BLACK AND TAN BRICKS THE FOCUS IN BEAUTIFULLY MODERN QUEENSLAND HOME.
Perched on a very steep, west facing site with distant views of Samford Valley, Wooloowin House by NIELSEN JENKINS serves to facilitate and celebrate both gathering and retreat.
With the owners of the property restaurateurs, it was important for the home to focalise robust and memorable entertaining spaces. The new internal components of the project were required to work largely with the envelope of the existing building.
This meant that specifying a material that enabled a beautifully continuous flow from the internal components to the private poolside courtyard was inherently important. By specifying the beautiful Black and Tan bricks from PGH Bricks & Pavers’ Smooth range, the architectural team at NIELSEN JENKINS were able to achieve a subtractive consistency throughout that only the pinnacle of Australian building materials could provide.
The timelessness of PGH’s Black and Tan
NIELSEN JENKINS worked largely within the footprint and structure of the existing home and pool shell to adhere to budgetary restrictions and spatial efficiency. The design required construction techniques and building systems that could absorb and resolve the inconsistencies of the old building, while delivering a design solution that would be very particular to the site and the homeowners.
The team at NIELSEN JENKINS, led by Lachlan Nielsen and Morgan Jenkins, specified PGH Bricks & Pavers’ Black and Tan bricks, which would overcome this challenge, while offering a timeless, smooth-face texture. The bricks blend beautifully with the natural Australian colours presented by the distant view of the Samford Valley and the ferocity of the summer sun, resulting in fantastic open living spaces.
“We have used them before and love their timelessness,” said Jenkins of the Black and Tan bricks from the PGH range. “There is a good amount of variation in them, which leads to a richly textured surface which changes depending on the time of day and season.”
Overcoming structural challenges with brick
On this project, NIELSEN JENKINS was challenged to improve a property with a poorly renovated lower floor. The lower floor, which spilt out onto an existing pool terrace, had severe structural problems caused by concrete pylons. Given that, brick was the standout choice for achieving the desired aesthetic while ensuring that the home provided durable, low-maintenance and resilient spaces of varying scale, outlook, and orientation.
The NIELSEN JENKINS team was also tasked with enabling the homeowners to enjoy the beautiful views offered in their poolside haven, despite the harshness of the Queensland sun in summer.
“We have used them before and love their timelessness; there is a good amount of variation in them.”
NIELSEN JENKINS' solution integrated a strategy of considered subtraction at the rear of the building, which enabled a new series of spaces. This meant the family could occupy different areas of the site at different times of day. They were now able to enjoy the outdoor spaces in the cooler hours, then retreat to the covered spaces when temperatures are at their most severe.
Bringing brick indoors
PGH Bricks & Pavers’ Black and Tan bricks were also used in internal spaces to create continuity from the interior of the home to the poolside outdoor entertaining space. The interior Black and Tan brickwork was also used in the flooring to create a strong, clean aesthetic. The brickwork also brings a natural and minimalist, yet stunning and open, eel to the existing Queenslander home.”
“We wanted to use a material which would allow continuity from the inside to out. The consistency of the material selection makes a series of quite small spaces feel very generous and connected.”
Supported by builders, PJL Projects, and contractors, Rimpson and Graphic Ceramic, Wooloowin House by NIELSEN JENKINS is an exceptionally modern Queensland home.
However, the Black and Tan bricks from PGH Bricks & Pavers’ Smooth range help to maintain the Australian authenticity and heritage of the existing home and location. Together they create a fantastic example of a strong, clean residential aesthetic using inspirational Australian natural colours.
Choose PGH Bricks & Pavers for your next project
Is your architecture or design firm looking for something very specific for your next project? Do you have a client with a particular vision they’ve tasked you with delivering? PGH Bricks & Pavers can help, just as we did for NIELSEN JENKINS on their Wooloowin House project.
For more information on how PGH products can contribute to your next project, visit our BIM downloads page, or reach out to our technical team on 13 15 79.
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