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This property in Fletcher St, Toowoomba, is called Cliffhanger. It was designed by Joe Adsett Architects and built by Valdal. Image: Cameron Murchison.
IT IS fast becoming Queensland’s most talked about home — a gravity-defying, concrete monolith floating over a cliff in the regional city of Toowoomba.
Recently completed after a long and challenging construction process that cost about $5m, the engineering masterpiece that is ‘The Cliffhanger’ is one of the state’s most imposing homes and epic builds.
The pool area of The Cliffhanger, by Valdal Projects.
It was built by Valdal Projects for local Mark Johnstone, a Subway franchise owner in Toowoomba.
Valdal Projects manager Emily Valdal said it was “an extremely challenging site with how steep the slope of the block is”.
The view from the living room of the amazing property at 1 Fletcher St, Toowoomba. Image: Cameron Murchison.
“Mark’s brief to us was that every component had to be finished to nothing short of a perfect standard, so the boys all put in a huge effort and we believe we’ve achieved that,” she said.
The property at 1 Fletcher Street juts out above the Toowoomba Connection Road at Redwood, sitting high along the Toowoomba range.
Subway franchisee Mark Johnstone.
Stuart Valdal (left) of Valdal Projects with Mark Johnstone at the Downs and Western Housing and Construction Awards 2022. Picture: Kevin Farmer.
It was recently named House of the Year at the 2022 Darling Downs and South West Master Builders Awards.“Every normal build process like deliveries, concrete trucks, cranes etc became a real challenge as noone could access the site easily, let alone in wet weather or early morning with the dew.
The kitchen inside ‘The Cliffhanger’ in Toowoomba.
“We had to create and build structural sub-floors just to hold up the canterlever, build level crane pads just for cranes to access the site.”
‘The Cliffhanger’ started with an idea hatched by Brisbane architect Joe Adsett.
It has several unique features — the most obvious of which is the 30m of continuous windows and doors, with no structural blocking elements, that run the length of the building, taking in uninterrupted views of the Lockyer Valley.
The view from one of the bedrooms. Image: Cameron Murchison.
The home was designed to take in and endure the harsh climate, boasting a seven-bay garage, an infinity pool and an outdoor fireplace.
But the key feature is a 7m concrete counter level which seemingly floats about the escarpment without any form of support.
‘The Cliffhanger’, designed by Joe Adsett. Image supplied.
