Clear Vision
A Brisbane build offers the best of bush living.
A sloping bush block close to the city lured a Brisbane couple who could see beyond the trees to the modern home they love.
A4240m2 vacant block just 15 minutes from
Brisbane’s city centre sounds too good to be true, yet barely anyone turned up to the auction for this enormous property in 2013. Kim and Hugh Bridle did.
“We’d just had our second child and realised how much we would appreciate more space,” says Kim.
“So, we started looking and found this vacant site – so rare these days – and jumped at the opportunity to build our dream home.”
The couple, who run Kalka, a Brisbane-based boutique home builder, were undaunted by the sloping block and its thick bushland; they only saw potential in the property’s north-eastern aspect. Director Hugh and interior designer Kim contacted local architect Shaun Lockyer. “We had built a home with Shaun previously and were completely at ease with everything he’d designed for us,” says Kim.
A timeless aesthetic and low-maintenance materials were at the top of the wish list for their new home. “It had to be able to grow with our family,” Kim explains. “We wanted flexible spaces that could be used for different things as our needs changed.”
“The Bridles wanted a single-storey residence with a flat lawn,” says Shaun. “They were after a family-friendly house and outdoor environment.” To achieve this, trees were cleared and the land recontoured to utilise the flattest areas. “We had to be cruel to be kind here,” he says. “Although we took out many trees, the property is still surrounded by them.”
Shaun designed a three-storey house with the mostfrequented spaces on one level – the ground floor – adjacent to the garden. These include the open-plan kitchen/dining/living area, the children’s bedrooms, home office, family room and games room. Up a flight of stairs are the main bedroom suite and a second study or future nursery. Themainentranceandcloakroom, agarage,winecellarandminigym are all on the lower ground floor.
Shaun also designed separate outdoor living and dining rooms to give the family additional play and entertaining options. The swimming pool and a 1500m2 expanse of level lawn complete the picture. Much of the landscaping was done by the couple’s friend, Nathan Clausen of PDT Architects, as a private job. Nathan was on board from the very beginning of the project, which meant the house and garden could be designed as one harmonious unit.
Kim and Hugh endorsed the extensive use of concrete and timber early on, wanting their ‘forever’ home to be robust and hardwearing enough to see their children through the teenage years and beyond. “We both love Modernism, and the use of timber and natural materials in a build, so there’s a lot of concrete here but it’s softened by timber and natural stone,” says Kim.
“The main living area has the best indoor-outdoor connection,” she says. “It makes us feel like we spend most of our time outdoors, even though we’re inside.” For the three children – Harry, six, Tommy, four, and Millie, two – the openness of the living areas means activities can transition from indoors to out freely, yet their parents can keep an eye on them from their workspaces or the kitchen.
“This is a typical family home… constantly evolving and accommodating new furniture and artworks,” says Kim. “It’s everything we wanted.”
Shaun Lockyer Architects, Newstead, Queensland;
(07) 3257 7288 or lockyerarchitects.com.au.