At AHS we live and breathe heritage…including our own homes!

Our directors at AHS, Benjamin and Linda Gall, truly live and breathe heritage – Here, we take a look at the award-winning heritage restoration of their State heritage-listed home. 

Purchasing the place more than 25 years ago, when it came time to renovate their 1888 two-storey Queenslander, Ben and Linda wanted to combine a best-practice heritage approach to its conservation. Their first goal was returning it back to a single residence, having been converted to 3 flats in the 1950s.  This was an extensive program which took several years to complete. 

The couple’s home was originally built as a holiday home at Manly in Brisbane’s bayside and was placed on the Queensland Heritage Register in 2002. 

After a decade or more (during which time children arrived!) Ben and Linda looked into further opportunities to add to the home’s sustainability credentials. 

The key aspiration was to resolve the functionality of the rear dining verandah, which had been substantially altered during the place’s conversion to flats.  A key component of this program was to reconstruct original elements such as sliding windows and paint colours as well as a contemporary ‘solar veranda’ addition.  

What is a Solar Veranda, you might be wondering? The innovative Solar Veranda concept would replace an unappealing 1960s deck at the rear of the home, while offering sustainability benefits into the future. It was also designed not to block light or impede views, maintaining the traditional connection between the house and backyard. 

Of course, the heritage work for the renovation was done in-house (literally) by Ben and Linda, with specialist personnel on-board such as Leventis Constructions and Joinery by Duce Windows and Doors. 

“We wanted a sustainable home, but we didn’t want the historic and aesthetic values of the house compromised by rows of solar panels on the existing roof, which is entirely free standing and reversible – with the PV Cells forming the roof itself” Mr Gall said. 

“We are immensely passionate about heritage conservation, and it was rewarding undertaking this work on our own home.” 

“Ten years later, the Solar Veranda has well and truly proven its sustainability merits too!” 

After completing the innovative Solar Veranda, the Galls wanted to modernise the site further, without impacting its heritage value, opting for a contemporary pool house and in-ground pool set back from the home.   

The stunning heritage home offers a unique glimpse into early settlement as a holiday destination in the 1880’s, while featuring modern amenities and sustainability. The delicate balance achieved landed the Galls various accolades, including a high commendation in the David Eades Award for Heritage and Sustainability at the 2014 National Trust of Queensland Heritage Awards. 

“You have to be able to practice what you preach” Mr Gall said.  “That is our competitive advantage!”  

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To discover how we may be able to assist you on your next project, contact us today here via our website or phone (07) 3221 0000. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn.