Alexandra Buchanan’s recent addition to a 1925 Queenslander house is nothing short of a subtropical delight. Comfortably nestled on a steeply sloping site in Brisbane’s Teneriffe, the three-storey home is fringed with palms and an existing clump of banana trees. The new central courtyard allows for cross ventilation on hot summer days and the high ceilings, internal voids and operable walls further manage the heat.
It could easily be mistaken for a home in south or southeast Asia, so it’s no surprise to discover the owners have an appreciation for the residential architecture of Sri Lanka and Singapore. “The interiors feature rich, textural references to the tropics through a palette of hardwood, concrete and bluestone,” says Alexandra, architect and director of her eponymous studio. “We wanted the space to feel calm and to strike a balance between openness and intimacy, so we opened up the entire ground floor footprint to the garden and courtyards to fully engage with the landscape.”
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Nowhere is the scheme more evocative than in the new main bathroom, which has been entirely given over to a centrally positioned concrete bath in nude pink. The room was once a dark bedroom but is now light-filled, with a floating vanity that runs the length of the windows. Adding a touch of whimsy, the vanity mirrors gently sway in the breeze from their leather straps, another connection to the outdoors.
Alexandra renovated the home’s existing bathroom, which now serves guests. Privacy was always an issue, but through the removal of the bathroom’s window and insertion of a skylight, the problem was resolved without compromising the quality of light this small room receives. To make it appear larger, she used a singular tile throughout and removed all unnecessary clutter. Her bowl-on-a-wash-stand vanity is a beautifully realised statement that champions simplicity of form and function.
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In the kitchen, a play of light and volume dominates, with steps between areas demarcating different zones. The sculptural, marble-topped island anchors the space, inset into the dining table and functioning as a piece of furniture that has become the home’s undeniable meeting point. Like the rest of the joinery, the table is walnut and its deep caramel hue adds a sense of warmth, complementing the bluestone baton tile flooring. Alexandra incorporated a mirror splashback on the back bench to reflect the courtyard, and the timber batten bridge suspended above allows light through the double-height void. “Structure is expressed and celebrated here,” she says, and to this end the home is impressively resolved, with an astute environmental awareness.