NIWA HOUSE
The name of this house ‘ni wa’ にわ comes from a Japanese word for ‘garden, courtyard, yard’. The use of the word has many connotations, not only for one of the owners who spent much of their early adult live living in Japan, but also myself studying and visiting the country biannually since my early teenage years.
The project (and name) centres around the connection to garden. Situated in a relatively densely built inner-city suburb, neighbouring houses have, over time, taken up much of their respective plots of land. This house was unusual in that it was relatively untouched since it was built in the early 1900s. The owners only needed a small amount of new space and didn’t want to build too far into the garden.
The original timber house sat 2.5m above the garden, disconnected and enclosed to the rear. The priority was to create a direct connection to the garden, as well as rehabilitating, and increasing planting to create a refuge for local wildlife. The outcome is more a reconfiguration of existing spaces adding only 30m², rather than a large extension typical of the neighbourhood. The connection from the house to garden is mediated by a series of steps in plan – house to verandah, to internal garden, to concrete kitchen bench, to meals, and though to garden.
The house is for a family of four with room to grow throughout the year as grandparents from overseas spend time with the young family. Designed during covid lockdowns, and built as work practices were changing, both adults work from home in dedicated office spaces most of the week. Aside from connection to garden, the other key move in the design is to encourage visitors to enter the house down its eastern side into a outdoor courtyard garden. This entry movement allows the older part of the house to remain as the more private bedroom spaces and left messy. The central garden is planted as a space you look upon rather than sit within – like many Japanese garden spaces. It is protected by delicate bronze mesh to mediate sun diffuse rain, manage insects, and allow the family to leave doors and windows open securely for year-round natural ventilation.
DATA
SITE – 556m²
BUILDING – 199m²
COMPLETED – 2023
THANKS
OWNERS – Kristen & Brad
DESIGN – with Hannah Waring
BUILDER – Struss Constructions
ENGINEER – Ingineered
ENERGY – Positive Change Buildings
GARDEN – Prandium Studio
SUPPLIERS
APPLIANCES – Fisher & Paykel
TILES – Inax Sugie, Artedomus
CABINETRY – Urban Kitchens
CONCRETE – Polished Concrete Design
JOINERY – ATJ Doors & Windows
FURNITURE – Mast
BATH – Cedar Bath Company
RUG – Armadillo
IMAGES
PHOTOS – Toby Scott
CONSTRUCTION – Instagram
About
A small practice with a love for creating the places people live inspired by travel, memories, landscape, materials and location. Our goal is to create functional and simple spaces that delight and surprise.
Projects have a strong relationship to the client's brief and develop though discussion, experimentation, and the collaboration with other professionals and craftspeople. This becomes part of the design and building process, from start to completion.
The practice was established in 2017 after working with architect mentor James Russell in the preceding 7 years. In 2015 John was chosen to participate in the annual Dulux Study Tour a program that inspires and fosters Australia's next generation of early career architects
Educated at the Queensland College of Art, gaining a Bachelor of Design (B.Des) in 2001, John went on to complete a Master of Architecture (M.Arch) at the University of Queensland.
Before working in the architectural field, John gained extensive design experience in graphic design, wayfinding & product communication working with a number of multi-disciplinary design companies in Australia and the UK.
John is an occasional contributor to Architecture Media publications and the State Library of Queensland's Design Online website.