A single-storey worker's cottage in Brisbane is transformed into three autonomous and adaptable units, making a compelling case for greater density in the suburbs.

The original worker’s cottage has been lifted and an independent studio added beneath.

Channon Architects and Burton Architects’ 3 House can be considered as a manifesto for Brisbane’s new wave in reimagining inner-city residential living, where density is rapidly – and inexorably – increasing in areas that are still dominated by character housing. After acquiring a traditional one-storey worker’s cottage on a corner block of New Farm, architects Ceirwen Burton and Craig Channon took on the dual role of architects and clients, designing a home for their multigenerational family as well as an office for their architecture practices.

The planning of 3 House’s program and layout was underpinned by Ceirwen and Craig’s intent to maximize site coverage and allowable volume. As a result, the existing cottage has been lifted and a new storey inserted beneath it, while an extension has been added at the rear. The cottage, which occupies the main street address and currently houses the studio shared by Ceirwen and Craig, can easily be converted back into a dwelling when required. Underneath, a small studio has independent access to the side street and is presently occupied by Craig’s mother. The new volume at the rear of the site, organized over several split levels, accommodates the main residence. In dividing the site into three autonomous units – thereby allowing for changes in the use of one unit without impacting the others – the architects have created a future-proofed scheme with a high degree of flexibility.

A “social window” enables controlled engagement with life on the street.

Externally, 3 House’s material expression interprets the quick urban transformations occurring in its immediate surroundings, where traditional residential character is morphing into an unprecedented mixed-use scenario. The palette includes bricks for the undercroft of the timber cottage and Corten for the extension, creating a textured appearance that allows the building to merge into the urban context. While the use of bricks pays homage to the postwar southern European influence on residential built form in New Farm, the use of Corten speaks to the future of the area. Despite the rather stern look of brick and rusting steel cladding, the house possesses a surprising level of porosity to the street, making it an intriguing example of how the urban grain can be managed in a creative way.

At the rear of the site, a new addition wrapped in Corten steel contains the main residence.

In the main residence, the proximity to the street has been deftly handled through a set of choices that lead to a positive yet controlled engagement with the public realm. For instance, opaque louvres on the ground floor allow for natural light and air circulation while respecting the privacy of the interior. At the very back of the block, a big corner opening – the “social window” – sits quite close to the fence line, which has been realized in welded wire mesh to support growing vines. This arrangement generates a staged transition from the living space of the main residence into the garden and, eventually, to the street. By means of the vines, one has the perception of cars and pedestrians passing by without being completely exposed to, nor secluded from, them. At the same time, the social window works as a sitting area, making it an interactive space between the courtyard, enriched by the presence of a pond, and the lounge area of the interior. Drawing in light and breeze and providing an elegant edge on which to sit, this corner is the hotspot for social gathering.

If the articulation of the ground floor is driven by its relationship with the street, then the upper levels are connected to the urban surroundings by means of generous openings on to the neighbourhood. These openings frame views of the rich roofscape of the area: an assortment of rusted tin sheets, tiled pitches and a distinctive Italian memory, a vista toward a hilltop campanile.

The central stair acts as a vertical verandah, allowing light and air to flow through the house.

The materiality of the interiors creates a dynamic alternation of positive and negative spaces across the levels of the main residence. The bare masonry walls of concrete block are contrasted with timber panelling and joinery in spotted gum. The textural variation from smooth cedar to rough blockwork generates a vibrant tension between moments of warm tactility and spareness. In the open kitchen, vertically laid thin green tiles, naturally lit by a hidden skylight, are an elegant backdrop to the culinary performances animating the living space.

Despite occupying 75 percent of the site, the house does not sacrifice the possibility of experiencing the “domestic garden.” Putting aside the nostalgia for a traditional backyard that is typical of Brisbane’s suburban residential areas, Ceirwen and Craig have thought more strategically about the relationship between the house and its green spaces. The original backyard has been atomized into seven small pockets, which are distributed across the floors. Each micro-garden is specifically designed to interact with and expand the different rooms of the main residence. This is particularly successful in the ensuite, the roofless shower of which is connected to the sky and to a small garden intruding from the side. This thoughtful planning enriches the living spaces throughout 3 House and is proof that greater density in the suburbs is possible without sacrificing a unique relationship to nature.

Published online: 5 Nov 2021 Words: Silvia Micheli Images: Christopher Frederick Jones

Connection with the landscape is a central theme of Fergus Scott Architects’ residential designs, resulting in homes that are “very rich to the senses” and …

In Brisbane’s Paddington, a new addition grafted onto the side of an elevated Queenslander steps down the site, orchestrating new living spaces.

The original worker’s cottage has been lifted and an independent studio added beneath.

At the rear of the site, a new addition wrapped in Corten steel contains the main residence.

A “social window” enables controlled engagement with life on the street.

The traditional backyard has been fragmented into pocket gardens, giving each space its own link to the natural world.

The central stair acts as a vertical verandah, allowing light and air to flow through the house.

Timber joinery contrasts vibrantly with bare masonry walls.

In the ensuite, a roofless shower is connected to the sky.

3 house by Channon Architects and Burton Architects

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