Wilston Bungalow
Within suburban Brisbane, this 1950s bungalow style home is not held in the esteem of the pre-war timber and tin Queenslander homes (protected by the Brisbane City Plan) and yet the build quality is superior and the materiality equally charming. Hence within the larger context of the city and the under appreciation of post-war architecture, this project sets out to display the best qualities of these bungalow homes and the possibilities they offer as excellent modern dwellings. Using the new architecture to embrace the best aspects of the landscape, near and far, and enhance the original utilitarian home design.
Creating a modern home from an original 50s bungalow, this project adopts a strategy that embraces the typology in both materiality and manner. Re-planning of the internal arrangement and creating a relationship to a new garden were the major architectural challenges.
This project has re-purposed the existing home and enhanced the residual architecture to create a great home for modern living. Incorporating new and inventive detailing to enhance the simplicity of the original bungalow. Internal walls were removed to better connect the living room and kitchen; whist the bathroom was replanned and an ensuite added. The kitchen is positioned purposefully at the threshold of the patio and garden is a double-galley [race-track ] arrangement. Importantly the gardens (front and back) and the surrounding parkland are now better incorporated, both visually and physically.
The project is inherently sustainable, economically, socially, and environmentally. Re-purposing a quality house that had been built with care; the residual architecture is enhanced to create a modern home. Remaining modest in scale, the renovation strategy is reductive in stripping back the unnecessary to enhance the functional requirements and improve the lifestyle aspects. Only small enlargements are made to the plan and these occur without needing any footings and under the existing roofline. Budget is utilised where necessary to re-connect the outdoor living and garden
