The Local Project (October 11, 2024): Addressing the issue of connection deficit in vertical living, Upper House fosters a sense of community among residents. Crafted by Koichi Takada Architects on behalf of developer Aria, the ultimate penthouse and spacious apartment building proposes a new, healthier way of inhabiting a city. Set in South Brisbane, known widely as a social and cultural hub, Upper House sits close to art galleries, theatres, bars and cafes.
Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Ultimate Penthouse 01:22 – Including the Surrounding Culture 02:07 – The Facade Inspiration 02:48 – The Calm Interiors and Layout 03:59 – A Neutral Material Palette 04:35 – The World Class Design 05:37 – A Walkthrough of the Wellness Retreat 06:17 – Creating a Connective Space
The project takes cues from the suburb, inviting people to come together: while the building offers 1000 square metres of communal amenities, it also embodies a work of art and features the ultimate penthouse. Michael Hurley, development director at Aria, describes the design as “a series of dancing balconies” with timber ribbon running up the facade and a triple-height timber rooftop.
“[The design] just screamed out and said ‘world-class, never-been-done-before’. It was curvy, it was organic, it was unique, and it was Aria” he says. At the base of Upper House, a large podium displays work by Indigenous artist Judy Watson. The piece recognises the Turrbal people as the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which the project is built. Beyond the podium, the facade is inspired by Moreton Bay fig trees – what can be viewed as ribbons are timber ‘roots’ framing the main structure and the ultimate penthouse. Curling around the edges of the roof, the bold details form a pergola and shading device that protect the open wellness retreat.
The Local Project – (April 4, 2023) – Fulfilling the client’s desire to build their concrete dream house, Shaun Lockyer Architects considers the tactile and environmental benefits of building with concrete. Located in an inner-city suburb of Brisbane,
Video timeline:00:00 – Introduction to the Concrete Dream House 00:32 – The Home and The Area 01:05 – Views from the Home 01:31 – A Modernist Theme on Approach 02:02 – A Walkthrough of the Home 02:22 – A Canvas for Life and Personality 02:40 – Less is More 02:59 – The Materials 03:41 – Controlling and Curating the Light 04:29 – Engaging with the Landscape 05:16 – Client and Architect Relationships
Dilkera embodies responsive design in how it reacts to both its climate as well as its location. Dilkera’s striking concrete façade and distinctive form are largely informed by the subtropical climate. The residence is a direct expression of how a home’s design can manage a rapidly changing mix of rain, heat and humidity – typical conditions of Brisbane and south-east Queensland where the home resides.
So that the inhabitants are not constantly moving between the inside and the outside to avoid the weather, there are deep thresholds, lovely wide eaves and protected edges so there’s a constant sense of being able to live throughout the entire concrete dream house, despite the season. Shaun Lockyer Architects also explores what elements make up a concrete dream house. The home offers vestiges to surrounding scenery, including views of bushland on the eastern side, an expansive river looking across to New Farm Park and The Powerhouse on the western side, and views of the city to the southwest.
Through a bold approach to materiality, Shaun Lockyer Architects designs a robust yet welcoming home. The structure’s materiality is kept minimal and, while concrete dominates, it is complemented by a beautiful stone that forms the base of the house along with black and blond timbers throughout. Concrete floor finishes from the inside to outside are consistent, creating a seamlessness between indoor and outdoor spaces as the concrete transitions to oak cabinetry and extends through to the furniture.
An incremental revealing of what lies beyond this concrete dream house expresses a deliberate modernist theme. As soon as one enters the home there is an opening of space, with a double-height room that becomes the centre of gravity in both the form and architecture of the house. Walking around the home, views through to the landscape and garden reveal themselves, which nurtures a connection to the outside and a sense of the residence’s transparency.
Dilkera expresses the tangible reality of what was once a mere vision of a concrete dream house. To achieve this, Shaun Lockyer Architects prioritised the relationship with the client and in turn created a home that is distinctly different, resulting in a deliberate attempt for the home to engage with the landscape rather than be a dialogue about the building in itself.
The Local Project (February 10, 2023) – A living work of art, La Scala by Richards & Spence is an architects’ own home that can be considered as a sequence of discovery and revelation. Located in Brisbane, the home is a contemporary monolithic structure of concrete, stone and greenery.
Video timeline: 00:00 – Introduction to the Iconic Monolithic Home 00:39 – The Inner-City Location 01:00 – Designing with Entertaining in Mind 01:35 – A Long Term Plan 01:52 – The Key to Planning 02:27 – A Walkthrough of the Home 02:53 – The Double Height Volume 04:00 – Spatial Contrast and Emotive Responses 04:44 – Blurring the Lines of Inside and Outside 05:32 – Materials for the Long Term 05:51 – Swaying from the City’s Nostalgia 06:08 – Building for a Hot Climate 06:33 – A Contrast to the Concrete 06:49 – The Project’s Biggest Success
Considering the life of the home and how it may look in 50 to 100 years, the architects have imagined a ruin-like appearance finished with raw materials and green life that blur the lines between liveable spaces. Designed as both a sanctuary for its owners and a place to entertain, the home’s layout unfolds from the ground up like a living work of art. Starting the home tour from the garage and lower ground, guests enter into a moody portico that offers privacy to the other levels upon arrival.
Moving on to the lower ground bedroom, the unique design showcases the owners’ desire to create an iconic residence that takes advantage of the homes location on the side of a hill. In the main bedroom, the architects employ reeded glass at the bottom of the double-height windows to add a playful reflection of light that turns the modern bedroom into a living work of art. Up on the middle floor, a guest bedroom and bathroom have been installed along with a spare bathroom for parties. However, in addition to the rooms, the middle level also holds a unique hallway with low height ceilings that terminates in a dark timber enclosure, suggesting a cave-like experience.
Lit only by a window that looks down into the lower bedroom, the enclosed hallway focuses upon spatial variety and the sequence of contrast throughout the home’s architecture. Comparing high and low, light and dark, rough and smooth, the architects have introduced materials and design choices that evoke an emotive response. Past the middle floor, the large room that holds the entertaining spaces, as well as the central courtyard, is filled with natural light and introduces plant life into the home, turning it into a living work of art. Filled with lush greenery, the middle courtyard is designed to let the plants grow without constraint. Ivy grows inside and out and blurs the lines between spaces, while the Zoysia grass has been chosen for its self-undulation.
With large single pours of concrete, the home appears as a living work of art that has been carved out of a single piece of material. Contrasting against the concrete and stone is brass and timber, which help to heighten the experience within and turns the masterpiece home into a living work of art. Holding and manipulating light, La Scala offers different experiences throughout the day, while the shared spaces bring a new level of social living for its owners and their guests.
D’Aguilar National Park is a national park in Queensland, Australia. It contains the D’Aguilar Range and is located along the northwest of the Brisbane metropolitan area. The park is traversed by the winding scenic Mount Nebo Road and Mount Glorious Road.
Brisbane, capital of Queensland, is a large city on the Brisbane River. Clustered in its South Bank cultural precinct are the Queensland Museum and Sciencentre, with noted interactive exhibitions. Another South Bank cultural institution is Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, among Australia’s major contemporary art museums. Looming over the city is Mt. Coot-tha, site of Brisbane Botanic Gardens.
The Gold Coast is a metropolitan region south of Brisbane on Australia’s east coast. It’s famed for its long sandy beaches, surfing spots and elaborate system of inland canals and waterways. It’s also home to theme parks such as Dreamworld, Sea World and Wet’n’Wild. Inland, hiking trails crisscross Lamington National Park’s mountain ridges and valleys, home to rare birds and rainforest.
Brisbane, capital of Queensland, is a large city on the Brisbane River. Clustered in its South Bank cultural precinct are the Queensland Museum and Sciencentre, with noted interactive exhibitions. Another South Bank cultural institution is Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, among Australia’s major contemporary art museums. Looming over the city is Mt. Coot-tha, site of Brisbane Botanic Gardens.
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