A new contemporary Town house development for a family home on a subdivided block in Beach Street, Grange, South Australia.
A new three bedroom modern 2 storey town house set on a narrow site in a suburban context, where the site is adjacent to a park and is in the vicinity of the beach. Strong ESD principles have driven the overall scheme, where each house is separated into two pavilions, based around a central courtyard space. The project has been developed from idea to subdivide, demolish an existing derelict house and construct two new townhouses. The House has been designed over 3 levels, a large below ground level cellar, a middle (ground level) living zone, and a first floor bedroom, bathroom and living zone. The ecologically sustainable house is pushed back and opens up to the neighbouring community park and utilises the natural south westerly breezes off of the park to cool the house in summer months. No air conditioning here! The courtyard design allows direct northern sun into the double volume living area via substantial north glazing adjacent the central courtyard. Minimal windows to the west and a super-insulated double skin wall keeps out the afternoon summer sun and helps keep the heat inside in winter together with the double glazing. Windcatchers directed to the south west aim breezes through the house, and electrical energy and water heating is provided by solar arrays on the roof. Together with substantial use of recycled materials – hardwoods from shearing sheds are used for all timber windows, doors and decking, an old bowling alley is used for benchtops – the house has answered the ‘Zero Carbon Challenge’ and has minimised greenhouse gas emissions.