Project Name: Kent House

Location: Teneriffe, Brisbane, Australia

Design Team: Alexandra Buchanan Architecture

Total Floor Area: 470 m²

Completion: 2024

Photography: Cieran Murphy

Feature:

Kent House represents an exceptional architectural transformation by Alexandra Buchanan Architecture, converting a 1925 Queenslander cottage into a contemporary urban retreat in Brisbane's Teneriffe Hill. Situated on a narrow lot with neighboring houses just 400 to 800 millimeters apart, the project ingeniously addresses spatial constraints through an innovative central courtyard design.

The design's core objective was to create a dynamic living environment that connects landscape and interior spaces. The central courtyard serves not only as the architectural and functional centerpiece but also enhances the residence with improved natural lighting and ventilation, bringing freshness and tranquility. The architects skillfully utilized the site's topography, allowing interior spaces to cascade with the hill's natural contours, creating surprising spatial depths and height variations behind the original cottage.

Material selection reflects a subtropical design aesthetic, employing hardwood, concrete, and bluestone to evoke a laid-back interior style reminiscent of Sri Lankan and Singaporean design. Adaptable façade design ensures thermal responsiveness, capturing cooling breezes during summer and creating warm, intimate spaces in cooler months.

The project preserves the historical characteristics of the original Queenslander cottage while injecting new vitality and functionality through contemporary additions. Each space is meticulously designed, ranging from private retreat areas to open public zones, demonstrating a harmonious coexistence between architecture and environment.

Design Team - Founded in 2011, Alexandra Buchanan Architecture (ABA) represents a sophisticated architectural practice distinguished by its nuanced approach to design across residential, commercial, and adaptive reuse typologies. Established by Architect Alexandra Buchanan in Melbourne, the practice has strategically expanded to incorporate studios in Brisbane and Melbourne, demonstrating a comprehensive national design perspective.

The firm distinguishes itself through a multidisciplinary design philosophy that prioritizes responsive architectural interventions rooted in social, cultural, and ecological considerations. With a portfolio spanning one-off residential dwellings, heritage renovations, workspaces, and multi-residential developments, ABA demonstrates remarkable design versatility and technical expertise.

Led by Founder Alexandra Buchanan and Director Shane Willmett, the practice comprises a diverse, internationally educated team of architects and designers from Australia, South Africa, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom. This multicultural composition enriches their design processes, enabling sophisticated, contextually sensitive architectural solutions.

Committed to progressive design methodology, ABA has positioned itself as a carbon-neutral studio since 2021, underscoring its dedication to sustainable architectural practice and environmental responsibility. Their design approach emphasizes functional elegance, spatial innovation, and a deep connection to place.