Resource88
"What a beautiful place to be - there is such a sense of peace
and inspiration. And you would never know from the front!"
The brief for this project was to refurbish an1850's sandstone
cottage and associated buildings into a Centre for Sustainable
Practice - a commercial office space to be shared by businesses
providing professional services with a focus on sustainable
practice. Located in a major urban renewal precinct, this building
previously housed a photographic processing laboratory, which
relied heavily on artificial light and ventilation.
A significant problem with the original building was the
complete lack of natural light or ventilation to the majority of
the space. As all the external walls are located on the boundaries,
the solution was not immediately obvious. Adding to this problem
was the poor quality of the building fabric beyond the sandstone
cottage at the front and the dark internal colour scheme that made
the place feel claustrophobic.
This solution was found through the introduction of a new
courtyard into the middle of the building and the reinstatement of
the side courtyard off the kitchen. The courtyards provide space to
enable the building to be lit and naturally ventilated, as
well as external areas for the occupants to enjoy. Occupants are
continually connected to and aware of the external environment, and
operable windows allow individuals to control their own level of
thermal comfort.
The project embodies and is informed by strong sustainable
design principles to enhance its new purpose. These include
adaptive reuse of the existing building and materials; inclusion of
passive solar design principles where possible including the
introduction of natural light and ventilation to the rear section;
purchase of certified sustainable products/materials; and inclusion
of energy and water efficient appliances, water tanks and
photovoltaics.
The general design approach was to retain and enhance the
simplicity of the existing structure and materials- particularly
the sandstone of the original cottage. The new materials, structure
and building details have been designed to express and celebrate
their inherent qualities and beauty.
Caroline Pidcock
Jamie King
Project Manager Mary
Lynne Pidcock
Builder
Michael Wilson
Structural Engineer Partridge Partners
Landscape Architect Above the Earth
Certifier
City Plan Services
Photographer
FreeRange Productions
Simple and intuitive methods for operating the building
Collaborative team approach
Considerate building practices
Location of building near local facilities
Food composting facilities
Convenient location of storage space for recycling
Convenient storage for bicycles to encourage use
No provision for parking on site
Good thermal performance of building
Good natural light and ventilation
Good views to the outside
Low VOC paints
All floors either Pandomo concrete finish or prefinished floating
timber floor
Carbon emissions target set at zero - working towards to be
achieved
improved thermal performance to result in reduced heating and
cooling
Increased levels of insulation and use of existing thermal
mass
Heating system - retained existing air-conditioner for occasional
use
Ceiling fans to office areas
Well designed natural ventilation throughout
Good natural light throughout
Low energy lighting using fluorescents and LEDs
Switching for all computers and other appliances at desk height to
encourage turning off
Reuse of existing instantaneous gas hot water heating
5.4 kW photo voltaics for energy generation
High performance water saving fixtures and appliances, including
waterless urinals
3 x 2000 litre water tanks connected to toilets and for use in
landscape
Materials selected with thought given to reducing their impacts
over their life
Minimal approach taken to design
Building designed to easily adapt to changing occupation
patterns
Retention and extension of life for existing building and its
materials
Certified timber framed windows and doors
Timber from sustainably managed forests for new floor boards
Recycled or certified timber used for all other requirements
Size of project purposefully kept to the smallest possible
Built-on area kept to a minimum - courtyard reduces size of
building footprint
Land used for building improved by project
Garden design to enhance local ecosystems and encourage local
flora and fauna
Garden design inherent to building design
Inclusion of food plants will help provide for office
Connection of office areas to garden to assist in better care