Skip To Main Content
Issue 59 - The Life Outside Issue

Issue 59

The Life Outside Issue

Introducing the Life Outside issue of Habitus magazine. With life increasingly being absorbed into a digital space, there is never a more important moment to hold something tangible. In this context, the power of nature to have a physiological impact on our sense of wellbeing has never been more important. So how can we cultivate the benefits of the our natural environment in the most intimate of places – our homes? This was the question that helped to bring this issue of Habitus to life.

A Product of

White By The Sea
HomesHabitusliving Editor

White By The Sea

Other

Volpatohatz architects have replaced a dusty 1940’s cottage with a clean, contemporary seaside home.


The design of the new home was built on the architects’ formal design approach, which seeks a harmony between the client’s brief, historic references, sustainability and function.

Facade

“We believe these design elements are the fundamentals of sustainable architecture that should be implemented if we need to continue to build responsible houses in the future. It must also be supported and promoted by Councils and Governments alike,” says Marco Volpato, company partner and architect.

BED_HALL_1

The client required a new 360m2 residence to replace their existing house from the forties. The client lived on the property; therefore orientation and layout of all rooms were to follow a specific site based brief.

Window_2

Historical references were made to the local landscape and building vernacular in the roof form and colour scheme. The roof form is clearly driven by sustainable requirements, as per the client’s desire, and opposes the architectural philosophy that “form follows function”. The practicality of having the north facing highlight windows was to protect from strong winds and rain. The northern exposure with structural overhang cuts out high summer sun, and allows cool north-easterly breezes to cross ventilate the house.

Review_1

Both internally and externally, the design is white-washed to achieve a simple, minimalistic atmosphere and become a backdrop that offsets the rich timber floors, natural lighting through the highlight windows and sliding doors.

Image_1

After research, the use of rendered double brick was chosen for both the aesthetic quality and ease of construction (in high availability of materials and labour skills). The use of brick enabled the design to be low maintenance whilst remaining a good source of thermal mass.

Review_2

Volpatohatz architects have incorporated modern techniques of sustainable living into the design solution. A central staircase connects the upper level to the ground floor family room with access to a large deck and garden. A bespoke rainwater tank below the deck and solar evacuated tubing panels provide hot water to the living spaces. Double brick walls offer optimal insulation while concrete slabs with recycled timber floors and concrete tiles in the wet spaces thermally insulate the home. There is no need air-conditioning as cross-ventilation is achieved via the upper level highlight windows.

Plans
(Left) Ground Floor plan
(Right) First Floor plan
Section
Longitudinal Section 

“Quite simply, Marco Volpato and Nicole Hatz believes that good architecture will have a positive impact on each one of us, at home, in the office and within our cities,” say Volpato Architects.

Volpatohatz Architects
volpatohatz.com

Richard Glover Photography
richardglover.com


About the Author

Habitusliving Editor

Tags

Home ArchitectureHouse ArchitectureResidential Architecture


Related Projects
Issue 59 - The Life Outside Issue

Issue 59

The Life Outside Issue

Introducing the Life Outside issue of Habitus magazine. With life increasingly being absorbed into a digital space, there is never a more important moment to hold something tangible. In this context, the power of nature to have a physiological impact on our sense of wellbeing has never been more important. So how can we cultivate the benefits of the our natural environment in the most intimate of places – our homes? This was the question that helped to bring this issue of Habitus to life.

Order Issue