By Bligh Graham Architects
Location: Chelmer, Brisbane
Awards:
The brief for Chelmer House was to remove an ordinary extension to a classic old Queenslander and create a new extension with two bedrooms, a bathroom, second living area and a new kitchen/dining/sitting area. The existing structure from the previous extension was utilised where possible.
The principal strategy was to create a courtyard by placing the new wing on the southern boundary. The deck and second living area address the courtyard while the bedrooms and bathroom open to a narrow private and secure ‘bushhouse.’ From the street the simple form of the ‘bushhouse’ wall and pergola over set off the detail and grace of the original old house. At the meeting of the ‘hovering’ Queenslander and courtyard, a terraced garden brings the ground up to the house and deck. The Chelmer House interiors of the extension shift from a blending of new and old in the kitchen area to a decidedly more contemporary space in the second living area culminating in the raw concrete, render and steel plate of the new bathroom. This shift provides a varied background to the clients’ extensive and rich collection of furniture and art.
Photography: Scott Burrows
Bligh Graham Architects is a small studio based architecture practice in Samford Village, Australia. The studio’s reputation for developing sustainable, functional and responsive sub-tropical architecture has been acknowledged through many industry awards and a multitude of publications.
Established in 2002, Bligh Graham Architects is situated on the outskirts of Brisbane City primarily undertaking work throughout Brisbane, Moreton, Sunshine Coast, and Northern Rivers region. The majority of the work completed by the firm is residential in nature with aged care, cultural, interior and commercial projects also commissioned. Budgets have ranged from $100k to $20m. The practice only takes on a limited number of projects at a time to ensure a high level of service and professional delivery.
Bligh Graham Architects believes that beyond fulfilling their function, buildings should enrich peoples everyday life, promote a sense of wellbeing and engage with our culture and landscape. Such architecture is not only functional but has a timeless warmth and richness, simplicity and humility. It is a tailored response to each client and site, resulting in highly resolved works that both engage the senses and provide efficient solutions. It is as much about the making of landscapes and gardens as it is about enclosures – of private and public worlds.
Sustainability is a core concern that we address at all scales and phases from the initial site planning to the consideration of material selections and additional mechanical services. From the start we look to the holistic integration of passive design principles into the spatial and material logic of our designs.