INTO VOID THE
Reducing floor space to build a transformative open area in this Queenslander has brought the light home
CHEAT SHEET
Who lives here Sean, CEO of a trades services company, and Franki, a lawyer, together with their three children: Stella, 13, Willow, 11, and
Leo, nine; plus Bunny, a cavoodle.
Style of home A pre-WWII Queenslander in Brisbane with a reimagined interior and new double-height void in the living zone.
It took 12 months for the design, approval and documentation process, and another 12 months for the building work.
On the fringe of Brisbane’s CBD, a majestic Queenslander sits among tropical greenery in a leafy world of its own. Guarded by three towering trees – a jacaranda, a London plane and a fruit-bearing loquat – the newly renovated house belongs to Franki and Sean and their three young children. A special synergy between form and function seems to exist in the reimagined home, but it wasn’t always that way.
When the couple bought the pre-World War II home five years ago, it had already undergone other reincarnations, some less successful than others. “The house had been through various interventions and had been built in on the lower level with bedrooms,” says Sean. “It was pretty dark on that level and all of its materials and finishes were a bit dated-looking, with buttery creams, heritage greens and maroons. But we knew that the house had lots of potential.”
Enlisting the expertise of architect Matt Kennedy, who works out of Brisbane-based Arcke, the couple were intrigued by what initially presented as a radical proposal. “Arcke suggested sacrificing the upstairs living zone – where we had always spent most of our time – to make way for a double-height void in the new living space on the ground floor,” says Franki. “It’s something we would never have thought about doing, but it was definitely the right call. Matt’s insight was to open up the best part of the house to light, volume and breezes. In doing so, all the other areas of the home also benefit.”
Matt says it’s not the first time he’s suggested such a radical solution. “In our practice, we take a considerable amount of time to ‘unstitch’ previous additions. We take a ‘less is more’ approach to building by removing previously built elements to improve the design, rather than adding on more spaces and further compounding the problem.”
In this case, a great emphasis was also placed on making the home at one with the lush garden. “The kitchen previously occupied the upper level, which had a lovely view but no connection to the outdoors,” says Matt. “It was also positioned at a book-end of the house, so all roads led to the kitchen, creating a bit of chaos for the family. The lower level had two bedrooms and a bathroom that had been built in, creating another blockage to the outdoors. We’re very lucky that, here in southeast Queensland, there is really no other way to live than [being] open to the outdoors. Gardens and green spaces are known to reduce stress and increase well-being.”
During the year-long renovation, the family lived elsewhere while Arcke’s inspired vision was brought to life. Now a dramatic north-facing double-height void floods the kitchen, living and dining domain with natural light. The living area’s crisp white walls amplify the sense of openness, and a sundrenched built-in day bed at the bottom of the stairs beckons as a cosseting corner of comfort. “The day bed is the most sought-after spot in the house,” says Arcke studio manager and partner Kate Kennedy. “The kitchen is flanked by the dining room on one side and a covered garden on the other, which gives you a sense of being enveloped by greenery.”
Throughout the home, watery shades of blue further create harmony and tranquillity, with an organic material selection that incorporates brick and concrete floors, tactile timber-look veneered joinery and terrazzo tiles. “The mood is relaxed but glamorous,” says Kate.
Extending directly from the dining room to the patio is a concrete bench seat, contributing to the impression of indooroutdoor living. Meanwhile, the reworked upper level houses the family’s sleeping quarters and bathrooms, as well as an additional living area and study space. “This floor also benefits enormously from the void because areas such as the upstairs living room are filled with light,” says Matt, who took a broader design approach by prioritising natural light, cross ventilation and sustainability. To this end, he chose more eco-friendly limestone render over an acrylic one, a floor wax that is better from an emissions point of view, and LED lights with really low energy consumption.
While things look brighter than ever inside, the big winner wasn’t floor space. “The footprint of the renovated house is actually slightly smaller than the house prior to the renovation,” explains Matt. “We think it demonstrates that better – not necessarily bigger – can be the best solution.”
The homeowners are in full agreement. “Our goal was to create a bright and breezy home for our family and friends,” says Franki, “and we definitely have that now.”
Arcke be contacted through arcke.com.au or @matt_arcke
“We share a love of mid-century modern furniture with Franki and Sean, and found ways to incorporate some of their existing furniture into the scheme” KATE KENNEDY, ARCKE STUDIO MANAGER
good news
To avoid mechanical cooling and facilitate cross breezes instead, architect Matt chose Breezway operable louvres to manage the flow of air through the home. They appear on both levels of the exterior, seen here (below) from inside the study.
lessons learnt “CREATE A HOME FOR ALL SEASONS” SEAN, HOMEOWNER
“Matt’s advice was to live in the house for four full seasons before we began talking about what we wanted. We’re so glad that we were patient and did experience all of them, as it was really important to see how we lived in the house throughout the year. It meant that we truly got to understand the site, its strengths and weaknesses, and could then capture the best of it.”