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Rolleston House

exterior view from front

Eco house image: exterior view from front

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The design takes some influences from Japanese architecture & Frank Lloyd Wright's Pairie Houses.

New Zealand > Canterbury > Rolleston

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Property Details
Land area:   2550 m2
Building area:   336 m2
Date built:   2008
Bedrooms:   4
Bathrooms:   3
Living areas:   2
 

Property Features
Study / office
 

Description

Sustainability and energy efficiency of this home were priorities for the owners, migrating from England. The design by Bob Burnett Architecture won the Sustainability Award in the 2008 ADNZ Resene Regional Design Awards. It also won the Bathroom Award and it was a finalist in other categories, New Single Dwelling Award over 250 sqm and Residential Interiors Award.

The home is super insulated using thick woolfibre insultion and designed to capture the sun. An internal courtyard with stone heat-sink walls and roof louvres acts as a solar room and captures the suns. The lourves can also be opened for cooling. Elsewhere there are other stone heat sink walls. Materials have been chosen based on sustainability. LVL Hyspan beams have been utilized as these are a more sustainable material than steel. The entire home has T&G bamboo flooring with the exception of the foyer and wet areas which are tiled. The floor slab is extra thick for thermal mass and has a thermal break detail to the perimeter to ensure there is no thermal bridging or leakage. The slab has 100mm of foam insulation under and is heated with a hydronic underfloor heating system which is powered by an air to water heat pump running on a time clock. The same heat pump system also heats the HWC which is at least 3 or 4 times the efficiency of an electric HWC and more if it is on a time clock. Plumbing and wiring has been installed for future solar panels. The windows have low e glass, argon gas double glazing. Lighting is high efficiency halogen and fluorescent fittings with many dimmable and switching wired for efficiency. The accessible toliet and back kitchen have Velux sun tunnels to provide natural daylight where there would otherwise be none. Low energy appliances have been selected. Showers are low flow and toilet cisterns are low water useage. The site is 2550sqm and the landscaping includes a vegetable/herb garden and propagating house, irrigation is from collected rain water stored in an under ground tank.

The design takes some influences from Japanese architecture. Materials and colours echo the Japanese aesthetic. Flooring throughout the entire home is high quality T&G bamboo with the exception of the foyer and wet areas which are tiled. Cladding is mostly Oamaru Stone with a flush monolithic appearance created by using large 650 x 390 blocks with flush mortar joins. Linea board on high level walls and as a continuous band between the Oamaru stone and the roof accentuates the horizontal form and lengthens very large roof overhangs.

A large entry foyer that doubles as the clients waiting area has a high coved ceiling and large square box roof light over. To left the large office for the practice and an accessible WC. Through electronic double doors and a passage lined with Oamura stone you progress to the main living dining kitchen area which is double height and connects to an internal courtyard and then a large deck. The courtyard with stone heat-sink walls made from Oamaru Stone has an opening roof with louvers.

The house has a varied ceiling heights made possible by the innovative roof design which helps create different feels in each area. The main living space has a double height ceiling creating a very airy feel.

A door in the corridor separates the private back end of the home. The master suite has a library and courtyard between the bedroom and ensuite, which has a spa bath with skylight over for looking at the stars.

 
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