Mylor Bush Retreat
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Mylor Bush Retreat
Our Mylor bush retreat was built in 1986 from mud brick and recycled timber. The original house is designed to perform well in an Adelaide Hills climate; hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters. The house is oriented to maximise winter sun, with eave coverage blocking harsh summer heat. The residence is rainwater-fed and is heated by a single slow combustion wood fire.
We engaged Jacinta Hill from Architecture in the Wild to design an extension adding two bedrooms, upgrading the original bathrooms and repurposing other areas of the house. We wanted the extension to be sustainable, built from recycled materials where possible, aesthetically pleasing and built to a limited budget.
We chose Zemon and his team from SustainaBuilding due to their passion, knowledge and commitment to sustainable building. We incorporated a number of Zemon’s recommendations including an energy efficient method of underfloor heating, retrofitting windows with double glazing and facade air cavities for breathability and healthy living.
Our existing house had two bedrooms and a link added, the original bathrooms upgraded, a former bedroom converted to a snug and the high-level windows were replaced with double glazing to trap heat in the winter months.
The extension is a reverse brick veneer construction with an airtight wrap and charred timber cladding. It was important to us to try to minimise the impact of the build so we used recycled bricks, reclaimed timber for reveals, architraves and stairs, locally made terracotta tiles for bedroom floors and breathable paint to the limewash.
We added solar panels, a much-needed new roof in a light colour to deflect hot summer sun, and packed the roof space with bulk insulation and a new ceiling blanket before the renovation began.
We have only recently completed the build, but it has performed very well through summer and we are looking forward to experiencing our first winter in the extension.