Furminger Architects designs this house in Brisbane as a metaphor for ruin

Is a ruin a beginning or an end in itself? Or is it endurance he silently embraces? A state in which the notion of something being born or lost forever does not exist? Essentially a reminder of the persistence of architecture, a ruin is an entity that thrives on memory and meaning. When Brisbane-based builder-turned-architect Christopher Furminger was commissioned to reframe an old timber house by the River Chelmer, he sought out a disputed projection of a dwelling – hinting at a ruin – to shape his design. A lover of landscape and materiality, Furminger transformed the house into a large walled garden that paves the way for new journeys and connections of architecture with its site.




Heavy towering concrete walls are erected around an old wooden house Image: David Chatfield


Furminger’s approach to the materiality of the Chelmer River House cut through the fact that concrete and earth are familiar materials to clients who have worked as building contractors in the construction industry. His own penchant for structural details, materials and finishes contributed to the final design where a heavy skin of concrete and masonry is seen enveloping the house’s lightweight enclosures.



  • A narrow passage between the walls opens the way to the entrance of the house |  Chelmer River House |  Furminger Architects |  STIRworld
    A narrow passage between the walls opens the way to the entrance of the house Image: David Chatfield






  • Small gardens rub shoulders with domestic spaces |  Chelmer River House |  Furminger Architects |  STIRworld
    Small gardens adjoin the domestic spaces Image: David Chatfield






  • The landscape blurs the boundaries between the interior and exterior realm of the house |  Chelmer River House |  Furminger Architects |  STIRworld
    The landscape blurs the boundaries between the interior and exterior realm of the house Image: David Chatfield



As one enters the property and slowly walks towards the entrance of the house, the monumentality of the form slowly dissipates into the humility of the small courtyard gardens drawing you into the domestic spaces. The heaviness of concrete and brick turns into soft green pockets framing different rooms in the house. The idea of ​​enclosing the house in its landscape, according to Furminger, was to allow nature to slowly reclaim the site over time. The low site with its proximity to the river will see transformations along the way, however, the solid presence of the hard enclosure will ensure that the house is ‘reduced to what lasts’.



The built mass is designed as a series of fragmented apartment-type dwellings |  Chelmer River House |  Furminger Architects |  STIRworld
The built mass is designed as a series of fragmented apartment-type dwellings Image: David Chatfield


Against a singular solid form of the house, Furminger chose a fragmented volume resulting from the multiple points of connection of the architecture with the outside. The floor plan reveals a series of small apartment-like accommodations with separate entrances, private gardens and flexible services. “The building,” shares the architect, “can be used as a family home, adapting to change as children grow, parents age, but it can also accommodate non-family residents, or those who work from home, with a freelance office or studio.”



  • Downstairs workspace features concrete in conjunction with wooden surfaces |  Chelmer River House |  Furminger Architects |  STIRworld
    Downstairs workspace features concrete in conjunction with wooden surfaces Image: David Chatfield






  • Bathroom overlooking the garden |  Chelmer River House |  Furminger Architects |  STIRworld
    Bathroom overlooking the garden Image: David Chatfield



The construction of the dwellings follows the use of an inventive tilting system of precast concrete panels which also ingeniously incorporates the plumbing and electrical services within it. The garden-turned-path landscape is clad in permeable pavers made from a mixture of river and plantation stone. Inside the house, wood and natural stone surfaces and textures create a beautiful contrast to the gray coarseness of the outer shell.



The house is set in its context of a large enclosed garden |  Chelmer River House |  Furminger Architects |  STIRworld
The house is set in its context of a large enclosed garden Image: David Chatfield


Furminger developed a synchronous harmony and contrast between old and new by using the landscape as an entity just as important to the project as the building. Blending the dexterity of a craftsman, the precision of a builder and the vision of an architect, there was one more role he pursued. “Our way of working was more like that of a sculptor. This allowed us to change and adapt our design in a more organic way,” adds the builder and carpenter turned architect.

Far from the conventional image of how a house looks, Furminger’s idea of ​​creating a wall to hide in what is often gloriously shown, is certainly hard to ignore. Could this be the start of a new wave in residential architecture, we ask?

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