Architectural Oxymoron – Coorparoo House by Neilsen Jenkins

Creating a sense of privacy in spaces that are open and connected is an architectural oxymoron – how can a building be simultaneously untethered and secluded? Coorparoo House by Brisbane architecture firm Nielsen Jenkins beautifully articulates this balance whilst referencing the typical vernacular of a Queenslander with a refined yet entirely unpretentious minimalism.

A traditional Queenslander is defined by spaces that lend themselves to a relaxed lifestyle where the lines between indoor and outdoor are constantly blurred. With Coorparoo House, architects Lachlan Nielsen and Morgan Jenkins of Nielsen Jenkins wanted to stay true to this typology whilst also responding to the context of the site. “We’re lucky up here in Queensland because we can have a really direct connection to the landscape and the outdoors, but we have to manage that correctly and mediate that connection,” Morgan says.

“We’re lucky up here in Queensland because we can have a really direct connection to the landscape and the outdoors, but we have to manage that correctly and mediate that connection,” Morgan Jenkins says.

As is common for Queenslanders on tight blocks, the living spaces on the first floor are compromised in terms of privacy, and interacting with the outdoors is limited to a verandah or deck area. To combat this, Coorparoo’s living spaces are located on the ground floor, designed as one large area flowing onto a secluded backyard and pool, whilst the bedrooms are on the first floor. This “serves to privatise the experience because you’re sectionally at a different height to your neighbours” and contributes greatly to the connection between indoors and outdoors.

Alongside this welcome privacy, Coorparoo House is defined by a sense of surprising openness beyond its unassuming black timber batten façade. Addressing the levels of this home as “two distinct planes”, the architects designed a pair of large voids that penetrate the building, cutting through the levels and forming a relationship between the floors. “It was all about how we created connection between the two distinct levels and brought light and ventilation into the ground floor,” Morgan explains. Downstairs, the space reads as one, and the house can be completely open from front to back. Polished concrete floors stretch the length of the room, drawing the eye into the building, and light bounces into the space from the voids – both entirely clad in tiles – and from several windows along the eastern elevation. “We added glazing and ventilation around the voids so we can borrow views and get north-eastern light into those areas really deep into the plan,” Lachlan says.

“We added glazing and ventilation around the voids so we can borrow views and get north-eastern light into those areas really deep into the plan,” Lachlan Nielsen says.

This carving out of forms is a continuous theme. Both storeys of the house have been treated as large spaces from which public and private zones are created. Whilst it is one large space, the ground floor is subtly divided into intimate zones through joinery, considered openings, a fireplace and the two voids. Morgan cites “the passing of daylight and connection to landscape” as fundamental in this scheme. He and Lachlan were conscious of this from the beginning and worked it into the interiors with authenticity. However, he admits that while such things are foreseeable and can inform a design, ultimately, “you never know exactly how it’s going to be.” Here, the light spilling through the voids and the breeze from front to back are two elements that elevate this project to a level not even the architects anticipated.

The kitchen “works off the structure” and sits at the back of the house, opposite a generous dining area. With entertaining front of mind, a range of Fisher & Paykel appliances was selected by the clients to complement the minimal kitchen design and colour palette used throughout the house. The appliances – such as the 90cm Gas on Glass Cooktop and Integrated Insert Rangehood, 60cm Self-cleaning Oven and Freestanding French Door Refrigerator Freezer in a black stainless steel finish – are an easy extension of the home’s aesthetic. “Everything fits perfectly with the scheme,” Morgan notes. The cooktop and refrigerator “allow for a large volume of food storage and production,” Lachlan says. He adds, “our clients were really excited about the Integrated Double DishDrawer as well; they can rely on it no matter what size group they’re catering for.” Both architects agree that their successful relationship with Fisher & Paykel is based on two things: support and design capability. “Fisher & Paykel are very easy to deal with,” Lachlan attests. “We try and describe the outcome we’re after and they work out what the best solution for that specific client will be.” Morgan builds on this, citing the “clean lines and functionality of the products” as highly appealing. “And the after sales support is excellent,” he adds.

“Fisher & Paykel are very easy to deal with,” Lachlan attests. “We try and describe the outcome we’re after and they work out what the best solution for that specific client will be.”

The kitchen opens directly onto the backyard, designed to be a private sanctuary with lush planting and elegant screening solutions. As Morgan explains, downstairs is about connecting to the backyard in a private way. “The clients previously felt like they were on display, particularly when they entertained. So for them, it’s nice to be able to open right up and control those edges now.” This is also true at the front of the home where the main entrance is encased within the timber batten screen, which can be closed completely and locked. “This means the front door can be open and the clients can enjoy ventilation, security and privacy all day and all night,” Lachlan says. “It’s a much more comfortable way of living.”

Through this enduring commitment to creating a better lifestyle for their clients, Nielsen Jenkins has shown how intimacy and openness can coexist in architecture. Coorparoo House is a thoughtful building, one that harnesses the core principles of a typical Queenslander whilst offering an uninhibited sense of privacy to its inhabitants.