Double North House by Furminger

An honest, simple and adaptable home grounded in a connection to the environment, Double North House continuously transforms depending on the weather, light and needs of the inhabitants.

Located in a hilly suburb of Brisbane, Double North House is designed specifically for Chris Furminger, architect and builder, and his partner. Chris reflects, “this is quite a unique situation for us, being our family home – Tijana, my partner, being the client, and myself as the architect. We created the brief together, making a list of rooms and requirements so that our family could grow into it.” Chris’s partner, Tijana Jelacic, notes, “there were definitely moments that reflected a traditional client-architect relationship.”

“One of my favourite things about Double North House is being able to close it down in the cooler months but then also open it up and let breezes through in the afternoons.”

The renovation presented an opportunity for experimentation and to elevate the existing cottage. “What drew us to this site was the lovely established gardens of the neighbouring properties and the opportunity to expand quite a small footprint,” says Chris. As such, he reconfigures the home in a way that makes it more inviting and functional while respecting the existing footprint of the house. “Typically, with these long, narrow inner-city blocks, the central core of the building can be quite dark, so we wanted to make that centre the lightest part of the building so that all the rooms that surrounded it could be light-filled, single-layered and connected to breezes and views beyond,” says Chris.

One of the key moments within the home is the central garden space. “This allows for rooms on the lower level nearer to the garden to see the light change throughout the day and the seasons change throughout the year and, in a way, it doubles the northern light – hence giving the name Double North House,” says Chris. Another key feature was to ensure the home has two office spaces. “In our ensuite, there is a study area for me made from timber joinery. It is a lovely space because it is private and acts as a retreat,” says Tijana.

Designing and building his own home, Chris reimagines a contemporary Brisbane inner-city cottage.

Double North House responds to its subtropical climate through retractable features, ventilation and circulation. “One of my favourite things about Double North House is being able to close it down in the cooler months but then also open it up and let breezes through in the afternoons,” says Tijana. Operable windows were introduced to control light, direct breezes and maintain privacy. Similarly, casement windows allow warm air to be funnelled from below into the upper-level rooms and out through the courtyard space.

The materiality of the home is simple and pared-back. “It was important for us to use materials in quite an honest fashion, where timber, stone and glass all represent themselves,” says Chris. As such, timber elements were configured to function more as furniture rather than built-in pieces. This raw, tactile approach is complemented by greenery, timber joinery, a neutral palette and minimalist furnishings, imbuing a warm yet refined feeling.

Double North House responds to its subtropical climate through retractable features, ventilation and circulation.

Designing and building his own home, Chris reimagines a contemporary Brisbane inner-city cottage. He reflects, “what I enjoy most is how the spaces have different functions throughout the day and the year – how the spaces change through different light and engagement with the landscape and the climate.”

Architecture by Furminger. Landscape design by Joey Brown and Christopher Furminger. Structural engineering by Ingineered. Videography by Dan Preston. Production by The Local Project.