Brisbane Houzz: A Magnificent Home Inspired by Nature
Texturally rich and orientated for panoramic city views, this new home is designed to evolve with the surrounding bush
When a young couple purchased this five-acre site on rolling hills overlooking Brisbane, Queensland, they looked to build a long-term home that would not only accommodate their future family, but mature naturally alongside the landscape. They approached architects Alexandra Buchanan and Shane Willmett at Alexandra Buchanan Architecture to help realise their vision. Here, Buchanan reveals the journey of bringing this four-bedroom beauty to life.
“The client wanted to create a contemporary, liveable and sustainable family home that emphasised the best elements of its private surroundings and views over the city skyline,” says Buchanan. “It needed to offer flexibility to accommodate guests, entertaining and changes to their family composition over time.”
Dreaming of building your own home? Find and chat with an architect near you on Houzz
Dreaming of building your own home? Find and chat with an architect near you on Houzz
Lower-level plan.
There were other factors to consider too. “The site has a bushfire overlay and the bushfire rating was dependant on where we perched the house on the hill,” says Buchanan. Consideration also had to be given to protecting the home from storms.
There were other factors to consider too. “The site has a bushfire overlay and the bushfire rating was dependant on where we perched the house on the hill,” says Buchanan. Consideration also had to be given to protecting the home from storms.
Upper-level plan.
The hill itself posed another challenge, with the architects exploring multiple design options before settling on an approach that tucked the dwelling neatly into a fold in the hillside with panoramic views of the city. “The house sits astride the fold, tucking its lower level on the flat ground and peeling its upper floor up against the hill,” says Buchanan.
The hill itself posed another challenge, with the architects exploring multiple design options before settling on an approach that tucked the dwelling neatly into a fold in the hillside with panoramic views of the city. “The house sits astride the fold, tucking its lower level on the flat ground and peeling its upper floor up against the hill,” says Buchanan.
A meandering driveway opens up to reveal dramatic roof forms that follow the line of the hillside.
Two halves of the building create a ‘saddle’ where elevated living spaces straddle the landscape and take in the incredible outlook.
Two halves of the building create a ‘saddle’ where elevated living spaces straddle the landscape and take in the incredible outlook.
“The owners have laboured on the landscape for years to bring back native vegetation and fauna,” says Buchanan. “The landscape was incredibly important to the brief. They wanted the house to feel part of the hill, surrounded by and covered in native plantings,” she says.
“Framing views of the greenery and the longer distant views was relatively easy as they had already done all of the hard work,” she says of the couple’s landscaping efforts.
When it came to the internal layout, capturing the views dictated what went where. “The wide city view was given over to the main living, kitchen and dining areas, while the quieter, more reflective hillscape and treetop views were perfectly suited to the music room and its terrace.”
Browse more beautiful images of large Australian kitchens
Browse more beautiful images of large Australian kitchens
The architects worked closely with the client to select materials, colours and finishes that would not only complement the natural setting, but evolve with it over the years. They selected an earthy and restrained palette of natural stone (Dry Stone in a mix of Alpine and Mitta Mitta from Eco Outdoor), spotted gum and charcoal steel that speak to the rugged beauty of the area and will age gracefully with time.
“The interior and internal finishes of the house are relatively simple. The design was really about the dramatic form of the house and the way it is set into the hillside to allow the owners to live within the landscape,” says Buchanan.
Stone used inside and out: Dry Stone in a mix of Alpine and Mitta Mitta: Eco Outdoor.
The same natural stone used on the exterior of the house was carried inside, including in the entry hall, living spaces and powder room. “We loved how the view through the lower hallway looks out to a natural boulder wall and we wanted to bring the texture and natural elements of the site into the space to enhance that sense of connection to the landscape,” says Buchanan.
The same natural stone used on the exterior of the house was carried inside, including in the entry hall, living spaces and powder room. “We loved how the view through the lower hallway looks out to a natural boulder wall and we wanted to bring the texture and natural elements of the site into the space to enhance that sense of connection to the landscape,” says Buchanan.
Careful thought was given to details such as the window and door frames in order to put the focus firmly on the greenery. “The window and door frames throughout are simple black aluminium, and we wanted to achieve the slimmest profile possible to minimise their impact and maximise the aperture and views,” says Buchanan.
A concert grand piano is the centrepiece of the second living area (also known as the ‘music room’). “One of the owners is a very keen and capable pianist and accommodating the piano was an important part of the original brief,” says Buchanan. “This room is a place to rest, play and listen to music. As such, it had to perform well acoustically and be somewhere you could spend long stretches of time.”
Some careful coordination was also required to work out how the team would get the large piano into the house, given the home’s location on a steep hillside – a problem solved, says Buchanan, by very capable piano transporters and generous exterior door openings.
Some careful coordination was also required to work out how the team would get the large piano into the house, given the home’s location on a steep hillside – a problem solved, says Buchanan, by very capable piano transporters and generous exterior door openings.
Two pairs of steel doors connect this music room to the main living space. “The music room is slightly more private but can be opened up for entertaining large groups and performing. Otherwise, it opens widely to the outside and is a place to sit around the fire and listen to the music system or practice the piano,” says Buchanan.
“The roof opens up here to the treetops – one of the client’s favourite views. The raked ceiling is reflected with angled walls, which was part of a dynamic relationship with the slope the house sits on and also controls how the room performs acoustically,” she says.
“The roof opens up here to the treetops – one of the client’s favourite views. The raked ceiling is reflected with angled walls, which was part of a dynamic relationship with the slope the house sits on and also controls how the room performs acoustically,” she says.
Raven granite floor tiles: Eco Outdoor.
“This is the public-facing portion of a mudroom, between the entry and the garage – a place to sit, take off and put on shoes, a mirror for a final check before leaving the house,” says Buchanan.
“This is the public-facing portion of a mudroom, between the entry and the garage – a place to sit, take off and put on shoes, a mirror for a final check before leaving the house,” says Buchanan.
Views towards the city from the main bedroom.
The powder room.
“The idea for this room was to have a minimal palette that is rich in texture and shape to reference the bush outside the window, which is just out of shot,” says Buchanan of the powder room.
“The stone is a continuation of the external wall – it brings the outside in and is the primary feature material in this room. The colours in the stone work with the grey ironbark bench, yet are light enough to keep the room feeling bright and fresh.”
“The idea for this room was to have a minimal palette that is rich in texture and shape to reference the bush outside the window, which is just out of shot,” says Buchanan of the powder room.
“The stone is a continuation of the external wall – it brings the outside in and is the primary feature material in this room. The colours in the stone work with the grey ironbark bench, yet are light enough to keep the room feeling bright and fresh.”
The main ensuite.
As for the AU$1 to $1.2 million budget for the build, “A lot of it went on sitting the form of the building on the site, retaining the hill against the lower floor and raising the pool into the view above the driveway,” says Buchanan. “Much of the rest went on the stone, which was so beautifully crafted by the team at Up In Stone.”
As for the AU$1 to $1.2 million budget for the build, “A lot of it went on sitting the form of the building on the site, retaining the hill against the lower floor and raising the pool into the view above the driveway,” says Buchanan. “Much of the rest went on the stone, which was so beautifully crafted by the team at Up In Stone.”
A solar-heated infinity salt-water pool and spa are the defining built features of the outdoor living space.
Your turn
What is your favourite feature in this new build? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Interested to see another home inspired by nature? Check out this Mornington Peninsula Houzz: An Eco Home With a Special Backstory
What is your favourite feature in this new build? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Interested to see another home inspired by nature? Check out this Mornington Peninsula Houzz: An Eco Home With a Special Backstory
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: The Gap, Queensland
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms: Four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms
House size: 451 square metres
Budget: AU$1 to $1.2 million
Architecture and interior design: Alexandra Buchanan and Shane Willmett at Alexandra Buchanan Architecture
Builder: M2 Construct
Stonemason: Up In Stone
“The client has a particular love for the land that the house is on and laboured for months to repatriate native planting and landscape that would complement their future home,” says Buchanan. “Their love of nature and the materiality around them was an enormous influence for us, and capturing their favourite aspects and views became a driving force behind the project.
“The owners, their story and connection to the landscape and site were incredibly special. The particular beauty for us is how the house develops and settles into its landscape over time. It just keeps getting better,” she says.