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Eco Living
Sustainable Homes
A New Artfully Designed Eco Home With a Few Surprises
Set on a unique suburban block in Melbourne, this inky-black home puts sustainability and versatility front and centre
In this Q&A series, we turn the spotlight on one thought-provoking new build, renovation or redesign each week. Here, the eponymous founder of Kirsten Johnstone Architecture shares the journey of creating a sustainable newly built home for a family of three that blends effortlessly into the landscape.
Snowy Mountains interior paint throughout: Dulux.
What was here originally?
A 1960s, three-bedroom brick-veneer house with a tiled roof and a single garage.
The site is in a most unique and highly sought-after suburban pocket of Melbourne. The area around it is prized for its lush tree canopy and unmade roads without kerb and channel [concrete structures that provide drainage]. There are no paved pedestrian paths.
The street verges are loosely maintained and front fences are discouraged to soften the distinction between public and private domains.
What was here originally?
A 1960s, three-bedroom brick-veneer house with a tiled roof and a single garage.
The site is in a most unique and highly sought-after suburban pocket of Melbourne. The area around it is prized for its lush tree canopy and unmade roads without kerb and channel [concrete structures that provide drainage]. There are no paved pedestrian paths.
The street verges are loosely maintained and front fences are discouraged to soften the distinction between public and private domains.
What wasn’t working for the client in the original house?
The site is an awkward L-shape, with the widest part towards the street and a narrow backyard.
The position of the original house on the block was not conducive to reconfiguration to suit the client’s needs. Their specific needs were to create a forever home with better environmental performance (via orientation towards the north and locating wet areas to the south), flexible living spaces and a double garage.
Considering designing an energy-efficient home? Find architects near you on Houzz who specialise in sustainability
The site is an awkward L-shape, with the widest part towards the street and a narrow backyard.
The position of the original house on the block was not conducive to reconfiguration to suit the client’s needs. Their specific needs were to create a forever home with better environmental performance (via orientation towards the north and locating wet areas to the south), flexible living spaces and a double garage.
Considering designing an energy-efficient home? Find architects near you on Houzz who specialise in sustainability
Ground-floor plan.
What was your brief?
My forward-thinking client was eager to live in a home that utilised the best energy-efficient design principles.
What was your brief?
My forward-thinking client was eager to live in a home that utilised the best energy-efficient design principles.
First-floor plan.
What were their must-haves?
What were their must-haves?
- High environmental performance with an eye to creating a home with no power bills that integrated solar panels, excellent thermal insulation and on-site rainwater collection.
- A double garage.
- A home the family can enjoy long-term.
Section of the home.
The result is a tightly resolved and carefully curated floor plan suitable for a family of three, with a mix of shared and intimate private spaces.
Elements of surprise abound. For example, the front door is clad in the same timber as the walls and doesn’t have a door handle – a quirky element that creates a little moment of drama when you open the door. The garage door is also disguised, partly by the gravel driveway, which blurs into the adjoining landscape.
The result is a tightly resolved and carefully curated floor plan suitable for a family of three, with a mix of shared and intimate private spaces.
Elements of surprise abound. For example, the front door is clad in the same timber as the walls and doesn’t have a door handle – a quirky element that creates a little moment of drama when you open the door. The garage door is also disguised, partly by the gravel driveway, which blurs into the adjoining landscape.
The generous front window can be enjoyed from an internal bench seat, the exposed front bedroom window provides quiet treetop views, and the dining room ceiling extends outside and folds up to form a balcony screen.
We used tactile, raw materials liberally as a celebration of the surrounding landscape, with its large number of native ironbark trees. We also specified robust rammed-earth walls, local timbers, knobbly wool carpet and a painterly burnished concrete slab.
Hidden doors, carved handgrips, and discreet nooks offer surprises throughout.
We used tactile, raw materials liberally as a celebration of the surrounding landscape, with its large number of native ironbark trees. We also specified robust rammed-earth walls, local timbers, knobbly wool carpet and a painterly burnished concrete slab.
Hidden doors, carved handgrips, and discreet nooks offer surprises throughout.
How did the Significant Landscape Overlay influence the design?
A Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO) is a Victorian planning tool to protect and manage landscape areas that are deemed ‘significant’ within their jurisdiction.
Here, the applicable SLO was particularly unique due to a number of the streets in the area being classified as having outstanding landscape significance.
The bush landscape also supports the valuable bird and wildlife habitat in the area.
A Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO) is a Victorian planning tool to protect and manage landscape areas that are deemed ‘significant’ within their jurisdiction.
Here, the applicable SLO was particularly unique due to a number of the streets in the area being classified as having outstanding landscape significance.
The bush landscape also supports the valuable bird and wildlife habitat in the area.
The new design needed to be subservient to vegetation and to provide sufficient open space to sustain the large, mature trees in the area.
A landscape plan was a required component of the planning process, with the approved design utilising local native plantings to restore habitat for local birdlife and fauna and incorporate complementary materials. Generous mulched garden beds, gravel paths and mass plantings respond to the need for a significant proportion of the site to be permeable (which aids natural water flow and runoff).
A landscape plan was a required component of the planning process, with the approved design utilising local native plantings to restore habitat for local birdlife and fauna and incorporate complementary materials. Generous mulched garden beds, gravel paths and mass plantings respond to the need for a significant proportion of the site to be permeable (which aids natural water flow and runoff).
Which materials did you use where?
- Rammed-earth walls in the rear living area on the ground floor.
- Burnished concrete slab with hydronic in-slab heating throughout the ground floor.
- Blackbutt exterior cladding.
- Black metal wall cladding on the side of the garage.
- Spotted-gum pergola posts and roof.
- Yellow stringybark decking, balcony screen and ceiling lining.
- Kiln-dried timber stairs.
- Blackbutt stair balustrade and wall lining.
- Blackbutt veneer on the joinery in the study, main bedroom, ensuite and shelving.
Island benchtop in New York marble: CDK Stone; rear kitchen benchtops and pantry benchtops in Pure White: Caesarstone.
Why did you choose these materials?
We used rammed earth for its robust thermal mass in order to mitigate the impact of the west-facing backyard: it slows the transfer of heat into the home. To further mitigate the heat, we specified deep reveals on the full-height, double-glazed windows, which also provide beautifully framed views.
We used low-maintenance burnished concrete flooring over in-slab hydronic heating on the ground floor, with insulation to improve the performance of the hydronic heating.
Externally, we specified sustainably sourced blackbutt to respond to the heavily treed locale.
Why did you choose these materials?
We used rammed earth for its robust thermal mass in order to mitigate the impact of the west-facing backyard: it slows the transfer of heat into the home. To further mitigate the heat, we specified deep reveals on the full-height, double-glazed windows, which also provide beautifully framed views.
We used low-maintenance burnished concrete flooring over in-slab hydronic heating on the ground floor, with insulation to improve the performance of the hydronic heating.
Externally, we specified sustainably sourced blackbutt to respond to the heavily treed locale.
What look and feel did you want to create?
We sought to create a restful space that was timeless, enduring, engaging and flexible – a ‘long life/loose fit’ design to last for the life of the occupants, with the flexibility to adapt to their changing future needs.
We sought to create a restful space that was timeless, enduring, engaging and flexible – a ‘long life/loose fit’ design to last for the life of the occupants, with the flexibility to adapt to their changing future needs.
The butler’s pantry.
Where did most of the AU$1 million budget go?
On the rammed-earth wall, the burnished concrete slab and the extensive use of Australian timber internally and externally.
Where did most of the AU$1 million budget go?
On the rammed-earth wall, the burnished concrete slab and the extensive use of Australian timber internally and externally.
Details such as a hidden, sliding cavity door between the hallway and dining area speak to the thoughtfully designed transitions between spaces – this door creates privacy when needed and limits sound travelling upstairs.
Meanwhile, the timber-batten ceiling in the living area extends and wraps up to form balcony screening, while an open floor-to-ceiling timber balustrade screening that lines the staircase helps boost ventilation.
Meanwhile, the timber-batten ceiling in the living area extends and wraps up to form balcony screening, while an open floor-to-ceiling timber balustrade screening that lines the staircase helps boost ventilation.
How important was indoor-outdoor connection?
Very. Every habitable room enjoys a connection with the landscape.
At the front of the house, a large corner window is set down at almost ground level with a bench seat so you can engage with the front garden and the streetscape beyond.
A north-facing courtyard adjoining the dining area provides a protected space for year-round enjoyment, with a tree built into the deck and an extended bench seat for those all-important morning coffees!
A large sliding door from the kitchen spills into the backyard, with a framed dining area under a pergola.
Very. Every habitable room enjoys a connection with the landscape.
At the front of the house, a large corner window is set down at almost ground level with a bench seat so you can engage with the front garden and the streetscape beyond.
A north-facing courtyard adjoining the dining area provides a protected space for year-round enjoyment, with a tree built into the deck and an extended bench seat for those all-important morning coffees!
A large sliding door from the kitchen spills into the backyard, with a framed dining area under a pergola.
As you walk upstairs, a recessed, full-height window captures views of the surrounding trees and streams light down the stairwell.
The main bedroom has an enormous picture window for high-level treetop views, with smaller side windows for natural ventilation.
The second bedroom has a built-in desk below an operable corner window overlooking the leafy canopy.
And the third bedroom spills onto a north-facing balcony.
The main bedroom has an enormous picture window for high-level treetop views, with smaller side windows for natural ventilation.
The second bedroom has a built-in desk below an operable corner window overlooking the leafy canopy.
And the third bedroom spills onto a north-facing balcony.
What was your thinking behind the colour palette?
We looked to create warm, engaging spaces that celebrate organic and Australian materials.
Internally, we used timbers for their inherent beauty and tactile nature. Concrete and rammed earth are low-maintenance with high thermal properties to assist the home’s overall environmental performance, plus they are visually stunning.
We looked to create warm, engaging spaces that celebrate organic and Australian materials.
Internally, we used timbers for their inherent beauty and tactile nature. Concrete and rammed earth are low-maintenance with high thermal properties to assist the home’s overall environmental performance, plus they are visually stunning.
The external colour palette was selected to respect the surrounding natural environment. As the new landscaping grows, we anticipate the house will settle into the treescape considerately.
What challenges did you work around?
The planning constraints included deep front setbacks, forcing the house back into the site from the street, and side setbacks that are greater than usual. We needed to protect trees on the site, in the street verge and on adjoining allotments in our design response and during construction.
A heritage-listed home is located next door, which required design consideration to ensure it was not overlooked or negatively impacted by the design.
The planning constraints included deep front setbacks, forcing the house back into the site from the street, and side setbacks that are greater than usual. We needed to protect trees on the site, in the street verge and on adjoining allotments in our design response and during construction.
A heritage-listed home is located next door, which required design consideration to ensure it was not overlooked or negatively impacted by the design.
Tell us more about the sustainable aspects
As the client’s priority was for an energy-efficient design that is inexpensive to occupy, we decided early on that a modest floor area was the best environmental response for their new home. It requires fewer construction materials, less finishing and furnishing, and results in lower ongoing costs to heat and cool the interiors.
As the client’s priority was for an energy-efficient design that is inexpensive to occupy, we decided early on that a modest floor area was the best environmental response for their new home. It requires fewer construction materials, less finishing and furnishing, and results in lower ongoing costs to heat and cool the interiors.
The result is a tightly resolved and hardworking floor plan. The front entry has a side-stepped stairwell with a floor-to-ceiling vertical timber balustrade to allow for light and ventilation. A hidden sliding door at the end of the entrance provides thermal and acoustic separation from the rear open-plan living area by creating an air lock.
The rammed-earth wall in the living area shields the western sun and provides exceptional thermal mass. Carefully considered niches and deep reveals allow solar penetration to the ground-floor concrete slab in winter while moderating summer heat.
The rammed-earth wall in the living area shields the western sun and provides exceptional thermal mass. Carefully considered niches and deep reveals allow solar penetration to the ground-floor concrete slab in winter while moderating summer heat.
Other sustainable features include:
- The use of sustainably sourced Australian and, where possible, Victorian timbers, finished in low-VOC, water-based products.
- An underground water tank that collects rainwater from the roof to provide water for the garden and to top up the swimming pool.
- Energy-efficient appliances and lights.
Main walk-in wardrobe.
- Drought-tolerant, indigenous planting to support biodiversity and local fauna.
- Limited hard paving in the exterior to maximise site permeability.
- A 5.5kW photovoltaic system that returns excess electricity to the grid.
- In-slab hydronic heating operated via a gas boiler.
How does the client find their new home?
We were delighted to receive feedback after the pandemic that the home performed above and beyond what they expected with their family of three working and studying from home.
The front living area has built-in joinery discreetly housing a built-in desk and shelves, along with the family’s treasured record collection and turntable, which can be neatly closed behind doors when not in use – a practical feature for working or studying from home.
We were delighted to receive feedback after the pandemic that the home performed above and beyond what they expected with their family of three working and studying from home.
The front living area has built-in joinery discreetly housing a built-in desk and shelves, along with the family’s treasured record collection and turntable, which can be neatly closed behind doors when not in use – a practical feature for working or studying from home.
The rear living area leading to the backyard encourages family connection with relaxing spaces for lounging, dining and cooking – areas the family no doubt enjoyed using during the long stretch at home.
Your turn
What is your favourite feature in this sustainable home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images for your own renovation inspiration, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Keen to see another new build inspired by the landscape? Check out this Brisbane Houzz: A Magnificent Home Inspired by Nature
What is your favourite feature in this sustainable home? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images for your own renovation inspiration, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Keen to see another new build inspired by the landscape? Check out this Brisbane Houzz: A Magnificent Home Inspired by Nature
Who lives here: A couple and their young adult daughter
Location: Blackburn, Victoria
House size: 267 square metres
Bedrooms and bathrooms: Three bedrooms, two bathrooms
Budget: Around AU$1 million
Project completed: 2019
Architect and interior designer: Kirsten Johnstone, architect and director of Kirsten Johnstone Architecture
Builder: CBD Contracting Group
Structural engineer: Maurice Farrugia and Associates