Project: Taringa House
Architects: Loucas Zahos Architects
Location: Stanley Terrace, Brisbane, Australia
Area: 5,478 sq ft
Photographs by: Christopher Frederick Jones
Taringa House by Loucas Zahos Architets
The Taringa House was originally a worker’s cottage located along Stanley Terrace, a traditional street lined with characteristic housing, in Brisbane, Australia.
It was designed by Loucas Zahos Architects driven by the desire to accommodate the majority of family activity within the new addition. The design has generated two juxtaposed but contrasting building forms defining the old and the new.
From the architects: “Pragmatically, the ‘old’ cottage functions as an entrance from street level to Taringa House, also accommodating a guest bedroom, bathroom and overflow living space. The ‘new’ addition is the core of everyday living in the house. It contains the kitchen, main living area, dining and bedrooms. The existing cottage and the addition are articulated as separate identities. The cottage retains its principal role of addressing the street and tying into the existing street fabric.”
“The addition faces the rear of the Taringa House site and celebrates the landscape. The functions of the old and the new remain distinct; public and private, street and backyard, visitor and family, entry and living. The cottage retains much of its original detail, whilst the addition is contemporary in form, and not immediately apparent from the street. Connecting the two contrasting building forms, a circulation spine creates a ceremonial entrance from the existing cottage.”
“Taringa House was built with environmental sustainability in mind. Natural lighting is emphasised by the design of the main living area, which provides a large south facing glazed area and terraced roofs beyond, with a high level of transparency (roofed terrace is double skin construction to minimise heat gain).
The large areas of glazing are protected by external operable aluminium louvre walls that can be opened or closed. These allow the glass at Taringa House to be in shade during summer and a “second skin to the terrace”. Articulation in plan forms allows cross flow ventilation to all bedrooms through numerous glazed louvres. Materials are all natural with long term low maintenance a key element in selection.
For example, fibre cement sheeting is homogenous in composition at Taringa House, hence not requiring any ongoing maintenance. A 10,000 L water tank provides the capacity to recycle water from rainfall, which has been plumbed to secondary house fixtures and the garden.”
