A modern, minimalist interior featuring a wooden dining table, a brown leather sofa, and greenery visible through large windows.

Small Space, Big Ideas: How Lineburg Wang Gave a Brisbane Cottage a New Life

Words by Yatzer

Brisbane, Australia

In Brisbane’s tightly packed suburbs, a pre-1911 worker’s cottage on a modest 253 square-metre site has been reimagined by local architectural practice Lineburg Wang. The project, both a renovation and extension, takes a refreshing approach to small-space living, challenging conventional notions of room planning and minimal space requirements. With a focus on adaptability, material honesty, and thoughtful design, the architects have crafted a home that feels generous despite its constraints.

A view of two modern buildings separated by a chain-link fence, surrounded by lush greenery and trees in a quiet backyard setting.

Photography by David Chatfield.

A close-up view of a grey wooden house with a porch, surrounded by lush greenery and neighboring structures under a soft sky.

Photography by David Chatfield.

A view of lush green trees behind a low, light-colored wall, with a minimalist corner of a building visible on the left.

Photography by David Chatfield.

A spacious outdoor area with beige brick walls, scattered toys, and glimpses of greenery and rooftops under a cloudy sky.

Photography by David Chatfield.

Contemporary outdoor space featuring a brown couch, textured brick walls, lush greenery, and a gently sloped stone pathway.

Photography by David Chatfield.

A serene outdoor space featuring a sandy beige wall, a small tree, and lush green foliage under bright sunlight.

Photography by David Chatfield.

A minimalist interior featuring a brown leather sofa, light wood furniture, and a brick wall, with a glimpse of greenery through a window.

Photography by David Chatfield.

Two intersecting light-colored brick walls create an open corner, featuring a small window and a circular speaker on top.

Photography by David Chatfield.

To unlock the site’s potential, the original cottage was shifted forward, making room for what the architects call the “special room”—a flexible, open-plan addition at the rear, split into an interior area and a walled courtyard. This zone is where the home’s heart beats, offering a shape-shifting space free from fixed walls and cabinetry that traditionally dictates how rooms function. Instead, loose furnishings allow for constant adaptation, enabling the space to be used for cooking, dining, relaxing, or entertaining.

Sliding patio doors dissolve the threshold between indoors and out, transforming the courtyard into an integral extension of the living area. Materiality also plays a key role in unifying the space with brick walls and floors across the space further underscoring the sense of cohesion. The decision to use brick along with concrete block also ensures resilience against water damage which the property’s adjacency to an overland flow path necessitated. The courtyard’s walls are strategically arranged to obscure views of neighbouring properties, instead framing borrowed vistas of a nearby greenbelt and distant hillside, lending a calming sense of openness to the site.

Modern kitchen featuring wooden cabinetry, a long wooden dining table, and minimalist pendant lights against a brick wall.

Photography by David Chatfield.

Modern kitchen interior featuring two stylish pendant lights, wooden cabinetry, and a textured brick backdrop, illuminated by natural light.

Photography by David Chatfield.

Modern kitchen featuring wooden cabinetry, minimalist design, a sleek countertop, and pendant lighting above a dining table. Natural light filters in.

Photography by David Chatfield.

A modern, airy kitchen with wooden furniture, a large dining table, sleek cabinetry, and natural light illuminating the space.

Photography by David Chatfield.

A split-level core anchors the layout, borrowing an efficient diagram from commercial architecture. This compact core houses a laundry and powder room on the lower level, a mid-level pantry and fridge, and, at the upper level, a DJ booth—a playful nod to the client’s lifestyle. By centralizing utilities, the surrounding spaces remain unencumbered, fostering flexibility and flow between the renovated cottage and the new extension.

View through an ornate doorway into a minimalist, light-filled living space featuring a wooden chair and a brown leather sofa.

Photography by David Chatfield.

Modern kitchen with a sleek countertop, wooden dining table, and large windows allowing natural light and greenery to enter.

Photography by David Chatfield.

In contrast to the extension, the renovated cottage—now the private quarters—retains its historical charm. Original beams, posts, and ornate trims have been sensitively restored, preserving the home’s character while contrasting with the robust, low-maintenance masonry of the extension. A subdued greyscale colour palette imbues the original timber-clad structure with a sense of contemporary minimalism, achieving a delicate balance between old and new.

A minimalist hallway features dark gray walls, a round light fixture, and a faintly illuminated section at the end.

Photography by David Chatfield.

A minimalist bedroom features a wooden floor, soft bedding, and a sleek lamp, leading to a bright hallway with a bathroom at the end.

Photography by David Chatfield.

A minimalist corridor with dark wooden walls and a concrete floor leads to a garden outside, framed by large glass windows.

Photography by David Chatfield.

In its material honesty and spatial generosity, this modest Brisbane home offers a timeless lesson: constraints, when approached with ingenuity, can become opportunities for exceptional design.

Modern architectural entrance featuring a textured gray wall and a dark wooden slatted gate under a shaded overhang.

Photography by David Chatfield.