QBCC LIC NO#1168554
© 2025 SYNERGY BUILDING DESIGN
149 GT
149GT is a bold small-lot home that blends heritage charm with contemporary living. Designed to maximise light, privacy, and space on a compact inner-city site in Brisbane.
AWARDS
Building Design Queensland
2024 - Best Small Lot Home
PROJECT TYPE
Renovation & Extension
COMPLETION DATE
2024
LOCATION
Spring Hill Brisbane
BUILDER
RKB Renovations
Design Setting
149GT presented an opportunity — and a responsibility — to preserve the essence of a pre-1911 worker’s cottage while creating a home that meets the needs of modern life. Tucked into a narrow inner-city lot, the design honours the original structure by carefully deconstructing and rebuilding key elements with intention and care. Where possible, original materials and features were retained or reinterpreted, maintaining a strong connection to the home's heritage.
The new form sits respectfully behind the cottage, striking a deliberate balance between old and new. The transition is subtle but clear — a quiet conversation between history and contemporary living. Materials, scale, and alignment were all considered to ensure the cottage continues to tell its story while the new works support and enhance it.
On a site where every square metre matters, the design responds with clarity and purpose. Outdoor spaces are framed, not leftover. Internal volumes are compact but never compromised. This is a home shaped by its context — both past and present — and led by a deep respect for the character that came before.
Lived Experience
149GT is a home defined by its spatial clarity and layered experiences. Entry begins at the lower level, with the garage and private side access offering a calm arrival point. From here, stairs lead up to the main ground floor, where the plan unfolds into a series of interconnected spaces — bedrooms with dedicated bathrooms, a second living area, and an outdoor zone that extends into a lush front courtyard. This courtyard has become a surprising and much-loved part of the home — private, green, and central to the everyday rhythm of life.
Ascending further, the upper level reveals the heart of the home. The open-plan living, dining, and kitchen space sits elevated above the streetscape, anchored by the master suite to one side. This level feels like a retreat — bright, open, and airy. The removal of the existing loft volume was a pivotal design decision, allowing light and ventilation to flood through the home, and transforming the upper floor into what feels like the jewel of the project.
Designed to feel insular yet open, the home carefully balances outlook and privacy. Each window has been purposefully placed to welcome natural light and breezes, while shielding the interior from overlooking and the density of the inner-city setting. The result is a calm, light-filled interior that feels connected, intentional, and deeply liveable — a quiet sanctuary nestled within the urban grain.
