B Residence

B Residence is a sensitive renovation and extension of an existing Queenslander home in Gordon Park, Brisbane, completed by Tonic Architecture + Design in 2020. The brief was to keep the integrity of the original two-storey structure while introducing relaxed, modern functionality suited to a contemporary family.

The design responds to Brisbane's subtropical climate by elevating the living spaces and reinstating existing elements alongside new additions, building on the traditional Queenslander character. The kitchen, dining and entertaining areas were reconfigured, and part of the hallway wall was removed to open the living spaces out to the surrounding landscape and suburban views. The new layout creates places to retreat, spaces to gather, and sheltered areas to entertain.

Downstairs, the family room and entertaining space were reworked with corner sliding doors that draw the outdoor areas in, opening the previously underused space to the pool and garden. A new carport and entrance were introduced to the streetscape, giving the house a clearer threshold and a stronger relationship with the street edge. Bedrooms were revitalised as flexible, interchangeable spaces for a modern family, while the upgraded bathrooms pair stone and light tones with brass and timber to lift the original service spaces.

Existing art deco fretwork and high feature plaster ceilings sit alongside a restrained palette of natural materials, brass and timber and clean lines. The result shows how opening up the communal areas of a Queenslander can strengthen, rather than erode, the period character of the original home.

Architecture by Tonic Architecture + Design (project team Matthew Riley and Nathan Ribergaard). Photography by Christopher Frederick Jones.