Character Ashgrove Queenslander with 21st Century Features
This 1920’s character Ashgrove Queenslander has now been thoughtfully updated for modern Queensland living.
Whiteroom Architects delivered our clients vision, bringing this home into the 21st century, through comprehensive alterations and additions. It now features a combination of classic 1920’s Ashgrovian architecture meeting 2020’s lifestyle and amenity.
Design Brief
The brief from our client was for a design that respected the Ashgrove character while providing:
- A modern master suite
- Family living areas
- Modern kitchen and bathrooms
- Easy car parking facilities on the steep and challenging site
Natural Light Architecture Design
Whiteroom Architects ensured best use of the entire site area while addressing the significant slope.
Our design delivered a clean, crisp, and modern interior, allowing eastern light to enter the living areas, maintaining privacy whilst maximising aspect, and reusing existing elements where possible.
The alterations included opening of the rear and creating an extra high internal ceiling to the living area with carefully placed windows for light, ventilation and view control.
Brisbane Character Suburb
Careful modelling of the existing site and surrounding buildings allowed us to control privacy from neighbouring decks and windows without having to have windows closed.
The improved design delivers increased liveability while maintaining design consistency with this Brisbane character suburb.
Brisbane Residential Code
Many people have found the Brisbane City Plan Character Residential Code to be restrictive and a burden on options for owners of these beautiful old properties.
Whiteroom Architects understands the details of these town planning codes and importantly what the underlying reasons are behind councils inclusion of them in the town plan.
This gives us an excellent basis to design from, and the knowledge of what is needed to demonstrate compliance, even in unique circumstances where it is appropriate to deviate from the ‘deemed-to-satisfy’ solutions of the code.
Character Home Extension
In this instance we were building to the side of the existing building, and we required the demolition of part of the building forward of the rear-most peak of the original roof. This meant that a development application was required.
We carefully considered the design strategy to replicate the form of the existing building with the extensions subservient in scale to the original building.
The new extension was separated from the original form via a low-roofed connection allowing the main roof to remain the prominent feature. We made the extension true to its own 2020’s time and obviously new through its continuous fascia bordering and highlighting the new work.
The new upper level extension sits behind the line of the original house, and the new garage is recessed even further behind.
Easy to Read Plans
Because of Whiteroom Architects experience and understanding of renovating and extending Brisbane Character homes, we were able to provide the council a concise set of plans.
We prepared a set of drawings that eliminated detail from the drawings where not relevant to the town planning requirements and presented the plans matching the council’s own diagrammatic examples.
This simplifies the job of the assessment team and demonstrates how we are meeting the intent of the city plan whilst adapting to the unique circumstances of the particular property.
We prepared a set of drawings that eliminated detail from the drawings where not relevant to the town planning requirements and presented the plans matching the council’s own diagrammatic examples.
This simplifies the job of the assessment team and demonstrates how we are meeting the intent of the city plan whilst adapting to the unique circumstances of the particular property.
Fast Tracked Development Application
Brisbane Council approval was obtained in just 18 days after the application was made.
You can have a look at the application documents here to see more.
Interior Architecture and Design
There are many design features in the home that make it comfortable to live in.
High level louvres allow natural light to the whole living space as well as ventilation. These are protected from the harsh summer sun keeping heat out.
Structural Extension
Respecting the Ashgrove character was key to all structural extensions.
On the west side of the original Queenslander we built a modern master suite, his and hers basins in the ensuite, and separate walk-in wardrobes.
Modern Living
The upstairs level also includes a modern kitchen, dining, 2 bedrooms, and connection to outdoor entertaining areas.
The elevation provides beautiful aspect. The windows have been placed intentionally to both restrict overlooking of neighbours and enhance the expansive views across the suburb.
Lounge Room
An extra high internal ceiling in the lounge room features carefully placed windows for light, ventilation, and view control.
Internal Staircase
The curved staircase connects the ground floor to the upper level and draws natural light and invites glimpses of the back garden to people as they enter the home.
Its striking curved mono-stringer construction with curved glass balustrade and tactile timber handrail draws smiles from almost all who enter. It nestles itself into the site and creates a grand entry separate from the driveway.
Room for a Growing Family
The downstairs level includes 3 bedrooms, a family bathroom, an office, and a rumpus area with connection to the pool area.
Covered Outdoor Areas
The placement of exterior roofing to the covered outdoor area provides shade and privacy to internal areas.
Driveway Gradient Reduced
This was a difficult site due to its steep topography and restricted access. Whiteroom Architects saw the steepness as both a constraint and an opportunity.
The previous owners had struggled to get a 4WD up the excessively steep driveway when it was wet. Some members of the house were too afraid to drive up or down it in any conditions.
As a solution we excavated the driveway slope to reduce the gradient to a reasonable level. A new two car garage was also built at the top of the driveway, allowing for exit from the site in a forward direction.
Revitalised Garage Bunker
An existing garage bunker at the front of the site narrowed the effective access. The garage was an excellent asset to have as a third car space and for storage at the lower ground level.
Moving the garage was not an option from an approval’s perspective, nor would it have been possible without demolishing the pool.
Extended Pool Deck
We repaired the garage and extended the pool deck over the top of the garage.
This design solution kept the functionality and allowed the useable space above to be maximised.
Easy Street Access
The external staircase nestles itself into the site and creates a grand entry separate from the driveway.
This staircase comprising 28 risers gets pedestrians from the front gate to the front door. This seems like a big number and an intimidating climb.
To make it easy and comfortable for anyone to navigate we broke down the sections into 7 individual flights of 4 risers each with a landing between.
This design solution allows you to see the next landing from the bottom of each flight.
