, Saturday 2nd November, at 12.45pm.

View the listing: 14 East Street, Redfern