A Compact Passive House That Hugs A Pepper Tree

The development of Pepper Tree Passive Property by Alexander Symes Architect began many years in the past in collaboration with builder and client Adam Souter of Souter Designed, who life on the home with lover Ame Rooke-Jones, and their a few youthful little ones.

The family’s Wollongong dwelling was worn out and thermally inefficient, but functionally enough. As a substitute of expending their budget on major updates to the existing residence, they decided to create a new, separate composition on the rear of the web-site to a Passive Residence normal.

‘This intended they would get the ideal amenity price for their price range with small effectiveness based mostly updates to the current house like new insulation, cladding, repainting the concrete tiles a lighter color to reduce heat acquire, and a 12kW solar panel awning that provides shade to the outside spaces in summer months,’ states Alexander Symes, director of Alexander Symes Architect.

Following the first thought was produced, Adam started salvaging and storing landfill-sure components from his other development initiatives to ultimately use in his household. 

The resulting secondary dwelling requires the variety of an elevated U-shaped constructing wrapping around an present 60-calendar year-outdated tree. 

‘We made the decision at our preliminary meeting that the pepper tree was element of the core identification of the web site and trying to keep it would be a wonderful advantage to the remaining consequence, relatively than just a different box-formed granny flat,’ says Alexander. 

Two cantilevered wings are clad with recycled shou sugi ban cladding, and just about every host a inexperienced roof blending the making into the landscape.

Adam’s salvaged building elements were used all through the challenge, which include on the exterior staircase constructed working with the roof construction of a demolished Bondi house, contributing to its sustainable Passive Home regular. 

The done self-contained home incorporates one bedroom, a kitchen, dwelling spot, rest room, and a laundry across 60 square metres internally. The creating functions as an office environment for Adam’s developing firm, which can alternatively be rented as shorter remain accommodation.

In developing a secondary structure, Alexander Symes Architect have added substantially necessary usable ground house to a suburban web page devoid of overdeveloping or sacrificing its biophilic relationship. This technique offers a precedent for creating little, potential proofed additions with out the massive expense of upgrading all existing dwellings.