An Extended Garden Pavilion Enhances a 1920s Cottage
For this home renovation located in the Brisbane suburb of Morningside, it was important to Kieron Gait Architects and their clients to preserve the presence of the original 1920s Queenslander bungalow on the double lot.
To that end, the house was gently reworked to host all the bedrooms and a private family room. Then, a generous garden pavilion was added to the southern boundary of the property, maximizing the available land without erasing the original construction.
The garden pavilion sits adjacent to the original house and overlooks the reworked garden and new pool. The pool is surrounded by a metal screen element that's also repeated elsewhere in the project.
This perspective shows the entry point to the pavilion and how it connects to the main cottage.
The garden pavilion hosts an outdoor room, as well as the kitchen, living room, and dining areas, designating it as the more "public realm" of the home, explain the architects. "Open and connected to the site, it expands the domain of the family beyond the walls of the house into the garden."
"The design gives the owners a sense of connection," note the architects. "The doors are always open, and the family spills naturally out to the garden."
The architects took inspiration from the well-crafted 1920s bungalow. "Mirroring the care taken to construct and assemble the existing house, we chose processes and construction techniques that show craft, care, and endeavor," the architects continue.
The pavilion relates to the original house in the exterior framework, as both use white-painted timber. Glass doors retract for full outdoor access.
Rich hardwood outfits the interior of the pavilion.
A view of the living room. "Craft is a key aspect of this building," explain the architects. "The makers—steelworkers, cabinetmakers, carpenters, and landscapers—are all carefully selected to add their skills to the project."
"The design separates public and private space by a covered, but external walkway," note the team. "By juxtaposing these positions, the house acts like a camp—retreating to the tent to sleep and living under the tree canopy outside—a universal gathering space connected by landscape rather than built form."
Structural Engineer: NJA Consulting
Landscape Design: Owen Thompson
Published
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