The Three Chimney House is a single story house, located in the outer east suburb of Chandler, approximately 30 minutes from Brisbane’s CBD. Designed to sit comfortably in its mature landscape, a small, detached studio situated within the winter courtyard houses a pottery kiln that required a chimney and this became the inspiration for the first of the three symmetrical chimneys that give the house its unique design and name.
High textured brick walls create protected outdoor living spaces, blurring the divide between interior and exterior in this striking Queensland home. The east and west wings of the ‘H’ shaped footprint form summer and winter courtyards, becoming open air rooms with inviting views that frame the landscaping in and around the house.
The pale brickwork makes the landscape “punch and play with the light at different times of the day and through the changing seasons,” explains Kon Panagopoulos of KP Architects.
The exterior and interior walls of the home are constructed using Crevole from the PGH Bricks Velour collection; a product chosen for its robustness to withstand Queensland’s harsh weather conditions, and its structural and textural qualities.
“The continuation of the brick internally blurs the boundary between the inside and outside, and continues the clean lines, playful light, and textural, tactile characteristics through the interior. Sculptural folding roofs reach for the sky and funnel natural light into the house, framing the views to the outside,” adds Panagopoulos.
This inside-out blend was a response to the owners’ sentimental attachment to the site. As empty nesters, they built their new home on a subdivision of their old home. The environment was familiar and they felt an emotional tie to the context of mature landscaping. They were anxious to retain and enjoy the trees, many of which they had planted over the years.
“The house is carefully positioned not to impact the landscape, and to open up to take advantage of the vistas. It was also carefully merged between the trees as the clients really wanted the landscape front and centre of their new home and the pale brick provides a perfect canvas,” says Panagopoulos.
The choice of brick was in part a homage to the surrounding area as the suburb consists of many 1980s single level brick homes.
“We wanted to play with that idea, but update it and evolve it for modern times. Lifestyles have changed and we spend a lot more time living outside, so we created the seamless indoor outdoor rooms with the brick,” says Panagopoulos.
The house echoes mid-century design, which was another reason for using the brick; to add texture to that tradition.
