The House Behind
The addition and renovation to a c/1930's family residence at Hendra is a successful meld of ‘new’ and ‘old’. The design was prescribed by the programmatic requirements of the client, which was to include new bedrooms, a large modern living area and an external courtyard and pool to suit the current and future lifestyle of a family with young adult children. The concept behind this proposal was to create a bold, contemporary addition at the rear of an existing Brisbane weatherboard house that would express modern architectural style without compromising the integrity and character of the existing home. The contemporary two storey addition that abuts the existing house incorporates lightweight and masonry construction and is orientated to maximise breezes and natural light.
The juxtaposition of new and old is softened by the carefully articulated spatial arrangement. The new kitchen and sitting room are constructed between the level of the existing house and the natural ground level of the new extension, acting as a transition zone between the two architectural dialogues. The form of the building accentuates this relationship. Material selection, changes in floor level and colour heighten the awareness of this playful dichotomy between new and old. This design explores the expressive capacity of domestic extensions through the sensitive collaboration of ‘new’ and ‘old’ architectural types.
This sensitive alteration and addition to an existing house is a valid architectural solution that preserves a section of vernacular housing stock and reinvents housing for new generations
Entry in RAIA Brisbane Awards
Architectural Team | Robert Biscoe, Marion Wilson, Ray Franke, Paul Matthews, Jaime Webber
Builder | CJ & D Taylor
Structural Engineer | Farr Engineers
Photographer | Aperture Architectural Photography