Green Architecture of Queenscliff House by Utz Sanby Architects
An architectural firm from Australia, Utz Sanby Architects, created a new, beautiful, environmental friendly house located in Queenscliff. The location is located on the edge of a cliff, providing great ocean views for the house. The architecture also adopts some sustainable features as good additional point for the design.
The green building house is located in a tight urban site, with wedge shaped form on the south-north aspect, with the neighboring buildings very close to the east-west boundary. The ocean’s view were very considered to provide spectacular view from indoor. Privacy and structural support for the upper level bedroom side are supported by large fin walls, that divide the entrance and the circulation from the living areas and garden.
The main living area of this sustainable house connects the garden and the ocean. This scheme creates a wonderful outdoor feeling for the living room, as gorgeous garden and sea scenery are provided when the inhabitants have some relax time in the room. The placement of structural walls are very carefully considered, completed with glazings and roofings to create good natural ventilation and provide natural lighting, also to support the beautiful view. Some open areas are provided , such as dining room and terrace. The boundaries between the outdoor and indoor area area are created in such way, in order to provide different outdoor feeling from the indoor part.
To provide sustainability, the environmentally friendly house were designed to provide good thermal efficiency, such by the using of concrete floors and masonry walls for the ground level, which may provide thermal mass. The color of some materials is also considered, such as the living room’s floors which are chosen from dark colored tiles so they can absorb warmth and reduce the sun glare. On winter Hydronic under-floor heating is used throughout the living areas, to provide warmth.
To provide natural ventilation and natural lighting, some green construction ideas are adopted, by using high-level louvres and ceiling fans in all rooms. Water source is provided by utilizing the rainwater, which is kept and stored in 5,000 lt sub-floor tank.
With all of these sustainable aspets, this green home design is subjected to create a real practice on how sustainable design is adopted for a house to create economically points in terms of energy efficiency and sustainability, also to create relaxed and beautiful spaces for the inhabitants.
