An Elevated Connection – Hill End House by Vokes and Peters and Georgia Cannon

Taking the typical Queenslander reference to another level, Hill End House sees the literal elevating of an existing home to carve custom living spaces underneath. Vokes and Peters, together with Georgia Cannon, employs a combined refined rigour with an open embrace of the surrounding context to create meaningful connections between the built and the natural.

Situated in Brisbane’s West End, Hill End House sits lofted with a newly dedicated program supporting its lower level, connecting with the site at large and expanding on the unrealised potential of the home. Upon purchase, the original form of the structure sat lower and was void of any clear connection between the built elements and the surrounding landscape. In a part restoration, relocation and addition process, the house was elevated to insert a custom designed series of living spaces on the lower level; this lifting allowed for a natural flow between inside and out, eliminating the need for a stepped transition beyond the building edge. Vokes and Peters and Georgia Cannon carefully sculpt a light and open series of spaces that embody the Queensland lifestyle.

Built by Robson Constructions, together with carefully planned landscape design as an extension of the home by Werner Weis Landscapes, Hill End House is an expression of the modern Queenslander.

Built by Robson Constructions, together with carefully planned landscape design as an extension of the home by Werner Weis Landscapes, Hill End House is an expression of the modern Queenslander. Whilst the façade offers an operable element that encourages natural ventilation through the home, solar and heat gains can be controlled and directed as needed. As a key priority of the new works, Hill End House needed to function as a family home and embody an ethos of comfort, openness and connection; a shared sense of flow is expressed with the creation of clear and unobstructed passages through, into and out of the home.

While the lower level forms the gathering zones of the home, the upper level houses the retreat and sleeping spaces, allowing for a sense of separation. Key to life within the home’s context is the embrace of the outdoors, and through a redirecting of movement and purpose internally, the spaces now naturally align. The dissolving of the thresholds between inside and out also becomes integral to how the home functions and how the generous site supports the everyday rituals. Drawing on the lightness that surrounds, the interior is a collaboration between Vokes and Peters and Georgia Cannon and echoes a similar luminosity, as well as being crafted from robust elements to suit the climate and exposure to the outdoors.

The dissolving of the thresholds between inside and out also becomes integral to how the home functions and how the generous site supports the everyday rituals.

Combining a casual familiarity, Hill End House emerges as a welcoming and congenial family home that celebrates togetherness and warmth.