Warmington House by Alexandra Buchanan Architecture

Houses

Warmington House is the transformation of an existing, characterful cottage on a steeply sloping site in Brisbane’s Inner suburb of Paddington

Studio: Alexandra Buchanan Architecture
Project type: Alteration & Addition
Location: Paddington, Brisbane, QLD
Status: Completed June 2022
Floor area: 407sqm
Photography: James Peeters
Design Team: Inertia Engineering
Architectural Team: Alexandra Buchanan with Shane Wilmett
Construction Team: BBH Projects
Materials: Concrete, Timber, Steel, Glass

A double-height living room with an elevated steep and an upward-facing stone element mounted on the glass wall.
A double-height living room with an elevated steep and an upward-facing stone element mounted on the glass wall.
An expansive open plan of the contemporary living spaces which include the living and dining areas.
An expansive open plan of the contemporary living spaces which include the living and dining areas.
The house fixtures, including the floating stairs and cabinets, embrace a minimalist concept.
The house fixtures, including the floating stairs and cabinets, embrace a minimalist concept.
A seating area between the large wooden shelving units, with a glass window allowing sunlight to enter.
A seating area between the large wooden shelving units, with a glass window allowing sunlight to enter.
A minimalist kitchen with a long island and bar stool chairs, built-in appliances, and exposed lighting.
A minimalist kitchen with a long island and bar stool chairs, built-in appliances, and exposed lighting.
An open-air seating area with fireplace is ideal for evening gatherings.
An open-air seating area with fireplace is ideal for evening gatherings.
The double-height spaces move between new and old architecture, creating a textural and material dialogue between the two.
The double-height spaces move between new and old architecture, creating a textural and material dialogue between the two.
Terraced planting wraps the pool, framing views from the interior living spaces.
Terraced planting wraps the pool, framing views from the interior living spaces.
A soaring new void becomes the heart of the house and creates the space that both new & cottage’s floor spaces circulate around.
A soaring new void becomes the heart of the house and creates the space that both new & cottage’s floor spaces circulate around.
Long and narrow swimming pool with a terrace view.
Long and narrow swimming pool with a terrace view.

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.

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