Zuzana and Nicholas transform Brisbane cottage into their own home and studio

Australian studio Zuzana & Nicholas used a 'vibrant palette' of stone, concrete and steel to transform a former workhouse cottage V Brisbane V own studio And house.

Situated in the Red Hill area, the cottage was originally designed in the Queensland style common to most Brisbane suburbs – a type of timber frame house that rises above an open basement and has a verandah at the front.

Exterior of Red Hill House and Studio in Brisbane
Zuzana and Nikolas turned a cottage into their own studio

Architects Zuzana Kovar and Nicholas Skepper, founders Zuzana and Nicholassought to restore and update the cottage's original appearance after refurbishments over the past century had filled in its basement and replaced much of its original structure.

“The project was conceived as a 'shop-house' and sought to solve the problem of combining private living spaces with public studio spaces in one building,” the studio told Dezeen.

Exterior of the renovated cottage by Zuzana and Nikolas
The founders of the studio also live in this cottage.

Maintaining the separation between the basement and the house, the concrete lower level now houses a studio, while the timber-framed upper spaces house two bedrooms, as well as a living room, dining room and kitchen.

The materiality of each of these areas reflects its purpose: hardwood panels in the living areas reference the original structure, while the studio uses a more utilitarian palette of exposed concrete and metal.

Living space at Red Hill House and Studio
A sliding wall provides access to the upper floor of the house.

“The bedrooms, living room and kitchen have been redesigned using a distinct timber frame made from local Australian hardwood, referencing the structure of the existing house but with a new material character that adds texture and intimacy to the private spaces,” say Zuzana and Nicholas.

“The rooms to the rear of the house, as well as the architectural studio, are finished in a more subdued and robust palette of stone, concrete, rendered block and galvanised steel, in keeping with the semi-public and semi-external nature of these spaces,” the firm added.

In the studio, a concrete step and full-height sliding glass door provide access to the rear garden and a book-lined staircase with steel panels that reflect natural light.

“When the studio's sliding doors are removed, the remaining space is formed from exposed concrete and stonework, creating the feeling of a cool grotto at the edge of the garden, a retreat from the hot, humid climate,” the studio said.

Studio interior at Red Hill House and Studio in Brisbane
Steel panels reflect light in the studio space

At the upper level, a sliding wall at the rear of the house opens up to a covered dining area with views of the garden from a galvanized steel mesh balcony.

When closed, this sliding wall blends into the white-painted wood cladding of the house's upper-floor exterior façade.

Interior of a studio in a renovated cottage by Zuzana and Nikolas
The studio is connected to the garden via a concrete staircase.

Due to its location on a corner lot, the studio and the house have separate entrances and addresses. The house is accessed through the front of the building, while the studio can be accessed from a side street.

Other recent projects involving the modernisation of traditional Brisbane cottages include: an extension designed by John Ellway, incorporating a number of small gardens and a Rough Timber and Concrete Extension by Nielsen Jenkins.

Photo taken Clinton Weaver.


Project loans:

Architect: Zuzana and Nicholas
Project team: Zuzana Kovar and Nicholas Skepper
Builder:
Thirdson Constructions
Landscape design: Zuzana and Nicholas
Civil Engineer: NGS Engineers

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