Project: Fig Tree Pocket 60s House
Architects: Bligh Graham Architects
Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Year 2019
Photographer: Toby Scott
The Fig Tree Pocket 60s House was an exercise in breathing new life into a tired and poorly renovated 1960s house. The original house was typical of its time – flat roof, low ceiling, central clerestory windows. While having wonderful views to the river to the south, little north light reached the interior and there was no external space that could access northern light or winter / morning sun.
The renovation and extension works reworked the entire main floor, opening up the middle of the house from north to south with the kitchen in the middle. Kids bedrooms and bathroom were then allocated to the east side and Master bedroom suit (and existing garage) to the West. Running across almost the entire width of the house was a rebuilt central clerestory window pop up orientated to north in lieu of the existing south orientation.
Additional ceiling height was sneaked by removing the plasterboard ceiling and exposing the existing hardwood rafters. In addition to the internal works a new entry path / gatehouse together with an outdoor room was constructed to make a northern outdoor sitting and entertaining area connected with the small amount of flat lawn on the property. This enables the three young boys to seamlessly flow from their bedrooms and play area to the outside whilst remaining in full view of the kitchen. A sympathetic but not derivative material palette to that of the era of the house was developed – new and retro elements combined to make warm and rich interior and exterior spaces.
