The generation of Pepper Tree Passive Residence by Alexander Symes Architect started various years in the past in collaboration with builder and client Adam Souter of Souter Created, who life on the property with lover Ame Rooke-Jones, and their a few youthful small children.
The family’s Wollongong house was fatigued and thermally inefficient, but functionally enough. Instead of paying their finances on major upgrades to the current dwelling, they made the decision to make a new, individual framework on the rear of the site to a Passive House typical.
‘This intended they would get the greatest amenity price for their finances with small functionality primarily based upgrades to the present household like new insulation, cladding, repainting the concrete tiles a lighter colour to lower warmth acquire, and a 12kW photo voltaic panel awning that provides shade to the outdoor spaces in summer,’ claims Alexander Symes, director of Alexander Symes Architect.
Following the first notion was made, Adam commenced salvaging and storing landfill-certain products from his other development jobs to sooner or later use in his residence.
The ensuing secondary dwelling requires the sort of an elevated U-formed constructing wrapping about an current 60-yr-outdated tree.
‘We resolved at our preliminary meeting that the pepper tree was part of the core identity of the web site and preserving it would be a terrific advantage to the ultimate end result, alternatively than just one more box-formed granny flat,’ claims Alexander.
Two cantilevered wings are clad with recycled shou sugi ban cladding, and every single host a environmentally friendly roof mixing the constructing into the landscape.
Adam’s salvaged building products were being employed during the undertaking, such as on the external staircase constructed using the roof framework of a demolished Bondi house, contributing to its sustainable Passive Residence conventional.
The completed self-contained home involves a person bedroom, a kitchen area, dwelling area, bathroom, and a laundry across 60 sq. metres internally. The developing features as an workplace for Adam’s rising company, which can alternatively be rented as short remain accommodation.
In developing a secondary composition, Alexander Symes Architect have added considerably needed usable ground area to a suburban site devoid of overdeveloping or sacrificing its biophilic link. This solution supplies a precedent for developing smaller, future proofed additions without having the enormous value of upgrading all present dwellings.
