Wednesday, July 08, 2020

Architecture Wednesday: Bundeena House


This is a weekend escape … an environmentally friendly escape, in Bundeena, NSW, Australia. Set low on the site,  the house is situated on a rocky outcrop at the edge of a secluded beach in the Royal National Park, and presents its roof, and roof garden, as its primary elevation, while connecting the street through the garden to the water beyond.

The green roof reduces heat absorption, provides insulation, and reduces solar gain and heat loss; collected rainwater is recycled to irrigate the garden; a sixteen panel photovoltaic system and Tesla battery—seen as a linear reflection pond within the roof garden—provides all the electricity needs. It was important that the photovoltaic panels, that they are integrated into the roof garden, serving as an example of how environmental features can enhance, rather than detract, from a design. 

In the middle of the roof garden sits a  sculptural skylight that glows at night to signal the presence of the house, and to draw sunlight inside during the day, while its butterfly shape restricts overheating of the interior through the use of strategically oriented, vertical triangular panes of glass. In addition, controlled openings with fixed perforated screens to the upper-level windows, and a pergola to the lower level, also provide protection from the western sun. A mix of materials, a weathered steel “sleeping box” houses the bedrooms, and floats above a glass living box, intersected by a timber multi-purpose box.

It’s an escape from the work week and an escape from burdening the environment.


Click to emBIGGERate ...

7 comments:

  1. Impressed with all the work
    they put into the house!
    xoxo :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like the interior better. You know I love a good view and my woods as texture. Nice flowing floor plan. The green roof is actually pretty cool. I have friends who have a home in Philly with a green roof like that....it very cool. The whole roof is greens and succulents, with a nice patio and festivals lights. Their home is very cool and excellent views of the Philly skyline.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Poisonous(or venomous) spiders, snakes, platypussies etc...! Not worth it!
    Tongue held firmly in cheek, by the way.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Platypus!?!?!? Well .....there goes that birthday idea for Duchess Deedles.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ok yes. Yes. Yes. I’d have a great time making the interiors my own. I love the concept and the intelligence of the design. Kind of a long way for ME to go for a weekend retreat though. Can it be moved?

    ReplyDelete
  6. I like the design, and we could make the layout work well. It would need an elevator. I am always afraid of homes that sit low on a sloping site. Unless the engineering was very careful, rain water running down the slope will sooner or later cause problems.

    ReplyDelete
  7. The green roof would be a selling point for me. Beautiful and ecologically sound? Sign me up!
    I love the layout and the huge windows. I'm also all for all that wood!

    XOXO

    ReplyDelete

Say anything, but keep it civil .......