Small extensions and building work.
Small extensions and building work.
As an architect, you consider many things before starting any design. Here are some to consider before you start.
As an architect, you consider many things before starting any design. Here are some things to consider before you start.
What is the problem I am trying to solve?
What direction do you face?
North, south, east and west have benefits and disadvantages, though north (in the southern hemisphere) is generally best for most purposes.
Is the budget critical, or is the solution more important?
No fence-sitting.
How does your floor level relate to the ground?
You are well raised off the ground (at least 0.5 meters), or will you need to retain some soil.
Do you need to improve the connection between existing spaces?
Inside and out, or up and down?
Is there a particular item (e.g. furniture) you are trying to accommodate?
Where will you need new walls, or would drop-down blinds work?
How will any new roof be attached to an existing top?
What sort of lighting/atmosphere are you trying to achieve?
How will you address natural light and ventilation?
If you can answer these, you should be well on your way to designing your little extension.
Around every corner…
… there is the opportunity for design to make it surprising, beautiful and memorable.
Strawbale homes
With the increase in sustainable buildings and a seemingly exponential increase in product development, I was recently asked about strawbale houses, so I thought it was worth revisiting strawbale construction to see where it sits in 2022.
Firstly, building a house in Australia will require complying with numerous regulations and standards. A number of these are aligned to typical veneer construction methodology, i.e. an internal structural frame with the external cladding (think your standard brick house, where the bricks are just skin and carry no load except their own). When you build with Strawbale, Hempcrete, Timbercrete, Mudbrick, Rammed earth or SIP's you are working outside 'the box', so you will need to be prepared to hear a lot of 'it can't be done' or 'why would you do that. In return, though, what you get is a beautiful, handcrafted sustainable home.
A strawbale house may cost the same if not more than the conventional house, with strawbale walls themselves only making up 14-20% of the total cost of a building. (https://houseofbales.com.au/q-and-a.html) They are typically built like giant bricks attached to a frame, finished with a heavy coat of render to protect them from the elements, which gives them their distinct shape.
The bales themselves are construction grade, meaning you are generally not getting them directly from the farmer next door. Like clay and mudbrick houses, moisture levels and compaction are critical to ensure a quality end product. But unlike these houses, a strawbale is typically using a waste product.
Design: You are essentially building with an oversize brick. The designs have similar constraints as clay brick, like moving between Lego and Duplo. The primary advantage of a strawbale design is its thermal properties. A typical straw bale wall has an R-value greater than 7 (https://www.yourhome.gov.au/materials/straw-bale) significantly greater than clay, mudbrick or even hempcrete. Therefore it lends itself to energy-efficient or even passive home design. The construction method is pretty straightforward, allowing owner-builders or community groups to enjoy creating a shelter. Its distinct wall thickness allows for a roundness to the wall and a gentle aesthetic contrasting against many of modern architecture's hard, sharp lines.
In summary, when complete, a strawbale home will have significant annual energy savings through high insulation to the external walls. It makes use of a waste product and unskilled labour. While unlikely to be a frugal build, it provides a unique aesthetic and artisan quality that appeals to many.
Reference:
https://www.yourhome.gov.au/materials/straw-bale
https://www.hempcrete.com.au/
https://www.postbeam.com.au/building-materials/strawbale-building
The modern basement
It all begins with an idea.
On the surface, it’s a hole in the ground similar to the cellars of the Victorian era hundreds of years ago. But in these modern times, it has become so much more. Gone are the days of ducking your head as you make your way down some brick steps to a small damp room. Nowadays, if you’re building a basement, not only would it be a cool store, but often a workshop, gym, garage, even a steam room, the possibilities are endless. But with this, the structural requirements become much more complicated than their Victorian relatives. Once a space is livable, you will need light and air to ensure enough ventilation and a healthy environment. Will it need a lift or a ramp? How are you going to keep it dry? Basements can be beautiful things but don’t mistake the simplicity of digging a hole for the complexity of living underground.
Water and flooding
It all begins with an idea.
Flooding is a growing concern in several areas, and with the backdrop of a changing climate, it will likely increase. When designing, several things need to be considered on a site that has been highlighted as subject to flooding in a one in one hundred year storm. Firstly, where are the floodwaters coming from?
What building can be built on the site?
What have the neighbours done?
Are there other risks to building in that area?
Discovering these answers will lead to what should be built on the site. Some challenges may be too significant, or some sites may not be feasible to build commercially. Others may require a slight modification to the brief. The key is to pull back to get as big a picture as possible, make considered decisions and take it one step at a time.
