Paddington house rises from the ashes to be acclaimed one of the nation’s best

The space overlooks a garden court and allows winter light deep into the downstairs living space. Darker wood tones are a deliberate response to hot Brisbane summers. “There’s a real trend in Brisbane for everything to be white and schmick,” Bligh said. “We wanted to nod to our part of the world, living in Asia and in a subtropical climate.” Blight said the clients, a family with teenage children, are delighted with the results. “It’s a happy end to the difficult journey … Architecture is always problem-solving, and this is just a different type of problem.”