Breaking the mould of archetypal coastal design, the Culbara Street Residence, located alongside the Mooloolah River in Queensland, embraces strong structural elements to inform a raw and minimal aesthetic.

Born through both the designer’s and homeowners’ love of Brazilian modernist architecture, the brief called for a restrained, low-maintenance material palette which could also accommodate the area's sub-tropical conditions.

MRA Design worked in conjunction with Gray Construction Group to carefully bring the client’s vision to life. Externally the material palette features masses of off form concrete and timber cladding which is positioned on top of a suspended concrete slab.

“Key to creating the clean simplicity of the design was to visually reference and embrace the structural elements and supports such as the off-form concrete and stack bond charcoal masonry,” says Michael Rolton, Director at MRA Design.

Timber battens were specified due to their sustainability and durability and were integrated both internally and externally. The battening was used as a feature shiplap cladding in the living room, upper ceilings and stairwell. Externally, the battens were used on the entirety of the façade and assisted in creating the clean form of the upper level, with operable screens enabling cross ventilation.

Consisting of five bedrooms and four bathrooms, Culbara Street seamlessly brings the outdoors in. Its generous outdoor area features lush green landscaping and a pool defined by blue mosaic tiles.

The layout of the home achieves this through a continuous flow between living spaces and the outdoor pool area, which overlooks the river. Inside, the layout encourages open movement throughout the home, with the walls in the hallway featuring floor-to-ceiling louvre panels that allow the house to breathe.