Pop-Up House 2024

Pop-Up House

Anne and Greg purchased a 1970s brick home on the Sunshine Coast to spend their retirement in. Craving connection to the outdoors, the couple approached us to devise an extension which better connected to their way of living, for the long term.

Like many homes of its era, this one was built with little consideration for lifestyle or passive cooling and heating. It faces east-west, has low ceilings and receives little natural light inside, and the easiest thing would have been to knock it down and start again. But reusing the home was important for sustainability, so our solution was to add an open pavilion with a new kitchen and outdoor dining area. The original home was then reconfigured to provide a new laundry, TV room and study, as well as a master bedroom and ensuite that opens to the garden.

A pop-up roof above the pavilion adds light and volume, offsetting the low ceilings in the existing home. The windows in the pop-up angle north-east, bringing light inside while also framing views of treetops and sky. This aspect captures morning sun in winter but limits direct light in summer.

This project prioritised the things that excite Anne and Greg the most. The extension was purposefully kept small – there’s no formal indoor dining room, because they wouldn’t use it. Instead, a large island in the kitchen provides informal indoor dining. There was also a deliberate focus on quality. The extension construction and fitout is about the long term, with materials selected for their longevity and low maintenance. The outcome of our build small, build well approaches made room in the home and in the budget for all the things that would truly enrich their life, both now and in the many years of retirement ahead of them.

Sustainability Features

Years Open
2024
ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENT FEATURES
    • Energy efficiency:
    • Efficient lighting
      Efficient appliances
    • Passive heating cooling:
    • Cross ventilation
      Deciduous planting around house
      External planting
      Passive solar designed home
      Shading
      Thermal mass
    • Active heating cooling:
    • Ceiling fans
      Split system airconditioner
    • Water heating:
    • Exisiting water system relocated and reused
    • Energy Efficient Lighting
    • LED lights throughout
      Natural daylight
      Skylight
    • Window Protection:
    • Blinds
      Deciduous tree/vegetation
      Eaves
      Louvres
SUSTAINABLE & RECYCLED MATERIALS
    • Recycled and reused materials:
    • Bricks
      House - all materials reused
INSULATION SPECIFICATIONS
    • Insulation Type:
    • Under-roof
      Internal walls
    • Under Roof Insulation Type:
    • Anticon roof blanket to entire house
    • Under Roof Insulation Rating:
    • R1.3
    • Internal Walls Insulation Type:
    • Bulk – glass wool
    • Internal Walls Insulation Rating:
    • R2.2
RENEWABLE ENERGY SPECIFICATIONS
    • All-Electric Home?
    • Yes
    • Renewable energy used:
    • Solar PV grid connect
    • Size of PV system:
    • 8.14kW
COSTS AND COST SAVINGS
    • Cost estimate of sustainable home/features:
    • 600000
HOUSE DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS
    • House Size
    • 198
    • Roof
    • Metal (Colorbond)
    • Wall Materials
    • Brick veneer
      Lightweight construction (timber frame)
      Timber
    • Window and Door Types
    • Casement
      Clerestory windows
      Low-e, films
      Pocket doors
      Stacking windows/doors
    • Universal design accessability
    • Adaptive design
      Multi-generational
      Universal access
    • Universal Design Features
    • 80cm minimum door opening width
      Flush thresholds (no lip) to all external doors
      Hobless showers
      Lever handles for doors (no knobs)
      Minimum 110cm wide hallways
      Shower head on rail for various heights
      Slip resistant flooring
      Strong fittings like towel rails that can be used as hand rails
      Window openings easily accessible
    • Number of bedrooms
    • 3
    • Number of bathrooms
    • 2
    • Healthy Home Materials
    • Cross flow ventilation
      Low VOC paints/sealer/varnish
      Natural light and ventilation
GARDEN AND WASTE REDUCTION
    • Garden / Outdoors
    • Native plants
      Water wise plants
HEALTHY HOME FEATURES
    • Healthy home features
    • Cross flow ventilation
      Low VOC paints/sealer/varnish
      Natural light and ventilation
Location
Wurtulla QLD 4575
    • Housing Type:
    • Standalone House
    • Project Type:
    • Renovation
    • Builder
    • Stalwart Constructions
    • Designer
    • Maytree Studios

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