Brisbane-based architecture firm Kelder Architects reimagine an original pre-1946 Queenslander home in one of Brisbane’s most renowned heritage streets.
Kelder Architects were approached by an interior designer and a builder who asked them to help transform their home in Hawthorne, just 3km east of Brisbane’s CBD. The architects knew the opportunity to work with the Queenslander named ‘Avonleigh’ was something special, being so close to its original condition.
The home is a rare piece of Brisbane’s architectural history, with its deep verandahs, ornate timber detailing and original lining boards. Now fully restored, the team at Kelder Architects have transformed the home into an entertaining family’s dream, while still retaining all of its celebrated heritage features.
From the very beginning it was important that any new work would simply enhance the existing structure. The Queenslander was raised to accommodate new rooms below, with the existing verandah space extruded to the lower level to ensure the extension closely mimicked the previous style.
While the facade of the home is sympathetic to its pre-1946 era, the rear extension is purposely distinctive in style, with charred black Shou-Sugi-Ban cladding. Maintaining the linear pattern of the weatherboard, the Shou-Sugi-Ban represents the transition from old to new. Large sandstone blocks surround the rear of the home, emulating a transitional moment between traditional and contemporary architecture.
The kitchen features the Gaggenau Combi-Steam Oven and Kitchen Oven in anthracite.
“Avonleigh had all of the ingredients of an enviable project commission that any Brisbane-based architect would love the opportunity to work with.”
– Wesley Kelder, Kelder Architects
Inside, polished concrete flooring forms the base of the home in the main living areas, with European oak timber upstairs. The kitchen plays home to a generous marble benchtop with timber veneer and matt black cabinetry, and Gaggenau anthracite appliances throughout. Statement granite from Eco Outdoor has been used from floor-to wall in the bathrooms, with cladding from the original facade adorning the internal walls of the entry and office.
What can be described as more of a project partnership than a traditional client-architect relationship, Kelder Architects, in collaboration with interior design studio EM Design and K2 Projects builders have designed a home that maintains its heritage status, with all of the modern trimmings.
