Melody Chen, James Hung, Renee Popovic, and Yohei Omura of Atelier Chen Hung designed this tiny home in the postwar suburb of Keperra in Brisbane, Australia. “The house is situated on a gentle embankment overlooking the lush Kedron Brook Creek Reserve,” Hung says. “Waterhousia floribunda is a common native tree species along the stream channel; there are also river oaks and paperbarks.”

But the mature jacaranda that towers in the house’s rear yard is the property’s greatest natural feature—and it served as one of the architects’ biggest design inspirations. Chen, Hung, Popovic, and Yohei punctuated the home with a centrally located covered terrace (clad in locally sourced cypress pine) that frames views of the jacaranda.

“The deck space is the arrival court,” Hung says. “It’s a void that punctures the massing.” The covered terrace is flanked by the bedroom suite on one side and the kitchen-and-living area on the other. “The client circulates through the outdoor area throughout the day, which heightens his awareness of the natural environment,” Hung says.

The client, Michael Alroe, is a retired teacher and owns a larger residence on the property. “Michael was interested in downsizing,” Hung says. “He resides in the guest house and rents the larger existing house.”

The house looks almost like a ship on land. “The chiseled board-formed concrete has a rock-like quality that anchors the house to the sloping land,” Hung says. “The concrete is capped by galvanized metal cladding that subtly reflects the seasonal color transitions of the surrounding foliage.”

An oversize folded galvanized metal gutter doubles as a sun shade on the northern front facade. “The materials are resilient and unfinished,” explains Hung, who focused on low-maintenance, budget-friendly selections.

Inside, lime-washed hoop pine plywood wall panels lend warmth and texture, offsetting polished concrete flooring. The architects outfitted the open-plan kitchen with Formply, which is composed of black phenolic resin, paper, and plywood. “It’s a tough material fit for the wear and tear of cooking,” Hung says.

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The architects let the surrounding environment dictate the house’s form. “It was determined by sight lines and wanting to frame the landscape. The oblique kitchen wall frames a long-reaching view toward a clearing in the landscape,” says Hung. “This creates a variation of experiences,” Hung explains. “You’ve different feelings, depending on where you are in the house.”

Related Reading:

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This Midcentury-Inspired Tiny House Radiates Clever Design

Project Credits:

Architect: Atelier Chen Hung/@atelierchenhung

Structural Engineer: Northrop Consulting Engineers

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A Retired Teacher’s Tiny House Opens Wide to the Landscape in Brisbane, Australia