Bayside Brisbane provides an idyllic lifestyle with hills that slope down to the waters’ edge of Moreton Bay, renowned for its’ sailing conditions. Our clients here have been long time residents in the area and were keen to build a house which took the best advantage of the spectacular water views, boating activity, the generally benign South Easterly breezes and further views to the bay islands and beyond.
However, the very steep site and statutory height constraints of 2 storeys and 9.5 metres, proved initially, to be very problematic. The simple pragmatics of achieving views above the heights of adjoining houses, whilst respecting the landform, getting vehicular access from the street, accommodating a garage and making access from the lower to the upper levels relatively easy, came to inform the planning and sectional composition of the design.
The house is essentially two separate structures. A large semi basement garage and storage level including for boats above, but without overlap in plan, floats a lightweight steel house of just 2 levels. The critical link is provided by a compact stair and small elevator. This arrangement allowed the house to sit within the 9.5 metres and 2 storeys above natural ground level height constraint, with convenient connections between the street level and the upper principal living areas, whilst respecting the existing house and streetscape.
The house accommodates a family of 4 adults (parents and mature age children), who can essentially vary their individual or communal living arrangements to suit. The upper floor enjoys the most expansive and spectacular views with more generous outdoor living spaces, primarily designed for the parents, including study and workspaces.
The grassed roof of the garage below provides rare useable recreation space, ideal for one of the clients who is a yoga teacher, the under croft of the house has been landscaped with local tropical species for eventual lush integrations between the structures and the garden-scaped precinct, and a swimming pool is provided to a northern courtyard.
The lightweight steel structure and dark pre-coloured cladding also enabled simple and easy erection minimising the need for extensive and high cost scaffolding, screening and finishing. Whilst the view could dominate the character of the house in such a place, in this instance the many views with varying compositions and characters have been framed, directed and included to be experienced in different ways as you move through the house and inhabit different spaces. There are multiple experiences of the wider landscape and seascape to be enjoyed depending on where in the house, you may be.
For such a steep site, and significant brief, the minimal style of the house is inherent in the concept. There are no extraneous flourishes to give the house it’s character. The exploration of the volumetric constraints, whilst still allowing access to the best of the views with privacy and a modest approach to the structure and materials carefully manipulated, engenders a character and experience both of it’s place and of its’ people and with respect for the street and neighbours.
