Wagstaffe House

Wagstaffe House

Designed by buck&simple, Wagstaffe House is the realization of a dream to live in the trees overlooking the water.

The layout consists of public and private wings that create a raised courtyard, open on one side to frame the view and create a place of refuge from the elements.

The site offered many opportunities, with its north-facing aspect, views over Brisbane Waters, and afternoon sunsets reflected off the nearby rocky ridgeline.

buck&simple clients’ sea / green change is a common goal.

They aspired to be more in touch with the surrounding environment and to live in a way that is more in tune with the outside world.

The home is friendly, warm, and calm.

That’s largely due to the use of natural light and the natural materials that create the interlocking spaces.

Materiality focuses on tactile materials that express their inherent texture.

The simple combination of recycled brick, concrete, and recycled blackbutt timber creates a familiar palette.

Recycled blackbutt timber is exhibited throughout the home, in the large structural trusses and exposed rafters that support the oversized eaves.

This ties in seamlessly with the recycled blackbutt cladding and internal ceilings.

Wagstaffe House retains the water view by staying elevated and integrates a solid brick courtyard to create an artificial ground plane that is accessible from the upper floor living areas.

This visual heaviness is complimented with a modest timber top floor, arranged in a twin-pitched roof layout that creates an elevated courtyard.

To keep views uninterrupted, the courtyard locates all of the outdoor activity, furniture, and planting between the structures and not in front of the view.

Internally the palette is textural and subdued.

buck&simple avoided plasterboard and used white painted timber for places where more light was desirable and natural timber wouldn’t have been suitable.

The change in flooring from concrete to brick to concrete signifies a transition between public and private.

Project Details

Project Size – 275 m2
Site Area – 728 m2
Completion Date – 2021
Building Levels – 2

Project Team

Architecture

buck&simple

Working closely with our clients, the firm’s process focuses on the craft; harnessing opportunities of site and brief by delivering uniquely tailored, environmentally sustainable solutions of a timeless nature.

Their experience allows the team to conceptualize and execute bespoke designs suited to the needs of their clients with precision and avidity.

www.buckandsimple.com

Photography

Simon Whitbread

Simon is a Sydney-based commercial photographer specializing in architecture, landscape architecture, and interiors.

www.simonwhitbread.com.au

Photo Gallery

Click on a thumbnail image to enlarge.

Design © 2021 buck&simple. All Rights Reserved.| Images © 2021 Simon Whitbread. All Rights Reserved.

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