A self-sustaining sanctuary in urban Sydney
This award-winning home places sustainability at the heart of its design, making it the perfect off-grid retreat from the world.
The home of Sydney couple Geoff and Julia proves you can still “live off the land” in the midst of a concrete jungle. By incorporating green technologies and even small-scale food production into their inner-Sydney terrace, the pair can find everything they need within their own walls.
Architect Clinton Cole, founder of CplusC Architectural Workshop, said the incorporation of permaculture was a vital part of the design brief for the home, dubbed Aquas Perma Solar Firma.
The ‘Aquas Perma Solar Firma’ home has sustainability and permaculture at its core. Picture: Murray Fredericks
“They wanted to live there forever, and they wanted to live as off-grid as possible,” Clinton said of his clients.
“I’ve always been interested in sustainability and we’ve employed [sustainable principals] on many projects, but this was the first time we’d had such a comprehensive brief in regard to sustainability and permaculture.”
The home’s food production efforts start with veggie gardens, which are also ‘self-watering’ wicking bed systems, making them more water efficient than your typical greenery.
Geoff and Julia also have a few chooks roaming the yard, which also produce fresh eggs for a perfect cafe-worthy breakfast.
The length backyard is full of sustainable perks, including a few chooks. Picture: Murray Fredericks
There’s also a compost system, worm farm and a aquaponics system to grow fish and a garden simultaneously. With aquaponics, the garden bed sits on top of a fish tank, with the plants acting to purify the water and the waste from the fish being converted back into fertiliser for the plants.
The sustainability slant doesn’t stop there either. Geoff and Julia have a 5000 litre underground rainwater tank to capture and produce their water. They also have a 3kW solar energy system, and an evacuated tube solar water heating system.
Indoor/outdoor entertaining is perfect for more sociable times. Picture: Murray Fredericks
As with many terrace homes, one of the home’s major architectural challenges was introducing more natural light and air flow.
“The first thing we did was look at how we could get light into the guts of the floor plan. So, we introduce the atrium into the centre of the floor plan. We did that by removing the stairs, which we put into the front yard,” Clinton explains.
The stairs were removed form the centre of the home and a spiral staircase placed in the ‘front yard’. Picture: Murray Fredericks
While there is great airflow thanks to the open plan and the atrium, the rooms can still be closed off when desired.
“[Geoff and Julia] wanted separation from their kitchen/dining and living spaces. They also still wanted spaces where they could be separate to each other,” Clinton explains.
The different areas of the home can be closed off to help with privacy and energy efficiency. Picture: Murray Fredericks
“There is a sliding door that closes off the living room, and that is also for heating as well. So, the building is able to be compartmentalised to reduce heating and cooling costs, and also so they can have their own space.
“If you’ve got a cookie-cutter, open plan living/dining/kitchen, there’s no breakaway space. You either go to your bedroom to get away or you’re ‘stuck’ together. So it’s important to have that separation in what is otherwise a small footprint home.”
Who needs a big front yard when you have an atrium inside and a garden out back? Picture: Murray Fredericks
With all this in place, it’s not a surprise the Aquas Perma Solar Firma house has won a series of architectural awards, including an International Interior Green Award and a Sustainable Building Award for its innovative, eco-friendly design.
All images supplied by CplusC Architectural Workshop. Photographed by Murray Fredericks.
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