Global Future Design Awards 2019
Third Award
Category: Housing
Firm: Kamermans Architects Ltd
Architect: Frans Kamermans
Country: New Zealand
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The owner wanted a house that reflected its rural New Zealand location. Local silos, barns and their materials/ construction details were part of the inspiration. The “silo” became the stairwell with a sloping roof to accommodate solar panels (not yet installed at the time the photo was taken) and the “barn” became the main building with wide eaves to control rain and summer/winter sun.
The brief was for three double bedrooms, an open plan lounge/ dining/ kitchen area two bathrooms, a separate laundry and a double carport.
Good connection to the man made lake with a jetty for boats and swimming.
The house had to be low energy use and naturally comfortable without a need for mechanical ventilation.
The design solution was to create a very sculptural North facing building with wide eaves to the North to allow the low winter sun deep into the building while excluding the high summer sun. Thus the insulated concrete floor slab absorbed and retained solar heat in winter while it remained shaded and pool during summer.
High level windows in the North facade induce natural (stack) ventilation. Solar panels on stairwell roof help reduce electrical utility consumption.
Water from the roof is harvested so that it can be used for potable & grey water as well as irrigation. During construction someone asked the builder ‘is this a sculpture or is it a house to live in’. The builder replied; ‘this is a ‘live-in’ sculpture’.
