Designing for the subtropics

The first instalment in our new Design Series: Subtropical Homes is based on discussions with Architect and Happy Haus Founding Partner Brian Donovan about designing and living in the Subtropics.

While design for the subtropics is a large topic — with many areas for consideration — our guide explores some basic principles that you can apply to home design that will help promote and enhance the joy of living in the subtropics.

We all have an idea in our mind of what makes a subtropical house. The traditional Queenslander is recognised as a wonderful example of a building of its time and type designed in response to, and in sympathy with, the environment.

Features such as covered veranda spaces, window hoods and latticed edges protect the core of a Queenslander from the extremes of the climate and create a filtered transition of dappled light and shade aimed at maximising comfort.

In many instances, this response to climate and care for comfort has been lost in the mainstream homes of today — primarily through a lack of awareness of the building siting, plan arrangements, construction techniques and material selection.

Southeast Queensland and Brisbane boasts a superb subtropical climate. The region enjoys a huge number of sunlit hours and comfortable temperatures making the perfect location for housing that takes advantage of blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor spaces.

With considered design, a home can make you comfortable year-round. Connections between the interior and garden spaces, like the Queenslander veranda, can be designed in response to weather and context — to shade walls and openings from the hot overhead sun, to allow the low winter sun to penetrate deep into the interior, and to allow windows and doors to remain open while protected from rain. Filtered edges, including battened screens and landscapes provide an added sense of enclosure to optimise privacy, protect from unwanted wind and rain, direct cool breezes and capture views.

Brisbane’s rolling hills and valleys present additional opportunities for homes, in that the landscape—both near and far—can be included in the experience of living in the home if given appropriate consideration. Windows and doorways can be positioned and sized to maximise the relationship to the garden and available views to enhance the sense of connection to outdoors from within your home.

There are a number of systems that can enhance sustainability but at the core of a home, good design decisions will have a bigger impact over the life of a home than bolt-on solutions.

All these considerations create the opportunity to make some relatively simple, yet profoundly influential decisions that will make any home both physically and psychologically more comfortable — a joy to live in.