Fig Tree Pocket River House banner

Location: Fig Tree Pocket, Brisbane 

Awards

  • AIA Queensland Architecture Awards - State Award
  • AIA Queensland Architecture Awards - Regional Commendation                                                              

This house is situated on a dramatic site overlooking the Brisbane River. The southern aspect and very steep grade of the site presented major challenges to the way the house might be configured to take advantage of the river views and still access northern light and winter sun. The courtyard plan resolves this while allowing summer breezes to penetrate the house and an intimate garden sheltered from the west. 

This courtyard is hidden from view until being revealed upon entry into the house proper. In contrast to this the outdoor room at the end of the entry axis launches out 6m above the ground and enables breathtaking views up and down the river. In the courtyard the ground plane is reconfigured to yield both an upper garden which relates to the living level and a lower pond which is overlooked by the main bedroom and ensuite. The external stair and gabion wall terraces linking these courtyard spaces extends into the landscape both above and below the house establishing a landscape axis taking you from the grassy treed hillside down to the tropical lush river edge.

Photography: Jon Linkins

Fig Tree Pocket River House
Fig Tree Pocket River House
Fig Tree Pocket River House
Fig Tree Pocket River House
Fig Tree Pocket River House
Fig Tree Pocket River House
Fig Tree Pocket River House
Fig Tree Pocket River House
Fig Tree Pocket River House
Fig Tree Pocket River House
Fig Tree Pocket River House
Fig Tree Pocket River House
Fig Tree Pocket River House

Professionals used in
Fig Tree Pocket River House

About the
Professional

Bligh Graham Architects is a small studio based architecture practice in Samford Village, Australia. The studio’s reputation for developing sustainable, functional and responsive sub-tropical architecture has been acknowledged through many industry awards and a multitude of publications.

Established in 2002, Bligh Graham Architects is situated on the outskirts of Brisbane City primarily undertaking work throughout Brisbane, Moreton, Sunshine Coast, and Northern Rivers region. The majority of the work completed by the firm is residential in nature with aged care, cultural, interior and commercial projects also commissioned. Budgets have ranged from $100k to $20m. The practice only takes on a limited number of projects at a time to ensure a high level of service and professional delivery. 

Bligh Graham Architects believes that beyond fulfilling their function, buildings should enrich peoples everyday life, promote a sense of wellbeing and engage with our culture and landscape. Such architecture is not only functional but has a timeless warmth and richness, simplicity and humility. It is a tailored response to each client and site, resulting in highly resolved works that both engage the senses and provide efficient solutions. It is as much about the making of landscapes and gardens as it is about enclosures – of private and public worlds. 

Sustainability is a core concern that we address at all scales and phases from the initial site planning to the consideration of material selections and additional mechanical services. From the start we look to the holistic integration of passive design principles into the spatial and material logic of our designs.