Cumberland

Unbuilt

The impact of the development has been minimized with part of each house suspended over the ground so that it touches the earth lightly.

The brief for this project was to create 5 new homes within a designated Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest (STIF) in the heart of West Pennant Hills. Both Council and the Land and Environment Court had rejected a previous DA application, with directions to find an architect who could help them design an appropriate solution.

Our client then came to us to help them create a Masterplan and house designs that sensitively addressed the highly sensitive ecological features of the site.

We started by consulting with an aborist to confirm which trees should be retained to help create the best possible groupings in the future. This clarified the areas we could locate the homes on.

The houses were then designed around passive design principles with the aim of achieving a 6 star Thermal modelling assessment. The design incorporates high levels of insulation, natural light, cross flow ventilation, thermal mass and rainwater reuse.

The result involves 5 two storey houses nestled within a wonderful forest community. The impact of the development has been minimized with part of each house suspended over the ground so that it touches the earth lightly.

A renewed DA application has since been approved and construction is due to commence on the project in the near future.

Simple and intuitive methods for operating the house
Considerate building approaches
Provision of home office facilities
Convenient location of storage space for recycling
Building designed to be adaptable and accessible
Convenient storage for bicycles to encourage use
Car parking area able to be easily converted for other uses

Good thermal performance of house
Good natural light and ventilation
Good views to the outside
Attention to planning and detailing to manage acoustics

Good thermal performance to result in minimal heating and cooling
Appropriate levels of insulation and thermal mass
Ability to zone areas of the house
Ceiling fans to bedrooms and living rooms
Well designed natural ventilation throughout house
Good natural light throughout house
Solar hot water heating
House designed to accommodate photo voltaics for energy generation
Convenient, dedicated, sunny area for drying clothes

High performance water saving fixtures and appliances
Low water garden
Water tanks to be connected to toilets, washing machine and landscape

Materials selected with thought given to reducing their impacts over their life
House designed with modular and standard sizes in mind to reduce waste
House designed to easily adapt to changing family lifestyles

Built-on area kept to a minimum
Garden design to enhance local ecosystems and encourage local flora and fauna
Garden design inherent to house design
Connection of living areas to garden to assist in better care