With the original house having succumbed to significant condensation issues, an ambition to repair without material removal of the original structure was established of an existing 1960s monocrete house (single skin concrete) in O’Connor ACT. The aim was to make the house more liveable and solve the underlying condensation issues caused by the original system of construction. Another aim was to improve storage, upgrade all internal rooms and connect the internal spaces to the external environment through discrete views via a large screen to the street side of the house. The screen is an interpretation of one of my paintings and provides privacy and shading to the western side of the house. Eventually it will form part of the garden as a vertical screen of plants.
The house has improved sustainable design outcomes through the following:
- small size
- 7.5 kW of PV solar
- reuse of existing structure and other materials
- recycled and low carbon materials
- increased insulation and sealing
- ceiling fans
- in floor displacement heating and cooling
- low energy fittings
- water efficient fixtures
- rainwater tanks for irrigation
- sunshading
- natural ventilation and daylighting
In 2022 Secret Garden House won the Gene Willsford Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (alterations and additions) and the Pamille Berg Award for Art in Architecture in the Australian Institute of Architects Awards.
This year a life cycle carbon assessment has been completed by the architect as part of the Australian Zero Carbon Housing Challenge and the house has been shown to be 19% better than net zero.
This home still has some existing gas appliances, with a planned transition to electric as those appliances reach the end of their working life.
