A Compact Passive House That Hugs A Pepper Tree

The generation of Pepper Tree Passive House by Alexander Symes Architect commenced several years in the past in collaboration with builder and customer Adam Souter of Souter Constructed, who life on the assets with lover Ame Rooke-Jones, and their three younger kids.

The family’s Wollongong dwelling was tired and thermally inefficient, but functionally ample. As a substitute of spending their budget on important updates to the current house, they made the decision to construct a new, independent structure on the rear of the website to a Passive Home conventional.

‘This intended they would get the ideal amenity value for their finances with slight overall performance centered updates to the existing dwelling such as new insulation, cladding, repainting the concrete tiles a lighter color to decrease warmth acquire, and a 12kW solar panel awning that offers shade to the out of doors spaces in summer time,’ says Alexander Symes, director of Alexander Symes Architect.

After the preliminary thought was produced, Adam commenced salvaging and storing landfill-sure elements from his other development tasks to finally use in his home. 

The ensuing secondary dwelling requires the variety of an elevated U-shaped developing wrapping around an present 60-calendar year-old tree. 

‘We resolved at our preliminary assembly that the pepper tree was element of the main identity of the web page and keeping it would be a wonderful profit to the final end result, somewhat than just one more box-shaped granny flat,’ states Alexander. 

Two cantilevered wings are clad with recycled shou sugi ban cladding, and every single host a green roof mixing the creating into the landscape.

Adam’s salvaged development elements were applied in the course of the project, like on the exterior staircase developed using the roof framework of a demolished Bondi dwelling, contributing to its sustainable Passive Home conventional. 

The concluded self-contained house features one particular bedroom, a kitchen area, residing area, bathroom, and a laundry throughout 60 sq. metres internally. The making features as an office environment for Adam’s rising company, which can alternatively be rented as shorter keep accommodation.

In developing a secondary structure, Alexander Symes Architect have additional considerably required usable floor space to a suburban internet site with out overdeveloping or sacrificing its biophilic relationship. This method supplies a precedent for producing modest, potential proofed additions without the need of the enormous cost of upgrading all present dwellings.