C House

Architects: Brian Donovan and Timothy Hill

Location: Coorparoo, Brisbane, QLD

Site area: 1500 m²

Structural systems/elements: concrete construction and timber construction

Materials: Concrete, timber, sandstone, glass

Architectural features: three-storey, board-marked finish concrete, timber-framed wondows, timber battens, stone stairs, timber trellises.

Surrouding features: trees

Project Complete: 1998

This house is built on a steep hill in a suburban area with a view of the city in de distance. The dwelling consists out of rooms with different sizes (both indoor and outdoor) following the climbing terrain, linked by 16 staircases. The idea behind the variety of volume and floor level of the rooms is to reflect the hilly topography into the house. The way the light enters the residence emphasizes the changes conditions throughout the day and year. The pool also adds to this ambiance, it acts as a stream running between the rocks. This total design makes living in this house feels like being outside.

Every level has it’s own realm. The entry plaza, office and pool, communal living floor with the children bedrooms and the private top floor suite.

The reason for the choice of materials is because they are self-finished, grow in age and give a warm and calm feeling to the house.

One of the architects, Brian Donovan, has worked in Japan and is accustomed with the way contemporary Japanese architecture is designed. In the C house we can see some resemblance to Japanese architecture.

References:

The University of Queensland, Australia. North-west elevation, C house, Cooparoo, Brisbane. 2007. http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:11668 (accessed March 1, 2010).

ArchitectureMedia. The domestic ideal.1999. http://www.archmedia.com.au/aa/aaissue.php?article=4&issueid=199905&typeon=2 (accessed March 1, 2010).