Jury citation
The (-) Glass House offers a demonstration of an alternative suburban model for tropical climates. The fundamental strategy is of living and circulation areas flowing outside but remaining under cover, minimizing the need for fully controlled environments drawing down on energy. In addition, the significant moves that have been made in terms of rainwater harvesting and photovoltaics enable a carbon-neutral operation.
Adaptive and responsive, pragmatic and innovative, the design has a clarity of approach that extends the domestic housing typology.
Read the project review by Shaneen Fantin for Houses.
Products and materials
- Roofing
- Lysaght Klip-Lok roof decking in Colorbond ‘Surfmist’.
- External and internal walls
- Tableland Concrete Blocks concrete masonry, stack bonded with raked joints; Cairns Steel Fabricators structural steel in Dulux Weathermax HBR finish.
- Windows
- Capral 900 Series sliding doors and 419 Flushline windows in anodized black.
- Doors
- Custom solid-core doors in Wattyl Estapol satin finish.
- Flooring
- Hanson exposed concrete, polished.
- Lighting
- LED lights.
- Kitchen
- Custom concrete benchtops, polished; Highland cooktop; Delonghi oven; Miele dishwasher.
- Bathroom
- Custom concrete benchtops; Reece fittings.
- Heating and cooling
- Daikin inverter ceiling-mounted airconditioner.
Credits
- Architect
- Charles Wright Architects
Port Douglas, Qld, Australia
- Project Team
- Charles Wright, Justine Wright, Katja Tsychkova, Richard Blight
- Consultants
-
Builder
La Spina Homes
Cost consultant Davis Langdon
Engineer G & A Consultants
Hydraulic consultant Gilboy Hydraulic Solutions
Landscaping Owner
- Site details
-
Location
Cairns,
Qld,
Australia
Site type Suburban
Site area 1522 m2
Building area 375 m2
Category Residential buildings
Type Houses, Residential
- Project Details
-
Status
Built
Design, documentation 6 months
Construction 12 months
Source
Award
Published online: 7 Nov 2013
Words:
National Architecture Awards Jury 2013
Images:
Patrick Bingham-Hall
Issue
Architecture Australia, November 2013
