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. 

Back of House

A confession: sometimes I like the backs of buildings more than I like the fronts.

Sometimes this happens even when a great deal of attention has been lavished on the front: making sure it’s well proportioned, handsomely constructed, and tidily maintained. To tell you the truth, oftentimes the swisher the front, the more likely it is that I’ll like the back.

Why?

Because the back of many buildings is where they let it all hang out: draping themselves in skeins of tangled pipework, erupting in acne-like outbreaks of box air-conditioners, bedecking themselves in ill-considered extensions and add-ons, and casually infilling gaps and windows and unwanted openings with patchworks of random materials. 

It’s rude. It’s not always pretty. But gee, it’s often really, really interesting. 

Don’t you think?

Here are a few other backs I've taken a shine to: 

(Of course I'm not telling you where they are - knowing a little secret spot that thousands of people walk past every day without noticing is part of the fun!)

Now it’s over to you.

What do you think of the backs of buildings? Have you ever thought the bit you weren’t meant to be looking at was more interesting than the ‘official’ public façade? Maybe you have a favourite?

I’d love to know your thoughts – join the conversation in the comments section below.

If you know someone who’d enjoy reading this article be sure to share it, and check back soon for more from the wonderful world of landscape, architecture and design.

ps: Back of House was the inspiration for my little series of three linoprints, currently showing as part of the Brisbane Open House Art in Design Exhibition. If you're in town, pop in and see terrific paintings, drawings and prints by Brisbane designers.

Confessions of a Sellout: Future Park is Launched

It’s not every day dozens of people call you a sellout, right to your face, and all you want to do is wrap them up in a big ol’ hug.

Well that’s how I felt last Wednesday night when Avid Reader sold out of my book on the night of the Future Park launch.

I was sitting at the signing table (there was a signing table!) when the word started coming down the line (the line – there was a queue!). “They’re selling…they’re nearly all gone…they’ve sold out!”

In moments like these you feel that your heart will just burst with gratitude.

For me it would have been enough to have my crazy wonderful family there, spread across the entire front row.

It also would have been enough to have them joined by my fabulous friends, some of who had travelled from the other side of the country (no mean feat in Australia) to be there.

But they’re your friends and your family, so of course they’re going to be there, right?

What I hadn’t expected was the support of so many of the wonderful landscape architects, architects, and other great people with whom I’ve worked, taught, tutored, burned the midnight oil and laughed over many years. Quite frankly it reflects poorly on me that I was so surprised – you are all the best of the best and I was honoured by your presence.

Then there were many of my wonderful neighbours, and, amazingly, people I'd never met before. These are folks who support their local bookstore, support local writers and are generally passionate and curious - an ideal bunch to have around!

But wait, there’s more. I was so happy to see Rosemary from the Centre for Subtropical Design and Judith from mecu, the two ladies responsible for the travel bursary that set me along this path.

Also there was my publisher, Ted Hamilton, from CSIRO Publishing, who revealed to the crowd how he’d ‘discovered’ me late one night in a radio dead zone, when an interview I’d given on By Design was replayed for the entertainment of insomniacs, and, apparently, commissioning publishers! Ted has been a huge supporter of the book right from the get-go, which is pretty much what you want from a publisher, so I’ve been very lucky he was awake that night.

Centre screen: Mr Ted Hamilton, our man at CSIRO Publishing.

Taking a short break from MC duties Shaun Walsh press-gangs another innocent landscape architect into purchasing a book.

Mark Fuller, my co-panellist, wowed the audience, not just with his jaw-dropping CV, but also his calm eloquence: I swear the man could tell you you were going to have your head cut off and you’d think it was a good idea. And thirdly Malcolm Middleton, who launched the good ship Future Park out into the world, with enormous kindness and generosity. Top blokes the lot of ‘em.

"And it's good night from me...". Malcolm Middleton, Queensland State Government Architect, moments before he smashed a bottle of Cristal across Future Park to send her on her way. Mark Fuller, landscape architect, architect, artist, gentleman farmer, and captivating speaker looks on encouragingly. Or is he just wondering "Now where did I hang my teapot?"

Finally, how good is Avid Reader? Krissy Kneen put aside her best-selling author hat for the evening and, with her team, expertly wrangled guests, food, drinks, audio, social media, customers, drop-ins, weirdos, stragglers and me, creating an event that crossed West End casual friendliness with military precision.

Ka-ching! Krissy and Krew helm the counter as the vast stockpile of books rapidly diminishes.

The audience...restless with anticipation.

To all of you my very deepest thanks.

See below for more pics from the event. Images: Nicole Arnett Phillips.  

A Celebration of Texture: Sometimes the Bumpy Bits are the Most Interesting

Have you ever noticed the way reviewers will sometimes describe a book, or a film, or a character's life as being "richly textured".

This often seems to be shorthand for "they're up their ears in so much half-baked, chicken-with-its-head-cut-off, crazy-ass craziness, they don't know if they're coming or going".

As someone who has known a moment or two of richly textured life in my time, I thought it high time we trained our laser-like focus on the beauty and delight of the textures that surround us.

When so much of our lives is about streamlining and smoothing out the bumps, it's good to remember that the bumpy bits are often the most interesting.

The texture of things catches the light and the rain. Textures can invite or repel. Textures can be experienced with our eyes, our hands, our feet...and whatever else you're up for. The texture of things is critical to how we experience the spaces around us.

So that's it. Please enjoy this small collection of wonderfully textured paths, pavements, walls, artworks and plants. 

Textures evoke emotional responses: is this just a gate made of twigs or a doorway to Narnia?

What happens when stone walls don't shave for a few months...

Raw, robust, recycled concrete used as mulch. Mmmm.

You should by now be aware of my obsession with all things mossy. If I ever met Kate she'd be in trouble...

The forms of these succulents create a richly textured living carpet.

If the walls could talk...

If you've been to MONA in Hobart, you would have been as besotted as I with the gasp-inducing subterranean gallery carved out of the sandstone.

Runoff water follows the curve of this multi-textured stone spiral.

It's that magical public art from Portland again. The fineness of the inscribed linework contrasts beautifully with the heavy planes of the rock surface.

These pieces of stone look like they've been worn smooth by the water passing over.

The skill of great mosaic work: transforming hundreds of tiny pieces of sharp cut glass into a sensuous smooth curve.

The patina, colour and waving form of this weathered steel screen all create a sinuous, dynamic texture.

Radiating, pleating, folding...

The solid waxy texture of these aeoniums gives them the appearance of living sculptures.

Wim Delvoye's 'Concrete Truck' creates texture out of thin air...

The column is encircled in pebbles that look as if they're precariously balanced on top of each other: they're smooth so you want to touch, but it looks risky!

How many things would this old post have seen in its former undersea life?

I love plants that look deceptively spiky but have sneakily soft foliage.

Doesn't the sun kissing the windswept pennisetum make you want to get your cambric shift on and go all Kate Bush?

The softness of wet sand washed into braided wave patterns.

John Wardle Architects compose textures with bricks as musicians do with notes.

What did you think? Any favourites? Maybe there was a texture you hadn't considered before. I'd love to hear, so please let me know in the comments below.

And of course if you know someone else who'd enjoy this little dose of inspiration, feel free to share it.

Thanks for reading, and come back soon for more from the wonderful world of inspirational landscapes.

Frank Lloyd Wright's Coonley House: Good Things Happen when Architecture, Landscape and Art Get Along

Here in Brisbane there’s no denying that spring is well and truly upon us. The sky is almost unfeasibly blue, creating the kind of days that make me think 'Meh, you can keep New York, coz it ain't got this'. The sun is still invitingly warm, rather than blistering, and there is a general air of, well, perkiness about the place.

There’s an urge at home to throw open the windows and let in the fresh air, or to get out and do things in the garden.

To give you that little extra push in the right direction, and really get your design juices flowing, today we’re got a super-charged dose of architecture, garden design and integrated art.

So without any further ado, welcome to the Avery Coonley House, by two absolute design heavyweights: the building by Frank Lloyd Wright, and the garden by Jens Jensen.

The house dates from 1908, when it was built on a 4-hectare site in Riverside, outside Chicago.

Coonley Road (naturally) in lush, swirling Riverside. The signature flower-filled urn marks the entry to the house.

The estate contained an e-nor-mous main house, an equally impressive bedroom wing, a separate gardener’s cottage and a coach house and stables building. All were designed in Wright’s signature Prairie style, with long, low buildings hunkered down under horizontal roofs, walls reaching out to enclose courtyards and garden spaces, and beautiful details and moments of delight throughout. 

Sadly the Coonley House fell on hard times, and in the 1950s was bought by a developer whose plans for demolition were thwarted in the nick of time.

Following this the property was divided into four separate residences. One was in the coach house:

Approaching the coach house.

Its recreated Jens Jensen garden.

The house sits back from the street, behind richly inviting plantings.

The second house occupied the gardener's cottage; the third, the main house/living wing: 

And the fourth one was in the bedroom wing, which was separated from the main house.

Fast-forward another half a century to 2001, when the main house had the extreme good fortune to be bought by Dean and Ella Mae Eastman. Following a stellar career in physics, largely spent at IBM, and then academia, Dean Eastman threw himself (and a not insignificant amount of his hard-earned cash) into a painstaking restoration of the Coonley House.

Another enveloping garden shields the house, hiding it in plain view.

On the long walk from the street, the house barely hints at its many delights.

The lily pond was restored, having been converted into a swimming pool.

I had the pleasure of visiting the Coonley House a few years ago, and I have to admit it was one of those experiences that you can’t fully take in at the time. We were asked not to photograph inside the house, but if you want to nosy inside, enjoying the restored murals, windows and much more, then check out this short real estate video made at the time the Eastmans were selling up. (They moved right next door, into the coach house!)

Health Warning: if you suffer easily from house envy or architecture envy, it might be best to avoid. I can't watch it without wanting to move in straight away!

But even without peeking inside, I reckon there’s more than enough in the exterior and gardens of the Coonley House to keep you intrigued, delighted and inspired. Enjoy!

How lovely is this garden seat, integrated into the screen and roof structure.

Light play through the overhead trellises.

Frames support climbing plants.

Cast light sconce? Yes, please.

And it's even better up close.

The terrace at the main house overlooks the lily pond.

Exquisitely detailed trellis structure above the main living level.

The low, shady terrace trellis opens up to the landscape beyond.

The upper trellis sits above the terrace outside the main living room. One of Wright's innovations in this house was to raise the living areas above the ground level, exploiting the views out to the wider landscape.

Shadows!

They don't make 'em like this anymore: finials above the main house.

The wonderful textured mural at the entry to the house.

...and up close. It is no understatement to say I love this!

So there you have it: a pocket tour of the wonderful Coonley House. What did you think?

If you enjoyed this story, please feel free to share it with a friend.

Enjoy dipping your toe into spring, and catch you soon for another inspirational landscape.

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.