Alexandra Buchanan Architecture

Warmington House

Paddington, Brisbane

Warmington House is the transformation of an existing, characterful cottage on a steeply sloping site in Brisbane’s Inner suburb of Paddington. Seeking to respect the cottage but to elevate it into an executive level family home, we carefully balanced the existing cottage over expansive open plan contemporary living spaces.

The new additions recede from the original cottage, to elevate its traditional character & disguise the vast space created inside. A soaring new void becomes the heart of the house and creates the space that both new & cottage’s floor spaces circulate around. Inside and outside spaces both extend the experience of space on this narrow Paddington block. The double height spaces move between the new and existing architecture creating a textural, material dialogue between the old and new.

The device of the void continues again at the rear defining space within the backyard wrapped with draped plants disguising where the house ends and the landscaping beginnings. Terraced planting wraps the pool, framing views from the interior living spaces.  Sunlight through the voids accentuates the textural walls, shadow paly and deep recesses, adding to the play of old and new.

Master Builders Construction Awards Winner – Best Kitchen 2023.

 

Project details

Nestled in a coveted pocket of Paddington, this beautiful house balances space & luxury across a sprawling 407sqm of internal living.
Seamlessly blending natural materials to evoke a sense of warmth and space. A free-flowing living and dining area form the heart of the home, centred around a soaring void & stone feature wall
Outdoor entertaining decks, patio & pool are framed by surrounding greenery and the suspended concrete planter with manicured gardens.

Respecting the Cottage

Warmington was an existing, quaint 3 bedroom cottage on a steeply sloping site in Brisbane's Inner suburb of Paddington; we were briefed to respect the cottage but to elevate it into an executive level family home.

Managing a steeply sloping site

The new architecture steps back from the original cottage, to  elevate its traditional character. New voids are cut out of the cottage’s floor plan both inside and out to expand the experience of space on this narrow Paddington block. The double height spaces move between the new and existing architecture creating a textural, material dialogue between contemporary and traditional.

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