Raven Street Residence By James Russell Architect

Raven Street House is a private residence, made largely of rich, dark, wood, and located in Fortitude Valley, Queensland, Australia.

It was completed by James Russell Architect in 2010.

Raven Street Residence by James Russell Architect:

“There is a boat from my childhood, Makaira, which inspires numerous of my projects. In that boat I felt cradled and protected, but if I chose, I could open up to and be aware of the broader context around me.

3 or 4 of these boats would raft with each other, every 1 acting as a space with a space in amongst. We would take pleasure in meals on a single boat, play cards or sleep on another, and play in the water or wrecks nearby. We learnt from every other and moved in smaller sized but breathable spaces. As a structure, what a gorgeous perform in timber!

Raven Street House is an alteration of and addition to a traditional worker’s cottage in the inner Brisbane suburb of West Finish. Like Makaira, it is protective of the owner’s young family and artwork but creates a greater awareness of the nation surrounding the structure.

At the Raven Street House, the new structure respectfully plays with the tradition of timber, but also reworks the dark Victorian core.

The worker’s cottage opens to the street as gallery and workspace whilst domestic life is positioned inside the new structure — behind and below.

The web site slopes gently to the rear, enabling the addition to take advantage of the space supplied by the undercroft of the current cottage. A frame and floor of ironbark and compact laminate types the verandahs on which the family members lives. H-shaped columns take cladding of timber, coloured and textured glass, and curtains.

Coloured, textured glass lines east and west boundaries, reminiscent of standard housing in the area. The walls glow at dawn and dusk, filter views, and handle air movement.

Ironbark flooring creates the ceiling under: the undercroft. Slatted edges let rain and water from bathing to fall by way of. Awnings defend the sleep-out from south-western storms and winter winds. Northern and eastern sunlight penetrates deep into the strategy by means of courtyards and a glass-roofed void within the worker’s cottage.”

First Level
Second Level

Images by: Toby Scott