Home for BEES by Downie North Architects

Backyard Room Encourages Seamless Interplay

Assembly the Wants of a Small Household

The shoppers, Sarah and Evan, dad and mom to Barney and Eddie, approached Downie North to create a brand new addition to their single stage Federation period dwelling in Mosman. The rear of the home which might type the main focus of the design initially contained a small kitchen and meals areas, pseudo playroom and laundry. As avid cooks and entertainers they sought to create a big kitchen and casual eating and household space that supported a ‘no fuss’, informal method to dwelling that engendered a way of ease. Very importantly they sought a design that made essentially the most of its facet and environs in order that they may passively function the home all year long.

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Design Integrates Yard’s Pure Options

Understanding the home throughout the larger context of Mosman and Sydney Harbour, the location benefited from an unusually deep yard and place close to the highest of the ridgeline which might have initially been a processional backbone for the Cammeraygal and Borogegal peoples. Coastal breezes had been loved and might be harnessed. Neighbours had been shut by however staggered relative to the unique home, affording larger privateness than regular in suburbia and offering alternatives to borrow views from established timber and gardens. The yard nevertheless confronted south, complicating alternatives for winterly northern photo voltaic achieve together with some damp and drainage points, given the proximity to the bedrock.

Combining Components for Seamless Indoor-Outside Dwelling

Observing how the household loved dwelling within the backyard, the design sought to duplicate that – at its easiest the home is sort of a picnic rug laid below a protecting cover. With north to the road and with the present home sited and addressing that frontage, the rear addition was positioned as near the western boundary as was feasibly allowed below the instrument of CDC to minimise the impression to the japanese and southern gardens, and established timber. This allowed for the principle path of circulation to be maintained alongside the present hall and backbone of the home, which inspires direct motion out into the backyard.

Stepping up from the unique stage of the home, to deal with the slope and minimise excavation, together with disturbance of topsoil, the kitchen, eating and household areas commune straight with the backyard. 4 architectural parts – a wall – the protecting again, a display, the open entrance, a platform and roof, creates exact but elemental inhabitation. This creates a right away connection to nature steered by the minimal shelter of a camp website.

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Materiality Goals for Longevity and Sustainability

The masonry wall and its ancillary servant areas of kitchen and pantry, creates the protecting again, that includes a decrease roof, discreet openings and smaller proportions, each because of its perform and in accordance with setbacks. Comparatively the general public or served areas of eating and dwelling are flippantly contained by the totally retractable sliding doorways, which straight commune with the backyard and are topped by the folded roof airplane which cranks as much as the north to seize winter northern mild (while excluding summer time thermal achieve), and in addition extends to the east to include the monsoon eave. The folded roof airplane acts like a wing, creating raise, as air strikes over the ridge. The hid air flow within the eaves then drags this air inside the home, passively cooling no matter the climate.

Emphasis on Peculiar Plant Life and Sustainable Options

With a deal with craftsmanship, supplies had been chosen for his or her longevity, sustainability and potential future re-use. Retaining a big portion of the present constructing, and minimising the extent of the construct, the funds was in a position to be selectively centered. The shopper supported the funding of the funds in costlier components just like the standing seam roofing and balanced this with the usage of reclaimed supplies, personally hand-cleaning bricks and salvaging joinery, fixtures and fittings from the home or buying second hand. The construction, in notably the metal has been refined to a minimal, to create a cloth lightness and lowered carbon footprint. It was vital to create structural simplicity and legibility in order to not get in the way in which of a robust connection to the backyard.

Along with its lightness of footprint, materials reuse and passive operation, the home advantages from 18kW of photo voltaic panels, two 5000L rainwater tanks to irrigate the backyard. The working edible backyard options fruit timber together with native lime, olive and peach timber, warrigal greens, herbs and flowering vegetation which offer meals, together with shade and habitat to native fauna and have been properly adopted by native birds and the namesake bees.

Pictures by Clinton Weaver
Go to Downie North Architects

– by Matt Watts

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