A family can hide from the sun, enter the basement, or walk to the swimming pool to enjoy the golden hour sun.

As a restaurant owner, the owner of Wooloowin House knows the complicated operation of the kitchen and the unforgettable experience of the dining space. When they need to renovate their home, they want to bring this knowledge into the design. They hired Nielsen Jenkins to improve the house (and their family life), and together they created a solid, versatile and memorable living and entertaining space connected to the outdoors.

Nielsen Jenkins relocated the kitchen, dining room, and living area to the existing swimming pool downstairs, providing a variety of options for hosting small and large gatherings comfortably at any time of the day. Lachlan Nielsen of Nielsen Jenkins said: “This is a series of dynamic spaces that vary in scale, appearance and orientation, so clients can orchestrate how they interact with the house according to purpose, mood and time of day.”

Bricks and concrete help lay the foundation for the entertainment area, while the windshield connects to the Queenslanders above. Artwork: Simon Hill.

The house is located on a steep west site, where it overlooks the Sanford Valley, but is exposed to the afternoon sun and overlooks its neighbors. Nelson Jenkins adopted a "subtractive strategy", demolishing the balcony on the first floor, and closed the back of the house with a grid fiber cement shading structure, creating a large space downstairs. The kitchen, living area and dining area are set in this gap and below the first floor, allowing family members to escape the sun and enter the basement, or walk towards the sun during prime time. The new mesh arbor along the southern border, supported by brick chimneys with flame grills, is used for outdoor cooking and reduces the afternoon sun.

The concrete kitchen bench looks like a pedestal emerging from the ground, with wooden cabinets behind it.

The restaurant owner has a clear idea about the materiality and flexibility of the downstairs area, requiring durable, low-maintenance, unpretentious materials that can withstand spilled oil, charcoal, and wet feet. Heavyweight bricks and concrete help lay the foundation for the entertainment area and create continuity inside and outside, while lightweight elements such as windshields, wood and steel mesh connect the space with the Queenslanders above.

The concrete kitchen bench looks like a pedestal emerging from the ground, with wooden cabinets behind it. The specific location and wide distance between the elements are determined by the elements in the commercial kitchen, and different dining areas allow homeowners to be different in their entertaining places, just like in a dining room.

The new wood joinery in the bathroom is made like furniture, while the wooden strips above evoke the hollows of ancient Queenslanders and allow natural light and ventilation. The ensuite shower room is wrapped in blue pool tiles, and the sunlight reflecting through the house shines during the day.

Published online: July 16, 2021 Text: Rebecca Gross Picture: Shantanu Starick

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A family can hide from the sun, enter the basement, or walk to the swimming pool to enjoy the golden hour sun.

Bricks and concrete help lay the foundation for the entertainment area, while the windshield connects to the Queenslanders above. Artwork: Simon Hill.

The concrete kitchen bench looks like a pedestal emerging from the ground, with wooden cabinets behind it.

The intricate wood details of the existing Queenslanders have been preserved. Artwork: Simon Hill.

The rich wood joinery complements the white wooden slats, reminiscent of the hollows of the old Queenslanders.

The ensuite bathroom is characterized by a seamless flow between spaces, from the robe and dressing table to the shower.

The concrete basin in the bathroom refers to the heavy materiality of the entertainment space.

The blue pool tiles in the ensuite shower room gleamed, and sunlight reflected in from the skylight above.

The architectural media recognizes the traditional guardians of Australian land and waters.

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