Taking a look at Oculus Home, it’s clear Ben Callery Architects has mastered the artwork of balancing family-friendly areas with sustainable ideas.
‘The house owners had a basic want for passive photo voltaic design knowledgeable by their respective skilled experiences (one as a city planner) and their want for an power environment friendly, wholesome residence,’ director Ben Callery says of the brand new construct in Alphington.
‘They needed their home to harness the weather to be naturally snug utilizing warming winter solar and cross air flow in as many rooms as attainable.’
And as a household of 5, with three school-aged youngsters, the purchasers additionally wanted to have the ability to comfortably occupy their home virtually ‘24-7’, with 4 bedrooms, a major lounge, and a second lounge all on the bottom flooring.
At 255 sq. metres, the ensuing floorplan stretches alongside the southern aspect of the block to maximise photo voltaic achieve. Excessive ceilings bathe the dwelling space in daylight, as electrically operable spotlight home windows attract prevailing cooling southerly breezes.
As an alternative of a standard yard, the home opens to a sunny ‘aspect yard’, that includes a pool, backyard, and pergola characterised by a round skylight overhead.
‘The oculus minimize out of the pergola embodies the household’s basic want for passive photo voltaic design whereas offering a superbly distinctive area to collect,’ Ben says.
‘With 34 photo voltaic panels and energy-efficient design and development, this all-electric home has low reliance on grid power, even whereas charging an electrical car that drives 50km/day and heating a pool to 30 levels in swimming season and truly exporting over 8,000kWh to the grid every year.’
Cautious consideration was additionally given to the constructing envelope. Excessive ranges of insulation function inside the partitions (that are particularly thick to hide the warmth restoration air flow unit system) and even the concrete flooring to assist preserve secure temperatures inside.
Upstairs, a compact research area is nestled intentionally away from household life beneath, making a quiet sanctuary for homework or working from residence. An adjoining roof deck offers a sheltered outside area within the treetops and sundown views.
‘We frequently encourage purchasers to have a single-storey home, the place attainable, as a result of it frees you as much as have a pleasant excessive ceiling in your floor flooring with pretty daylight and views to bushes,’ Ben notes.
‘However on this case, they’ve one of the best of each worlds: an successfully single-storey home with only one room popped up over the entrance.’
