Concréte

Concréte: A Subtropical Home with European Modernist Roots

Perched on a hillside in Brisbane, Concréte is a home that harmoniously blends the city’s subtropical climate with the clean lines and principles of European modernism. Conceived as a permanent residence for a multigenerational family, the home responds to both cultural context and site — embracing Brisbane’s topography while referencing international architectural ideals.

The brief called for a functional, low-maintenance residence that could host visiting family. The home is sculpted into the slope of the block, allowing service areas like the cellar and media room to be partially submerged and naturally cooled. This configuration establishes a podium from which the living spaces emerge — the home appearing to grow from the landscape itself.

Raising the living volume on cylindrical pilotis (or “stumps” in the local vernacular) allows for cross-ventilation, clear views, and pedestrian flow beneath. This structural approach enabled an open-plan living level, free of internal columns, where interior walls float independently from the glazed façade. The result is a fluid, light-filled space that breathes with the climate.

A central double-height void anchors the home — acting as both a thermal chimney and a dramatic spatial connector between the living and sleeping levels. Clad inside and out in raw tilt-up concrete panels, the void imparts a cathedral-like quality while providing durability, thermal mass, and cost efficiency.

The upper volume — housing bedrooms and a casual retreat for grandchildren — floats above, featuring a continuous horizontal window strip that follows golden ratio proportions. Sustainability was integral, with concealed rooftop solar, low-maintenance materials, and energy consulting to optimise glazing performance and thermal comfort year-round.

George Kouparitsas Architects - gkarch.com.au