Couldrey by Alexandra Buchanan Architecture
Nestled in Brisbane's leafy Bardon hillside, Couldrey by Alexandra Buchanan Architecture is a contemporary family retreat that balances architectural heritage with international sensibilities.
Conceived as a collaboration between architecture, interiors, and landscape, the home responds to its subtropical setting with a form that feels both grounded and expansive, offering its residents a calm refuge.
The site, bordered by a creek and lush vegetation, provided the framework for a design that merges Queensland tradition with pared-back modernism. Referencing elevated Queenslander homes with their deep verandas and shaded outdoor living, the architects reinterpreted this typology by inverting the veranda into an L-shaped plan. The sequence of entry begins with a gate that opens onto a generous outdoor threshold, an engawa-like space that frames views through to the deck and gardens before slowly revealing the interiors.
The architecture works with the land rather than against it, extending to the site's furthest edges and drawing the garden into the home. This gesture strengthens the dialogue between landscape and built form, creating a sense of retreat where boundaries soften. Materials play a central role in this cohesion: exposed slabs are used inside and out, tempering Brisbane's climate while reinforcing the continuity between the dwelling and its environment.
Inside, the brief for simplicity and minimal living is realised through Scandinavian and Japanese influences, expressed in restrained joinery, natural finishes, and an uncluttered palette. Calm neutrals form the base, enriched by subtle earthy tones and natural textures. The result is an atmosphere that is serene and enduring, spaces that invite quietude while remaining highly functional for family life.
Key programmatic moves were designed around flexibility, with clear distinctions between public, private, shared, and guest zones. This careful planning ensures the home can accommodate both moments of gathering and solitude. Custom cabinetry, crafted with a focus on quality rather than excess, underscores the emphasis on durability and refinement.
What elevates Couldrey is the balance between the home's disciplined minimalism and its lush surrounds. The pared-back interior does not compete with the landscape but instead amplifies it, allowing filtered light, vegetation, and breezes to become integral design elements. The result is a family retreat that is at once international in its influences yet deeply connected to its Brisbane context, an architecture of simplicity, longevity, and belonging.
