TJ House / Ben Walker Architects

Architects: Ben Walker Architects
Location: Braddon, ACT, Australia
Joinery: Matrix Joinery
Area: 163.0 m2
Project Year: 2016
Photographs: Lightstudies

Text description provided by the architects. The project comprised the fitout of a residential apartment in a new building in Braddon, ACT Australia. The apartment is located within one of Canberra’s busiest precincts and has wonderful eastern views across the suburbs of Ainslie & Braddon and to Parliament House and Civic to the south. The project was a team effort between client/builder, joiner, architect and carpenters. The clients’ clear vision for the character of the space led the detailing and material choice.

The fitout has an industrial character partly reminiscent of the old workshops common throughout Braddon in previous years. The palette of steel plate, concrete, glass, recycled brick and timber combine to give a contemporary and individualised character to this apartment. There is a high level of precision and craftsmanship evident in all elements.

The project includes the use of mild steel plate for bench tops, shelving, cupboard fronts and door/window reveals. Recycled hardwood has been used in joinery fronts, wet area bench tops & vanities and wall cladding. Recycled red brick (with “frogs” out in some cases) provides a clear and obvious link to the most common material used in early Canberra building. Rooms are designed as flexible spaces – the study has a large steel and glass sliding door that can be used to open or close that space from the main living area. The client created and built a drop down dining table that acts as a light box when lifted to the ceiling and not in use giving the living area more space for larger gatherings.

The high levels of interior thermal mass provided by the exposed concrete slab and brick walls assists in passive cooling of the apartment in summer, and allow for some direct thermal gain from morning sun in winter.

The apartment provides a unique living setting for the owners and has the ability to be “opened and closed” as required during trips away – it is a low maintenance dwelling with excellent access to the facilities of the nearby city.