NEW BUILD HOUSE
Blade House: An expression of a new beginning
Set on a picturesque site in Tamborine Mountain, and accessed through a winding tunnel of trees - Blade House reveals itself as a mysterious rectangular brick wall that conceals a compact 2-bedroom home. For the client, moving to the Mountain was the start of a new chapter of life. This new home embodied their story - the brick blade functionally shielding the home from overlooking neighbours and Western heat gain, while setting an architectural narrative that defines the entire home and makes what’s beyond even more special.
Project Type New Rural Home
Location Tamborine Mountain, QLD
Client Private Residential
Completion 2019
Builder Capri Building Group
Structure Westera Partners
Photographer Tammy Law
Scope Full architectural services (Concept to Delivery)
The Beginning: Client Vision & Site Context
A tree change and a new start
The project was emotional and sentimental: a clean break from the past, and a new start in life. The client was unsure of the architectural direction - Queenslander or contemporary - but was clear on what mattered: a small, clever 2-bedroom home that was filled with light, was easy to maintain and oriented to take advantage of east-facing views.
This spectacular location was a grass clearing overlooking a grove of eucalypts, which at dusk would be filled with a family of cockatoos heralding the coming night. Beyond, on a good day, one could look out beyond the Gold Coast skyline to the ocean and horizon.
Our Design Response
Telling a story in building form
Not every project involves a strong narrative, but given the client’s sentimental nature, we wanted to express their story in building form. Hence the idea of a solid brick wall, through which there’s a single slit as an opening - through this a courtyard, narrow and constricted, but open to the sky. There is discomfort but not without hope. Turning to the left, the building user enters through a corridor before being released into a cosy, understated and warm Living Room, with the beautiful view experienced through steel joinery. The journey amplifies the feeling of release - showing that what’s beyond is even greater because of all that they’ve been through.
Beyond the narrative, the brick blade performs multiple functions: it acts as a datum that defines internal spaces, shields the Western side from heat gain, and stops overlooking from neighbours on the ridge above. The “wings” of the wall also conceal the required rainwater tanks. On the southern side, a Carport has been included but structurally prepared for future fitout into a third Bedroom.
The house itself is compact and modest, with two Bedrooms to the North and South linked by a shared Laundry. The idea being that even with its small footprint, the owners have the choice of locking off half of the house - to give privacy or have a break from a Visitor, to rent out a space as temporary accommodation, or perhaps dividing the house into Work and Living zones.
Our Impact
The result: A place of rest and healing
The single blade may be divisive and a bit mysterious, and not every project involves such a strong sense of narrative and storytelling. We’ve received many questions throughout the years - why the lack of a grand entry, why we didn’t go two storeys, why there’s no patio, why didn’t we go all-glass. Why build so small when everyone else builds sprawling houses on acreages up there?
The beauty of architecture is that it is bespoke, personal, and meaningful. For the client, the home served as a welcome space to heal and, in their words, “feel whole again”. Workdays would end with the cockatoo’s call, signalling time to turn the screen off, to grab a bit of wine, and head outside to sit, reflect and behold. For us, this is exactly why we strive to do what we do - knowing that in pursuing thoughtful architecture, we are able to make a difference in tangible, lasting ways that mean much more than just a beautiful space.
Take a virtual tour of Blade House here
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