By REFRESH*
Contemporary Workers Cottage Renovation
Situated in one of Brisbane’s oldest inner-city suburbs the Annie Street Residence consist of a progressive extension to an existing 1920’s traditional high-set timber worker’s cottage. The underlying conceptual driver was to create two contrasting volumes joined via a semi-transparent circulation void whilst maintaining the street character and qualities of the existing house.
Conceived as a bold dark double-storey rectilinear volume with transversing gable roofs the proposed extension consists of a new open plan ground floor kitchen, dining and outdoor living areas that provide an enhanced connection to the north-facing backyard and pool through large retracting doors. The upper floor contains a series of generous bedrooms organized around the double-height living space below which have elevated prospect to existing mature trees, the close-by hills and access to light and natural cross ventilation whilst addressing privacy and overlooking constraints from the adjacent neighbours.
The dialogue between the two contrasting volumes explores a series of split-level spaces that offer up differing types of occupation and spatial experiences for the user. Visually, it is eccentric and in a lot of ways a lively departure from the quintessential worker’s cottage.
Location
Paddington, QLD
Timeline
2019 - 2020
Photography: Alanna Jayne McTiernan
REFRESH* [R*] is a multi-award-winning Brisbane (Australia) based studio for architecture committed to realising finely crafted contemporary architecture responsive to brief and context.
R* believes great architecture contributes to a better functioning society. Our mission is to use design as a tool to exceed our client’s aspirations whilst balancing their intentions to
positively influence the environment and enhance people’s lives.
We strive for the most meaningful and sustainable solutions. From concept to delivery, in every phase, we continue to improve and refine the design until the project is complete.
Our work has a strong focus on sustainability, underlined by its capacity to endure. It is contextual, adaptable, harmonious, and well-considered in the use of space, light, material, and technology.