Elamang Avenue / Luigi Rosselli

By Megan Jett — Filed under: Houses ,Selected , Australia, Luigi Rosselli Pty, Rammed Earth,Sydney

© Justin Alexander

Architects: Luigi Rosselli
Location: Sydney, Australia
Project Architects: Candace Christensen, Patrick Bless, James Horler, Sean Johnson
Landscaper: Terragram, Vladimir Sitta
Project Year: 2010
Photographs: Justin Alexander

   

What makes a house comfortable? Is it the level of padding in the couches or the climatic and physical comfort that architecture, integrated with nature, allows? Elamang is a house that attempted the highest level of “comfort” as described above, whilst producing the smallest environmental impact.

© Justin Alexander

A rammed earth wall spine is the passive thermal system developed in this house to provide protection from climatic extremes. The spine links all levels of the long stepping dwelling on its south side.

© Justin Alexander

Lower Ground Floor Plan

The scheme also aimed to morph the existing dwelling into a more contemporary house and to link it to a new garage structure on Elamang Avenue. The design of the house uses the articulation of the old footprint, the additions and the garage volumes to form three landscaped courtyards and gardens.

© Justin Alexander

Courtyard

Photovoltaics produce a considerable amount of the dwellings energy, as does a solar hot water installation. The bowels of the house contain 14300 litres of water tanks and, much like a camel it can survive heat and drought with minimal water and energy consumption.

© Justin Alexander

The project succeeded as a testing ground for our aim to combine a high quality of residential design with a high level of environmental sustainability.

© Justin Alexander