Step Inside 9 Of Brisbane’s Very Best Homes
Architecture
Toowong Renovation by KIN Architects. Photo – Christopher Frederick Jones
The original small footprint cottage and garden have been reimagined. Photo – Christopher Frederick Jones
Photo – Christopher Frederick Jones
The project focused on building under the existing home. Photo – Christopher Frederick Jones
First House by Nielsen Jenkins with Michael Lumby. Photo – Shantanu Starick
The contemporary house is broken apart into pods. Photo – Shantanu Starick
Permeability was prioritised to create courtyard gardens throughout. Photo – Shantanu Starick
Photo – Shantanu Starick
Balmoral Hillside House is a reconfiguration of a faux Queenslander by Kieron Gait Architects. Photo – Christopher Frederick Jones
Cornerstone by Loupe Architecture. Photo – Alanna Jayne Mctiernan.
York by Smith Architects. Photo – Christopher Frederick Jones
The pre-war Queenslander that has been thoughtfully extended and reimagined for contemporary subtropical living. Photo – Christopher Frederick Jones
Photo – Christopher Frederick Jones
Torbreck is an icon of modernist subtropical design and one of Brisbane’s most significant and recognisable residential buildings. Photo – Christopher Frederick Jones
Yeronga House by Tim Bennetton Architects. Photo – Shantanu Starick
In the early 1960s, Mr and Mrs Eisenmenger commissioned Brisbane-based architect Barry Walduck. It’s now known as the Eisenmonger House. Photo – Chris Osborne
Brisbane Open House is returning for 2026 with one of its most ambitious programs yet.
Over the weekend of Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July, doors will open to the public across Greater Brisbane, unlocking major government institutions, cutting-edge commercial buildings, heritage landmarks, and beautiful private homes — many for the very first time.
This year’s program is unprecedented in both scale and significance, marking the event’s 17th year running.
‘Each year, this event reminds us that Brisbane is more than just the places we pass through every day. It’s a city full of history, character and stories waiting to be discovered,’ Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner says.
“Every building has something to tell us about who we are, where we’ve come from and how we’re shaping Brisbane’s future.’
Alongside much-loved program staples, including ABC Brisbane, Brisbane City Hall, Government House and more, a record 16 private homes will open their doors, offering visitors a rare and intimate look inside some of the city’s most extraordinary places to live.
Highlights include a family home dubbed Toowong Renovation by KIN Architects and Balmoral Hillside House, a reconfiguration of a faux Queenslander by Kieron Gait Architects that draws the landscape (quite literally) into the home.
You can also see inside the First House by Nielsen Jenkins with Michael Lumby, who’ve subverted the typical suburban footprint to create something more contemporary. Meanwhile, Toohey Forest House challenges the conventional approach to post-war homes in Brisbane, favouring preservation over demolition,
Plus, retro architecture fans will appreciate touring six of the subtropical homes inside the Torbreck Apartments — one of Brisbane’s most significant residential buildings — and a modernist favourite, Eisenmenger House in Carina.
Following last year’s extraordinary demand, Brisbane Open House 2026 has significantly expanded its tickets and while some are already sold out, you can go on the waitlist in case more are released!