Our clients came to us with three clear objectives: a high-performance, environmentally sustainable home; abundant natural light; and a strong connection to the garden.
Our clients’ goals for a sustainably designed and high-performance home were rooted in the idea that we should try to minimise our environmental footprint. This notion ran through all design decisions.
An L-shaped extension was designed to maximise northern light and create distinct but connected outdoor spaces. By stepping the living room back from the laneway boundary, a side path links both garden areas, enhancing the sense of immersion in greenery.
The existing home underwent a comprehensive environmental upgrade. Rotted weatherboards were removed; the original frame was wrapped, sealed, and ventilated. Floors, walls, and ceilings were fully insulated, and inefficient aluminium windows were replaced with double-glazed timber tilt-and-turn units. Original Baltic pine floors were restored.
To the rear, a thermally efficient concrete slab provides passive heating/cooling and is warmed by a hydronic heat-pump system (powered by solar PV). Deep wall framing allows for high-performance insulation and lift-and-slide doors are installed for their superior thermal performance. Deep eaves protect glazing from summer sun, and an automated highlight window assists with passive cooling. An HRV system was installed to provide fresh air to the internal spaces.
Sustainability extended to materials and reuse. Recycled cream bricks clad the rear extension, second-hand lighting is used throughout and salvaged timber sleepers pave the carport. The front fence was modified rather than demolished and a custom designed dining table was crafted from recycled blackwood.
Importantly, the home remains a modest 140m²—allowing greater investment in performance, and quality.
