Location: Brisbane, Australia.

Architect: bureau^proberts.

The Albert Villa project aimed to create a modern residence that would blend in with its urban surroundings while preserving the character of the adjacent heritage-listed dwelling. The design process involved extensive consultation with town planners and heritage experts, resulting in two distinct forms separated by a breezeway and 125 years. The new pavilion at the rear of the site houses the living, dining, kitchen, and master bedroom, while the existing Albert Villa provides three bedrooms and a small sitting area. The building’s form replicates the roofs, peaks, and materials of the local area while articulating key lines of the existing heritage cottage. The external walls, openings, and courtyard surrounds are arranged to modulate privacy and views and to create security for the occupants. The central courtyard helps define the break between the new and old houses, while a layering of horizontal and vertical landscape softens the internal built form. The project is situated on a steeply sloping site located toward the top of Wellington street and is surrounded by three streets to the north, east, and south. The land is overlooked by larger commercial and residential structures and is surrounded by three streets to the north, east, and south, which have evolved into useable outdoor urban spaces over time. The brief emphasized the connection to landscape and the need for the small site to offer a similar level of green amenity to a standard suburban backyard.

Photo credit: Alicia Taylor.