Queensland Australia : Chloe Naughton
Chloe Naughton, Bowen, Queensland, Australia
Student Summer School 2013 : Glenn Murcutt Master Class 2014
[ private house : rural : tropical : concrete masonry ]
Inverdon House, Bowen, Queensland, Australia
Chloe Naughton
Australian Institute of Architects : 2017 Queensland State Award : Houses (New)
Young woman architect Chloe Naughton, is probably one of the youngest female architects ever to win an Australian Institute of Architects, Queensland State Architecture Award, for her Inverdon House in Bowen Queensland, designed for her parents.
A house for a soon-to-be-retired couple, Inverdon House certainly challenges ‘the norm’ in the small regional town where it is located. This is largely for its use of the hard-wearing, low-maintenance material of masonry which would otherwise typically be hidden in paint, plasterboard and render.
Instead, the material has been left exposed, revealing the structure in such a way that means the craftsmanship is on show for all to see and so must be made with care, pride and a certain level of expertise. This means that a new skill is passed on to younger trades people and if the demand for quality is there,this skill-set will continue.
The current local housing model mostly ignores passive design principles, closing down to the elements rather than working with the climate. Only the two bedrooms are air-conditioned for especially humid nights.
The carport features a breezeblock screen providing a pragmatic solution to the impact of the harsh Western sun, allowing filtered light and ventilation through to the outdoor area beyond.
The two main blade walls which anchor the house in its setting, run outside to inside to out again, assisting in the blurring of boundaries between interior and exterior, vital for tropical living.
Photography : Ben Hosking
Chloe Naughton : http://chloenaughton.com.au
OZ.E.TECTURE
architects thinking locally acting globally