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design
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35
The house, the body
Brick is a diverse material.As a core structure, it
may not only face a building but can be the
structure itself: the “visible bones.”
Systems to maximise the functional potential of
brick by managing the flow of water through
structural brick walls were developed for the
Bisley Place House.The ground level brickwork is
laid in a Flemish bond (with alternating brick
headers and stretchers).
The combination of fully-glazed bricks and
Porters A1 mortar with a waterproofing additive
on the front elevation and sleeping areas will
ensure these walls remain watertight.The side
elevations at ground level are clad in
conventional bricks.
Single-skin brick walls laid in a conventional
stretcher bond construct the attic spaces,
generating an expanse within the dwelling that
is intentionally raw and technically outdoor.This
is a place for dreaming, reading, for study,
making music, for contemplation. Moisture
penetrating this upper level walling is captured
and drained through weepholes.
The roof meets the 22.5-degree requirement of a
local covenant but without gables, twists or
turns.There is no visible roof to speak of: it simply
slopes down to a central courtyard, protecting
the outdoor edge.And within the roof is a
magical space — a veritable opening to the sky.
The result
Thick foliage flourishes around and within the
glazed black brick dwelling, a home that both
welcomes the landscape and protects its
inhabitants, with simple control and flexibility,
from undesirable elements.
The materials and making of space is honest
and efficient, a nod to the functionality of
industrial building. But, more significantly, the
dwelling manages also to return to the original
definition of a home: a unity with place and
environment, a coalescence of community.
James Russell is a registered architect and
builder based in Brisbane specialising in houses
that encourage the occupants to interact with
the environment and neighbourhood.
previous page.
Adaptable
glazing, walls and landscape
blur the boundaries between
the outdoors and indoors.
this page.
The Bisley Place
house combines a robust
envelope with an openness
that welcomes engagement
with the street and
encourages circulation
throughout the site, not just
the house.