Expansion and Adaptation – Tjuringa by Jesse Bennett Studio

Taking inspiration from the form of the house that formerly occupied the site, adapting and expanding its envelope to encompass a revised program, Tjuringa by Jesse Bennett Studio is a responsive family home.

Sited west of Brisbane, Tjuringa is located in Queensland’s Toowoomba and takes a unique approach to its site. The home increases the previous house’s footprint to cater for the contemporary brief of its current owners. Initially wanting to preserve the outer brick formwork and rework the internal spaces of the original home, structural issues surfaced that resulted in another approach being adopted. Recycling and reusing as much of the preceding materiality as possible, the original perimeter brick impression was maintained, and a new home emerged in its place. Using the silhouette of the previous home as a guide, the past is forever captured while its internal functions and formal expression are a representation of the present. Jesse Bennett Studio combines an intuitive and contextually sensitive approach in the continuation of story and site as one.

Taking its name from the Indigenous Tjuringa artefacts, the home recognises the importance of acknowledging what has come before. In essence, the reference is a means to connect the stories of its previous occupants with its current ones. Tjuringa are traditionally timber or stone linear sticks, where carvings are a means to communicate, sharing stories, myths and Dreaming. They can be passed down through generations and, in the process, take on more embellishments over time with each new retelling of the past. In much the same way, this home captures time, acting as facilitator of a connected past and present narrative.

Taking form as a series of sweeping shapes and rounded openings to the west, the brick outdoor courtyard area is a place of deliberate respite, a place of reflection and storytelling. The home itself anchors to its hillside and utilises a combination of brick, concrete and glass to engage with its site and create distinctive moments connecting inside with out. The concrete roof structure intentionally floats above the building, tying back to the initial concept of a sail-type form protecting the home from the prevailing winds. It also offers a sense of privacy from the nearby road, while allowing ample light and structural interest as it is supported by its oversized feature columns. There is an inimitable play on scale present, tapering larger floating planes down into small hand-placed brick columns. The aim to avoid aligning the style of the home with any particular time or period is clear, and its interesting resolve speaks to a curious individuality.

Tjuringa recognises its past and creates a series of stimulating spaces that engage firstly with the site, secondly with materiality and thirdly with the entire ensemble on site. Jesse Bennett Studio has brought new life to the tired home and, through integrated plantings and roof gardens, looks to a future in which the building softens and melds with its surroundings over time.