Backyard House

by Joe Adsett Architects

The Backyard House by Joe Adsett Architects was an opportunity to set a precedent for suburban infill development as an alternative to the prevailing trend of building apartments near railway and bus stations.

The ‘Great Australian Dream’ of owning a quarter acre block with a new house has become a distant memory in inner-city Brisbane, as parcels of land are shaved down repeatedly in a bid to densify the urban centre. Nestled within the urban streets of Teneriffe, a colonial Queenslander presented a charming frontage that concealed the potential for the Architect to utilise the vacant 300m2 backyard to design and build a new family home.

The two-storey house is deliberately positioned 900mm from the rear boundary to efficiently utilise the site and mimic the functionality and sense of space within the house usually only achieved on a much larger site. Consequently, what was previously the original backyard has become the front yard in the new design and a larger more usable space is thus created from amalgamating what would typically be used to create larger setbacks.

The house is oriented toward the lush green backyard and the leafy street beyond. This gesture activates the streetscape and creates privacy for the occupants. Both these elements cleverly create the impression of a much larger space, by seeming to extend the internal walls to incorporate an open sunken courtyard.

The brief was simple yet difficult to achieve given the limited site area and sloping topography – a four bedroom house for a growing family with distinct spaces to retreat and come together. A large central void funnels a steady stream of light into the house throughout the day and allows cross ventilation throughout the home.

In terms of planning, the void provides visual and acoustic separation between rooms with a bridge spanning between the public and private zones, whilst still affording a vertical connection between levels. The large void and the use of a smaller void over the entry articulate the rectangular form. When viewed from the street the western red cedar facade is characterised by three distinct forms and a large folding timber eave, which envelops the smaller boxes and unites the overall composition. The timber soffit wraps through to form the ceiling of the void, further blurring the boundary between internal and external spaces.

Instead of producing a traditional set of contractual drawings and documents Joe Adsett Architects used a 3D model to communicate the design intent and the exact scope of work before construction could commence. This collaborative involvement of trades in the process permitted many discussions regarding construction techniques and ultimately resulted in the best possible outcome for the designers, builders and clients. The entire home was built for approximately $500,000 within 5 months.

The Backyard House makes its most meaningful contribution to the broader context of sustainability in that it presents an alternative paradigm for densifying our cities. If adopted on a broad scale, this gentle approach to densifying our cities would result in doubling the density without any requirement to upgrade existing infrastructure and essential services. The suburban character of our suburbs would be maintained and offer residents a more sustainable lifestyle than that of living above a traffic corridor.

The Backyard House by Joe Adsett Architects has received the following critical acclaim amongst the architecture and design community:

2015 Brisbane Regional Architecture Awards – Residential Architecture (Houses New) – REGIONAL COMMENDATION

2015 Queensland State Architecture Awards – Residential Architecture (Houses New) – STATE COMMENDATION

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