Architecture

Carbon-neutral home in Australia makes small living big

Carbon-neutral home in Australia makes small living big
Whispering Smith innovative, carbon neutral House A
Whispering Smith innovative, carbon neutral House A
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Black polished wooden slats clad sections of the home
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Black polished wooden slats clad sections of the home
Minimalistic staircase leads to the master bedroom
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Minimalistic staircase leads to the master bedroom
Simple furnishings keep the home fresh and clutter free
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Simple furnishings keep the home fresh and clutter free
Raw materials and recylced bricks were used to build the home
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Raw materials and recylced bricks were used to build the home
The upstairs master bathroom is private without the needs for walls or doors
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The upstairs master bathroom is private without the needs for walls or doors
Simple basin in the upstairs bathroom
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Simple basin in the upstairs bathroom
The elevated bedroom is kept open to allow light in
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The elevated bedroom is kept open to allow light in
Concrete walls are kept bare inthe upstairs quarters
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Concrete walls are kept bare inthe upstairs quarters
The home features an elevated matser bedroom
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The home features an elevated matser bedroom
Large glass folding doors opne up onto the outdoor terrace
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Large glass folding doors opne up onto the outdoor terrace
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Influenced by Mediterranean architecture, the home’s open interior floorplan seamlessly blends each living space and zone into the next
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Influenced by Mediterranean architecture, the home’s open interior floorplan seamlessly blends each living space and zone into the next
European wall kitchen
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European wall kitchen
The home boasts a clever floorplan, which eliminates the need for doors and in some cases walls
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The home boasts a clever floorplan, which eliminates the need for doors and in some cases walls
Open clothes rack keep sthe home feeling open and spacious
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Open clothes rack keep sthe home feeling open and spacious
Reclaimed materials were used in the bathroom
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Reclaimed materials were used in the bathroom
Furnishings are kept simple for a modern twist on Meditteranean living
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Furnishings are kept simple for a modern twist on Meditteranean living
The home features an open planned living area
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The home features an open planned living area
The home features a fully equipped wall kitchen
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The home features a fully equipped wall kitchen 
Simple landscaping leads to the home's entrance
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Simple landscaping leads to the home's entrance
House A is a 70 sqm compact home built using concrete panels and recycled bricks
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 House A is a 70 sqm compact home built using concrete panels and recycled bricks
Whispering Smith innovative, carbon neutral House A
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Whispering Smith innovative, carbon neutral House A
The home has been designed for comfortable and flexible living, with enough space to accommodate a dinner party for up to 30 guests
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The home has been designed for comfortable and flexible living, with enough space to accommodate a dinner party for up to 30 guests
The home achieves its carbon neutral status with the use of recycled and reclaimed materials, incorporated with passivhaus design
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The home achieves its carbon neutral status with the use of recycled and reclaimed materials, incorporated with passivhaus design
Vew of House A from the neighbour's
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Vew of House A from the neighbour's 
The home features recycled and reclaimed materials; passivhaus design, amble natural light and airflow, plus rooftop photovoltaic panels
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The home features recycled and reclaimed materials; passivhaus design, amble natural light and airflow, plus rooftop photovoltaic panels
House A floorplan by Whispering Smith
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House A floorplan by Whispering Smith
House A cross section by Whispering Smith
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House A cross section by Whispering Smith
View gallery - 28 images

Australian architectural firm Whispering Smith's recently completed House A combines innovative, space saving design with carbon neutral credentials to create a blueprint for big living on a small footprint.

Located in Perth, Australia, House A is a 70 sqm (753 sq ft) compact home built using concrete panels that are made with 65 percent slag (a by-product of steel production) as opposed to high carbon emitting cement, and recycled bricks.

Designed for comfortable and flexible living, the home has enough space to accommodate a dinner party for up to 30 guests.

"House A is our first foray into being a developer. We wanted to build a prototype for an apartment-house hybrid to show people how small can be big if you work hard at the design," say the architects. "The brief was to take a 175 sqm [1884 sq ft] block under Perth's single bedroom dwelling code, and make an affordable and sustainable home for Whispering Smith's Director, Kate and her partner Matt."

Influenced by Mediterranean architecture, the home's open interior floorplan seamlessly blends each living space and zone into the next. The clever floorplan maximizes interior usable space by eliminating the need for doors, and in some cases, walls.

Raw materials and recylced bricks were used to build the home
Raw materials and recylced bricks were used to build the home

The open planned living area flows into a wall kitchen and a separate study, which could also be used as an additional bedroom. The three zones wrap around the central courtyard, allowing an abundance of natural light to filter through the home, while also giving the impression of more space. Large folding glass doors in the living area open up directly to the outdoor terrace, and an elevated master bedroom with large ensuite bathroom and an underground garage complete the compact design.

Large glass folding doors opne up onto the outdoor terrace
Large glass folding doors opne up onto the outdoor terrace

The home achieves its carbon neutral status with the use of recycled and reclaimed materials; incorporated with passivhaus design, ample natural light and airflow, plus the installation of rooftop photovoltaic panels. The home also features an underground rain tank and an internal drying line. The existing trees on the site were also maintained and incorporated into the layout of the new home.

"The house is a product of highly efficient planning and employed commercial tilt-up concrete construction methods to achieve a tighter and taller footprint. The project relied heavily on craft, detailing and a raw material spec to provide amenity and delight in the small footprint," say the architects.

Whispering Smith did not provide us with a final cost for House A, but assure the project was designed as an economical and sustainable housing solution.

Source: Whispering Smith via Dwell

View gallery - 28 images
2 comments
2 comments
ljaques
Ouch! A truly hideous, colorless, =flat= home. Worst of Class, Whis.
P.S: Love the Nana Wall.
paul314
Doorless home are best for people who either plan to stay childless or have already done with that part of their lives.