THE PROPOSED DESIGN
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Orientation: Our strategy was to orient the long side of the home to the North to create a passive solar space while keeping enough distance from the North boundary to avoid overshadowing from the house next door. The concrete floor will provide ample thermal mass for the house size. We anticipate that with the home shallow floor plan, a large part of the slab will be exposed to the sun in winter, eliminating the need for heating on cold sunny days. |
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Light and view: The strategy described above maximizes the open space in front of the home on the North side, ensuring that the large North-facing windows designed to capture sunlight are provided with a view of the garden rather than of the fence. The kitchen is brightened by North-facing clerestory windows which sit between the higher kitchen roof and that of the living room. |
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Functionality and aesthetics: The living areas are arranged in an L-shape to break the corridor feel of the block and create a cozy North-facing niche for paving and an outdoor setting. |
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Conservation: Our aim is to limit energy and material use for the construction of the home. As a result, every square metre in this new home has a purpose and while the home is small, the highlight windows and the pleasant proportions will ensure that it feels spacious. The front-loader washing machine is hidden in the kitchen cabinetry rather than installed in a separate laundry to save space and money. Recycled materials are recommended and a list of their suppliers provided to further reduce the environmental footprint of the home. |
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Ventilation: Clerestory windows are operable so that the layer of hot air near the ceiling can be flushed out, creating a natural breeze inside the home (Venturi effect). The bedroom is setback from the south boundary by a metre to allow for the placement of two windows on the south side permitting cross-ventilation of the bedroom. |
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Water: Two interconnected rainwater tanks are located behind the bedroom to serve the bathroom and garden. |
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Power generation and hot water: The bedroom roof was designed to have a section facing north in order to accommodate solar panels for hot water and PVs for power. |
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Insulation: Boundary walls are designed to be built using Hebel, a type of masonry block with some built-in thermal insulation, while other walls are to be framed in plantation pine and insulated to R2.5 with a combination of reflective and bulk insulation. The cathedral ceiling is to be lined with either plasterboard or timber to be fixed under rather than over the rafters, ensuring a deep enough cavity is created to house adequate R4 insulation in the roof. Double-glazing is included in the budget. |
