Part A: Research of the Exemplar 3 - Brookes Street House

By James Russell Architect (2006)

Location: 118 Brooks Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane

interior of the house

http://www.jamesrussellarchitect.com.au

facade of the hosue

http://www.jamesrussellarchitect.com.au

As an Environmental Filter

Access to the house is via a staircase adjacent to the office. The entrance to the home is subtle: barely noticeable from busy Brooks Street. Once through the threshold, one enters a private and secure world. The stairs lead straight up into the heart of the home – a central, open courtyard of green grass bathed in sunlight. The house wraps around three sides of the grass, with the church wall and stained glass windows forming the fourth wall. [1]
 
As a Container of Human Activities

 Living spaces sit on either side of the courtyard – one a less formal “play room” and the other with the kitchen and “grown-up” lounge. Above the living areas are the sleeping areas – the children’s above the playroom, and the parents’ suspended over the kitchen and lounge. A narrow bridge connects the two bedroom wings and overlooks the grass. Bathrooms and the laundry are concealed in cupboards running along the side of the bridge. [1]

As a Delightful Experience

Walls of glass slide away completely at the edges of the living spaces, creating a fluid connection between the

grassed and roofed areas. Upper level windows are push-out timber flaps, which also act as eaves for sun and rain protection. Raw industrial materials of concrete and steel make up the shell of the building. These materials are enriched by the refined timber joinery of the interior. [1]



References:


[1] James Russell Architect. n.d. Brooks Street House. http://www.jamesrussellarchitect.com.au (accessed March 18, 2010).