Teaċ na Cré

Teaċ na Cré is a new house on a local Auchenflower street tracing the ridge of one of Mt Cootha’s numerous spurs. The site is steep, falling north nine metres from the street frontage and four metres cross-fall to the east. The frontage is a low-key suburban streetscape typical of the Auchenflower area. To the rear the steep terrain unexpectedly opens up city views to the east and a north-eastly aspect for light and breezes.

The house design takes the form of a series of separated objects and volumes which emerge from the steep terrain. Moving between the various parts reveals different qualities of the spaces and the landscape. A large volume to the rear is wrapped in tall reclaimed clay lattice-work, variously frayed and edited to filter light to the interior. Access to the house is to the side: vehicle and walking entrances are separated, with priority given to the walking entrance. A straight elevated path guides the entry sequence to the primary spaces at the back. 

At the commencement of the project the architect and client both bought numerous pallets of unusual brick and terracotta pieces from a quality brickworks in western Brisbane which had unfortunately failed. Much of the stock bought were refractory clay pieces or ceramics used in metallurgy, unconnected with the building industry. These unique pieces were worked into the design by the architect with the final composition lending the house its name: Teaċ na Cré (“House of Clay” in Irish Gaelic).

The superstructure of the house is heavy and uses principles of thermal mass for passive temperature control, a technique used by the architect earlier in Couldrey House in nearby Bardon. The house contains a number of sustainability measures many of which are not visible: a significant photovoltaic array; recycled aggregate roof ballast; two large rainwater tanks; recycled hardwood ceilings; avoidance of plastics, paint and a myriad of unnecessary finishes; and significant quantities of recycled brick and terracotta stock. The main brick volume of the house has no roof overhangs and a flat roof, controlling the changing seasonal sun via its external masonry design alone. 

In the main room of the house hangs a library housing the client’s prodigious collection of books. This library is formed entirely of joinery and suspended from the roof. Its design seeks to balance the intimate act of study with long views across the landscape and city. Outside to the rear is a large external terrace leading to a small circular plunge pool, which rises up out of the terrain as a self-supporting cylinder.