Studio 217: a ‘cabinet of curiosities’ for designing and dreaming

Studio 217 is located in the partly subterranean basement of heritage-listed Craigston, and is a tiny space – barely 32m2 – tucked off the main carpark. 

The studio reconfigured an existing internal space that has undergone change over time, being used first as part of the general carpark, then as enclosed storeroom, caretaker’s accommodation and finally a solicitor’s office, before its present use. 

Looking in the same direction as the first image, this shows the space as it was at the very start of the project.

Dark, cave-like materials and finishes reinforce the basement location. There are eight storeys of building above, and a partly lowered ceiling creates a sense of compression.

Just inside the entry, with the compressed ceiling above.

The underlying geology of Spring Hill, in particular the layered, tilted rock strata, is expressed using strong horizontal lines interrupted by sloping planes.  

To minimise the impact of potential water ingress formply was used extensively, the dark colour enhancing the cave-like atmosphere. 

Research through the Queensland Herbarium uncovered a list of tree species endemic to Spring Hill pre-European settlement.  White Mahogany was on the list, and recycled timber boards of this species appear on the surfaces where people sit or lean, and on the underside of the low ceiling band. 

The project stripped plasterboard wall linings, removed floor tiles and a suspended ceiling to reveal the concrete slabs, columns and brick walls.  These are part of Craigston’s pioneering construction: built in 1927 it was Brisbane’s first ‘high-rise’, and reportedly one of the first uses of reinforced concrete.

The timber studwork supporting the old plasterboard was donated to a friend, who used it on his own construction project. MDF, two-pack and volatile finishes were deliberately avoided. Brick walls were cleaned by soda blasting, which is less aggressive than sand blasting. 

The warmth and texture of the existing brickwork was revealed after soda blasting. Concrete 'drips' running down the face of the brick shows the original method of constructing the concrete framed building.

Low-VOC paint was applied to the ceiling, and the exposed concrete floor finished with tinted penetrating oil. Plywood shelves and recycled timber boards have been left unfinished.

Numerous functional requirements were accommodated, including overnight guest accommodation, a piano, extensive library, a collection of seed pods, lino-printing facilities, and drawing board and design studio for two.  

The Landscapology collections have a new home.

Drawing board and desks occupy the raised platform.

A raised platform enabled a desk at window sill height, taking advantage of morning light for detailed work. The space below houses a slide-out bench seat and bed. 

The studio conceals its surprises...

...and then slides to reveal the concealed seat, bed, piano and more.

Enclosing the piano within the joinery enabled a perched seating platform, and sliding cabinets contain collections and conceal artworks and the building structure behind. 

Apart from task lighting at the desks, lighting levels are deliberately low. Lamps are concealed, with light ‘leaking’ into the space through cracks and crevices. 

Previous occupants enlarged an original window to create a new doorway, and within this the new sliding door is the main evidence of new occupation visible from outside. 

The external courtyard provides the sole access to the studio, as well as pedestrian access to the carpark level of the building for residents. It was previously paved flush with the internal studio floor, and inadequate drainage resulted in frequent inundation.

New infrastructure was installed, and the external level lowered. The pavers were reused to construct new steps, and sandstone steppers reclaimed from previous Craigston use were added. Broken bricks salvaged from an internal renovation in the building were smashed with a sledgehammer over several weekends, and used to create a permeable mulch layer. 

Undoubtedly the most important people involved in making Studio 217 a reality were our builders, Rob and Chris Hogerheyde, from RAM Constructions. From start to finish they were extraordinary, achieving their customary craftsmanship and attention to detail in very cramped quarters. They even made an art installation to welcome us home after an extended holiday!

Q: How many lattes does it take to build a studio? A: A lot. Many more than this...

It goes without saying that without them, our studio wouldn’t be half the place it is today. Thanks, guys.

Studio 217 was a design collaboration by Amalie Wright and Richard Buchanan. It was recently awarded a Small Project Architecture Regional Commendation at the Brisbane Regional Architecture Awards.

Except for 'before' and 'during' construction shots, all photography by Christopher Frederick Jones.

Welcome: A Fun Day at Craigston for Brisbane Open House 2013

What a great day it was!

After months of planning, and some slightly frantic last minute efforts, Craigston opened her doors on Saturday as part of this year's Brisbane Open House.

We showed off our new studio, and two home owners graciously opened their fabulous homes to over 70 lucky people who had been victorious in gaining a place via ballot.

The calm before the storm... and our guests doing the Craigston Time Warp.

Amalie and Richard spruiking the finer points of the studio design.

Chatting with Open House visitors.

It was an honour to host you all here at Craigston, and we hope you enjoyed your day as much as we did.

A huge thanks must go to Charles Rowe, our BOH volunteer, who valiantly manned the welcome desk, and Nicole Phillips, who helped us in the studio whilst also taking these great photos of the day. An even bigger thanks is due to human dynamo Ann Rainbow, who manages Open House so brilliantly on behalf of the Office of the Queensland Government Architect. Days like this would not be possible without the efforts of people like Ann.

Now it's over to you.

Did you manage to get along to Open House? What buildings were stand-outs for you? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

If you're in Queensland, don't forget that Maryborough Open House is on again next weekend. It was a huge success last year, so get in quick if you want to see some of the beautiful buildings on show.

All images ©Nicole Phillips. 

Visit Landscapology at Brisbane Open House

This week I happily attended the launch of Brisbane Open House 2013.

It's inspiring to see how the event has grown in only four years, now covering a full weekend, with 71 buildings open to the public free of charge.

What's even more exciting is that Landscapology is also throwing open its doors!

Landscapology HQ is tucked into a tiny corner at the bottom of Craigston, in Spring Hill.

Welcome.

The studio design has been a rewarding collaboration between myself and Richard Buchanan,  a crazy-good designer, and (lucky me), my partner. We (well...our great builders, Rob and Chris Hogerheyde of RAM Constructions, actually) have been hard at work transforming this former caretaker's dungeon and then solicitor's office into a cabinet of curiosities, and place for reading, thinking and creating. Here's a sneak peek, just before the books and papers and pens move in...

Shifting planes.

Getting ready to introduce the collection to its new home.

A warm and cavelike space at the bottom of the building.

It's been a fun journey, and now we'd love to share our efforts with you.

Jump on the Brisbane Open House website (updated this year, and looking great) to add your name to the ballot.

Read on for some more information about lovely Craigston, courtesy of the BOH program book:

"A Wickham Terrace landmark since its construction in 1927, Craigston was the city’s first high rise residential building, a symbol of progress in a time of rapid growth and improvement in Brisbane’s CBD.

It was the brainchild of Dr Sydney Fancourt McDonald (the first paediatrician within the UQ Faculty of Medicine), who introduced  to Brisbane the concept of a co-operatively owned, multifunction office and residential block, comprising professional chambers on the ground floor and apartments above. It was built by a group of doctors, who had their consulting rooms on the ground floor, and private residences above.

The building was controlled by a company, Craigston Ltd, of which McDonald was the first chairman. Each owner purchased shares in the company entitling them to ownership of their apartment.

Architect Arnold Conrad of prominent Brisbane firm Atkinson & Conrad designed Craigston in 1926 as the first reinforced concrete framed multi-storeyed building in Brisbane. It was erected in 1927 by builder and engineer Walter Taylor, under the supervision of architect T B F Gargett."

Craigston, the loveliest lady on the Terrace.

"The completed building was eight storeys high with a basement car park and rooftop garden accessible by all tenants. The exterior was designed in a popular contemporary style known as Spanish Mission, with rendered walls, ornamental gables, arches, cordova tiled roof and a corner tower. Floors contained a single large apartment each (except for floor 6 which was divided in two), and featured silky oak paneling and generous sized rooms.

When completed, Craigston was a landmark building with stunning views. Over time most of the floors have been subdivided into smaller apartments and all have undergone renovations. The former balconies were enclosed with windows shortly after the building’s completion. Despite being surrounded by more recent high-rise buildings, Craigston still stands out as an attractive example of elegant 1920s style."

There'll be more updates on the studio in coming months, but if you're in Brisbane on the 12th of October be sure to check out Craigston and all the other delights on offer throughout Brisbane Open House.

ps: know an architecture or design-loving friend? Consider passing this info along to them too, if you think it would be of interest. Looking forward to seeing you at Open House.