Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 72 i Sanctuary: Modern Green Homes

The idea to launch a new, environmentally focused architecture magazine was the result of a tipping point in conversations about climate change early in the new millennium, founding editor Donna Luckman says. “Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth came out around this time, and in Australia we were in the middle of the millennium drought,” she recalls. “We knew people were going to be more interested in sustainability and energy in housing, and there was nothing actually filling that niche in the market.” Originally taglined ‘Sustainable living with style’, the magazine’s mission was to showcase beautiful eco-friendly homes and provide practical advice on the design strategies, materials and systems needed to achieve them. Two decades, 72 issues, seven editors, four redesigns, almost 550 house profiles (I counted!) and around 500…

HOUSE PROFILE Petrie Terrace, QLD AT A GLANCE - Original Queenslander rejuvenated and new wing added to west - Energy rating sweet spot targeted for high performance with low embodied carbon - Reclaimed materials used wherever possible Petrie Terrace is one of Brisbane’s oldest inner suburbs, characterised by tiny blocks and equally tiny houses. When architect Andrew Noonan planned to expand his 1880s Queenslander to better accommodate his family, he was also focused on improving thermal comfort, buffering urban noise and maximising connection with the outdoors – all while retaining the building’s character. The house had sat ten centimetres over the side boundary for 140 years, so it was lifted and slid over a couple of metres. “For all the benefits we gained – more daylight and ventilation, borrowed views of the neighbour’s…

It was in January 2018 that we decided to take the plunge and subdivide our large block in Riddells Creek, 50 kilometres north-west of Melbourne, and build our ‘forever home’ behind our current house. We had lived in Riddells Creek for over 30 years, and we liked it so much we decided we wanted to stay in our retirement. Years of watching Grand Designs had sparked our desire to build a modest sustainable house, preferably a certified Passive House. This desire was fuelled by a 2019 visit to The Cape, one of Australia’s most sustainable housing estates, near Inverloch on the other side of Melbourne. While ploughing through the planning and subdivision process during Covid, we already had local specialist builder Stuart Lee of Enerhaus in mind. We were then…

IDEAS & ADVICE Sustainable accommodation The Australian tourism landscape is experiencing a profound shift. As travellers become increasingly conscious of their environmental footprint, the demand for genuinely sustainable holiday accommodation has never been higher. Yet beneath the glossy marketing campaigns and feel-good messaging lies a complex web of greenwashing that can leave even the most astute travellers feeling confused and frustrated. So how do we separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to truly sustainable getaways? THE GREENWASHING CHALLENGE Walk into any tourism marketing meeting and you’ll hear buzzwords like ‘eco-friendly’, ‘carbon neutral’, ‘regenerative’ and ‘sustainable’ thrown around with abandon. The problem isn’t that accommodation providers don’t care about the environment – many genuinely do. The challenge lies in the lack of standardised definitions, and the ease with which…

Owner-built by Kate and John, Myrtle’s Hut is a 53-square-metre handcrafted stay on their Glenburn property in north-east Victoria. Named after Kate’s great-grandmother, who once travelled the region by horse and buggy, the retreat invites guests to slow down and reconnect with nature with its semi-outdoor living space. “From the very first sketch we wanted to create a unique immersive experience,” says Kate. The kitchen/dining area sits on a deck under cover, with a solid north wall for protection from sun and wind. A glassless ‘shopkeeper’s window’ above the bench can be opened for morning sun and views, or closed for privacy and shelter on the shared property. Kate says the north wall was essential for year-round comfort in the outdoor space. “Without the wall, the site would be too…

1 Handcrafted timber ambience Made in Melbourne from either reclaimed timber or Crafted Hardwoods products (featured opposite), the Planck pendant by Solstice Lighting is designed for longevity and sustainability. It’s available in three standard lengths and five timber finishes, with custom lengths and dimmable uplight/downlight LED options also on offer. The solid timber housing brings warmth and natural texture to interiors, while durable finishes ensure it will last for years. Planck pendants are ideal for dining spaces, kitchens or workstations. Prices start at $2,970. solsticelighting.com.au 2 Boards from waste saveBOARD turns everyday packaging waste, such as milk cartons, coffee cups and soft plastics, into durable, lowcarbon building boards. Made with over 99 per cent recycled content and bonded using heat and pressure alone (no glues or chemical additives), the boards…

HOUSE PROFILE Camden Park, SA AT A GLANCE - Update to 120-year-old Adelaide cottage - Modest-sized new living wing added - Gas connection removed as part of the project When interior designer Hannah and her husband Josh purchased their symmetrical Victorian-era cottage in 2017, they did so with an eye for the renovation that they knew would follow. They loved the place, but the 1980s asbestos lean-to that housed the kitchen and bathroom at the back was barely liveable. The west-facing kitchen sweltered in summer and was icy in winter. The house had a beautiful back garden, but it was difficult to access. “Josh is a keen gardener. We’ve got a lot of fruit trees, and a cubby and monkey bars for the kids. But we had no visual connection to the garden…

Danthonia Passive House was the perfect project I never knew I needed, and Melanie and Trevor the dream clients. My scepticism of the unknown was very quickly replaced with enthusiastic awe of the comfort, health and sustainability benefits of the Passive House standard. Orientating to the north required the home to be skewed across the site, creating sharp angles and dynamic spaces that ensured all bedrooms and living areas could take full advantage of that beautiful northern aspect. The angles allowed the living area to open out to the north, with the surrounding bedrooms cocooning this central hub of the home. The unusual angles in the bedrooms provide striking yet cosy study spaces. Fivemetre-high buffer walls to the east and west provide weather protection to the centre of the dwelling,…

On a working farm outside Junee in southern New South Wales, a disused grain silo has been transformed into a comfortable off-grid holiday stay. Designed by architect Sarah Lebner of Cooee Architecture, the project focuses on thermal comfort and low-impact living, while giving new life to old materials. Owners Amber and Nicholas, fifthgeneration farmers, saw the silo’s potential after years of opening the doors and admiring the view. “It was a special spot,” says Nicholas. “We didn’t want to knock it down or see it go to waste.” They also wanted to diversify their income in a way that reflected their values. “We plant thousands of trees each year, and we’re trying to regenerate the land,” says Amber. “The less we can impact it, the better.” The brief was for…

HOUSE PROFILE Sutton, NSW AT A GLANCE - Off-grid home designed to sit lightly on its site - All-electric with a 7.5-Star energy rating - Bold use of colour When their original plans fell through, Kari and Tom started their design and build process again. Luckily, the outcome was better than they had imagined. Inspired by Australian shearing sheds and Nordic spatial efficiency, this new house sits comfortably in its bushland setting. Located in Sutton, a farming village in New South Wales, it combines the best elements of rural life with proximity to the national capital – it’s just 20 kilometres north-east of Civic in Canberra. Kari and Tom bought the site years ago, long before they could afford to build. They also moved to Stockholm for three years, where they came to…

HOUSE PROFILE Dickson, ACT AT A GLANCE - Thoughtful, small-scope renovation and extension to two-storey duplex - Original character preserved - Gas connection removed Julia and Tom bought their red brick duplex in Canberra’s inner north a few years back, with a view to renovating and extending. Julia had grown up nearby in a home her parents had adapted for comfortable living through the region’s cold, sunny winters and hot summers, and the couple hoped to achieve something similar. They also wanted to preserve key elements of this iconic architectural style, which is an integral part of their street’s character. They connected with Canberra-based architect James Gaughwin of Enfold Architecture through their networks. Says James, “The duplex was very compartmentalised, and with a young daughter, it just didn’t work for them. They wanted…

IDEAS & ADVICE Designing for carbon zero The True Zero Carbon Challenge (TZCC) is a biennial design competition, developed by Design Matters National (DMN), that advances the roadmap to true net zero housing. It does this by challenging professionals to design homes that pay back their entire carbon debt by 2050, and produce more energy than they consume over a year through energy-efficient design and solar photovoltaic integration. As the description suggests, TZCC is a tough gig, but it is preparing the industry to meet the challenges of the lowcarbon future. Last year, Hobart-based architect Uta Green of Green Design Architects and energy assessor Rebecca Boyle of Aspire Sustainability took out the TZCC’s top gong with their innovative Bricolage House. I had a chat with them about the challenges and opportunities…

DESIGNER Owner-designed PROJECT TYPE New build LOCATION Montville, QLD (Gubbi Gubbi Country) COST Approx $260,000 Completed 2022 SIZE Cabin 43m2, deck 6.3m2 WORDS Jacinta Cleary PHOTOGRAPHY Hannah Puechmarin RESERVATIONS heartful.com.au/properties/the-blak-shak-1 Built on a tight budget after renovating their own home in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, Emily and Adam’s Blak Shak is a compact, gas-free retreat shaped by simple design goals and a love of travel. Having developed “an unexpected addiction to design and building”, the couple used their post-renovation momentum, and leftover building materials, to complete the cabin. The 43-square-metre accommodation sits on their lush, sloping block outside Montville: “a retreat in our own backyard,” says Emily, explaining that it was a response to more people looking for local getaways as a result of Covid disruptions. The couple sketched countless…