Here at OāShea and Sons weāre proud to be located in and amongst the great communities of Brisbane and South East Queensland. To be living in the Sunshine State is one of the greatest privileges and joys we could imagine.
Here in Brisbane and the South East of Queensland, we are famously known for our balmy weather, gorgeous oceans and relaxed disposition.
From the penal colony beginnings to the invention of the famous āQueenslanderā room, Brisbane has a lot to be proud of when it comes to buildings and home design.
A point of difference from Sydney and Melbourne.
It becomes evident very quickly just how different Brisbane feels to Australiaās other largest cities. The blocks of land are generous and homogenous, separated by spacious streets and lanes. The streetscapes boast a diversity which can include colonial-style homes mixed with post-war homes and amongst them, modern luxury custom homes are nestled among the trees.
This could easily feel a hodgepodge mix full of chaos. But, because of the spaciousness of Brisbaneās streetscapes, there exists a harmony and a diverse balance that seems to make even breathing seem easier.
Many jest about this modern-day fiesta of design and construct as a result of Brisbane being a little āslowā.Ā While the āslowā element may be true, it isnāt in the same sense of being stupid. In fact, it is in large due to deliberate and progressive legislation that came from watching the mistakes that led to a lot of Melbourne and Sydneyās town planning problems.
The Brisbane āburbscapeā
In the mid-1800s, Brisbane was really beginning to set itself apart as a significant city in their own right, thanks to a unique climate and geography. The then government watched as both Sydney and Melbourne dealt with significant slum issues, due to the high-density terrace housing. Noticing a similar pattern taking place in their own city a proposal was made in 1864 to stop the formation of narrow streets and alleys and to regulate the subdivision of land to control density.
It didnāt pass due to some powerful āinterested personsā, but some 20 years later in 1885, the legislation passed. This meant standard property sizes became much larger than their ārivalā cities, and the roads and lanes become more spacious too. Interestingly, it has meant today, that social segregation is far less of any issue than Brisbaneās brother and sister cities.
The kinds of houses that could be built were impacted by this. The terrace housing of Sydney and Melbourne was not allowed to be built, and thus larger more spacious houses were. This also had a direct impact on what is known as the urban sprawl: pushing developments away from the city center, giving Brisbane a gorgeous sense of spaciousness.
Today, Brisbane has the lowest residential density of any capital city, except for Canberra. Perhaps, the feeling of being a big country town is not so unwarranted!
The homogenous diversity of Brisbaneās streetscapes.
Because of this legislation, over time, blocks of land slowly became subdivided. This gradually led to the unique āburbscapeā of modern Brisbane. An eclectic mix of colonial homes, postwar homes, all the way to modern custom-built homes. Itās rare to find a street in Brisbane, such as you would in Melbourne or Sydney, consisting of houses of the same vintage.
Then nestle all this diversity among the hills and the rich greenery of a sub-tropical environment. Brisbane feels like one of the most unique cities in the world.
To us, itās the perfect environment to be doing what we do. You couldnāt pick a more ideal place to build a dream home. The custom luxury houses are a pleasure to build. They fit in perfect harmony with the geography and streetscapes of South East Queensland. It doesnāt get much better than that.