a unique solution

we have a tiny amount of money to start updating the house

on thursday, ben statkus came over to give the house the once over
the practice is just around the corner in simpson st, northcote

some of the builds that caught our interest
music room in northcote

Owner Testimonial

We own a house in Northcote, Melbourne and engaged Ben Statkus of Statkus Architecture to design and project manage a renovation and studio extension on our 1920s weatherboard house in 2009.

The brief was to design a stand alone studio in our backyard with two rooms, one of which could be used as a music studio and the other as a study/spare room. We also wanted the existing laundry in the main part of the house renovated and the studio and old part of the house tied together in some way.

Ben came up with a design that more than met this brief. His design was modern and exciting and it has opened up our house considerably. The stand alone studio has become a great feature of our house whilst still maintaining a link with the 1920s original house through the use of a deck and pergola. Visitors who come to our house always comment on how interesting the design is and how fantastic it all looks.

We found Ben to be very dedicated to coming up with a design that would suit us and our needs. He was very thorough and easy to work with as we discussed the design as it progressed. Once building commenced, his input into the process was invaluable and he gave us more assistance when it emerged we needed to do some unforeseen work on our foundations of our existing house.

It has been a pleasure using the space Ben designed and we are looking forward to enjoying it for many years to come.

this one in macclesfield

xx

in situ

there's a new book out,

a place in the sun, architecture designed for australia and new zealand

by stuart harrison, one of the blokes from the architects radio show

the piece in design files includes a link to HAW architects with this kooky xmas card

also a talk fest photo including shelley penn - i clicked on her name wondering where it would take me, a page with an article by her, linking housing affordability with sustainability

one of the interview questions was where was his best meal, answer: Rose Garden BBQ Shop

build me up, flat in argentina

story about a flat in argentina, sourcing recycled materials (inhabitat)

archicentre

we rang archicentre and had an interview to find out what architect would be right for us
small house
sustainable renovation
ground floor only (probably)
move the kitchen, new bathroom
flexible living areas, with possibility of working from home
currently using space creatively
sky lights, more light ...
etc
yesterday, we received a call from mary ann jackson.
at first it took a while to find information, marian, marion, maryanne, maryann, mary anne, finally there she was, mary ann jackson

she and her partner have a company called visionary design development
while mary ann is an architect/designer, her partner is a vision scientist
they do "good work" - designing for people with diverse abilities, doing volunteer work in south america, and in sri lanka,
they list permaculture, art and community development on their website; they understand "affordability"
Long-Life Loose-Fit
Bedroom 3 could permanently be the ‘family room’ as many families will be a couple with only one child. Bedroom 1 could become a home office. As residents age or become emptynester/lone person households, disused rooms can be shut off reducing utility bills.
The ceiling system means that the internal walls can be moved around without needing to replaster.


I found a really good description, on a site called Building a Better Future, on the Stories page

What initially attracted you to this job, career or industry?
Watching and learning from Dad on the family farm. He was ingenious. Often he would need a very specialized piece of equipment to perform a specific task, but of course it would never be available ‘off the floor’. He would buy something close to what he wanted, get out the drawing board and T-square and draw up the modifications that he needed. Then down to the machine shed to bend, fold, drill – construct. As a kid I thought it was pretty cool to design and build your own things - and I still do!

other ways of living

a nice interpretation of nesting boxes

(1) pallet pavillion

i love the quality of light, as well as the sinous curve

(2) an eco-emergency house (made from pallets)

i expect it's both ecologically sustaiable in its build, and made for environmental emergencies

(3) design build bluff
houses designed by students from the university of utah, with a focus on creating sustainable, affordable housing, as well as utilising the pallet aesthetic
reading alcove

(4) pallet theatre

a recylced cardboard house!

and a "garden of knowledge" - recycled knowledge, made of second hand books

planet 9

planet architecture
an architecture firm that understands that small renovations happen fees - Small……………………………………$1,390

10 tips for a sustainable house

speed dating about architecture

chatting up architects about sustainable design as part of the state of design festival 2010

Do you have plans for a new green home? Are you looking to renovate your house to make it more sustainable? Bring in your plans or ideas and talk to Australia’s leading sustainable architects and designers. 10 minute slots per ‘couple’ – all questions asked and answered!

exhibition buildings

saturday, 17 july

third ecology 2.20 pm

lifehouse design 2.40 pm

at the bottom of the garden

i saw this today, and loved the idea of a cubby at the bottom of the garden

made by canadians,
i like the kooky ikea-esque storage in the kitchen
see more on the tour

or images via inhabitat's gallery

i suppose there are australian versions of these (in fact i know there are) but not sure if they're as cute as this

sustaining your interest

pumphouse design do sustainable & interesting building/design work

jane & brendan are getting their house done by them, up in castlemaine (or outskirts)

eco-cubby directory of designers and architects

ooh eco-cubby


i like this, ed ewers
uncle trev's house (hobart)









but i really like this mob,
rexroth mannasmann... collective

create space

close up #1 re
close up #2 ce
close up #3c r

another kind of cubbyhouse completely, by wood&landscaper, greg hattan

looking for good design

arcokay, search on google: recommend architect melbourne (sustainable OR recycled)

sustainable elm & willow house

green house (zen architects)

another zen project, flexible house

visiting sustainable houses in melbourne - Sunday 13th Sept ‘09, 10am – 4pm, FREE entry, no need to book you can just show up!

article on shmeco: i want a sustainable house, how do i start?

excerpts,

The design process

There are three possible approaches to design:
*do it all yourself
*engage a designer/architect to create the whole design to your basic requirements
*engage a designer/architect to work with you.
The third option covers a range of possibilities and needs a negotiated working relationship that’s manageable and trusting. A designer’s professional reputation depends on how well his/her designs perform. They won’t compromise effective passive solar design because the owner insists on a certain orientation or huge windows just to obtain a good view of the vineyards.
Before engaging a designer:
$decide your budget
&outline your needs
Ensure you’ve ‘learned the concepts’ as above. Ask around.

Find a designer/architect

Check the names of designers and architects listed in Sustainable House Day entries or in Sanctuary and other publications. Look at their websites. Ask for to see examples of their work – plans, photos, descriptions, specifications, performance data. Talk to them about their special interests and recommendations. An introduction to a satisfied owner and a tour of their home would be ideal. Some designers are noted for their affordable designs, others for their individualistic styles and their website and examples should indicate this. Ask for a cost guideline for design and building. This is usually expressed as dollars per unit of area.

Find a builder

What are the special qualities of a builder? What’s different about building an energy efficient versus a traditional home? Some of the factors are as follows: Walls and ceilings of energy efficient homes have better insulation than traditional buildings. This usually means thicker batts so wall frames and ceiling joists need to be of larger section than usual. These are available from timber yards but some extra work is involved in cost estimation and construction.
There may be extra layers of other insulation and air gaps to be incorporated. Because walls are thicker, room dimensions may be affected and standard size wall panels may need to be cut to fit. The use of environmentally friendly adhesives, particle board bonding agents and paints means more hunting around and head scratching for the builder whose main concerns are usually structural strength and wearability. Each time the builder encounters an obstacle, there’s a delay to evaluate the alternatives and discuss with the owner. As the factors to be considered include energy efficiency, waste minimisation and eco-friendly methods and materials – as well as cost - this can become an involved process. It’s far easier for the builder to rely on previous experience and go with the quickest and cheapest solution.
There must be some understanding between owner and builder whereby the owner accepts they are imposing special conditions on the contract and is prepared to pay more for these to be met. The builder accepts that the project could take more time and must be prepared to work through problems to the owner’s satisfaction on the understanding that this will be paid for. The builder should realise that a successful outcome – a manageable house with a happy owner – will enhance their reputation as a builder of sustainable homes.
Personal recommendation is more valuable than any form of business promotion. Spending an extra hour or two solving a problem with the owner costs far less than a newspaper advert and the return in terms of extra business is far greater. So find a builder via personal recommendation if possible. Check similar sources to those mentioned for finding a designer. Check the Master Builders’ Association for a register of trained ‘eco builders’ and the Master Plumbers’ Association for ‘eco plumbers’.

Manage the project

Managing the project means converting the design into reality. This includes obtaining approvals, engaging the different trades, coordinating their activities and paying them as work progresses, nagging them if it doesn’t, solving problems, checking compliance with codes and standards and a host of other things through to practical completion. You can engage a builder who will manage the project or do it yourself.
Doing it yourself can save money or can get you into trouble and cost more money. Several SHD owners report having managed the project themselves - presumably successfully as the houses were safely opened on the day. None of these people had managed building projects before but all had gone into it in an organised, pre-planned manner. They were prepared for some give and take with tradespeople and weren’t in a mad rush to meet deadlines. Also they were ready to do some unskilled hands-on work themselves.
One owner reported that she’d developed a set of questions to check the eco-knowledge and experience of tradespeople before selecting them. After engaging them she did odd jobs such as tidying up, spreading gravel, breaking up old concrete and other tasks requiring no great skills. This created goodwill and tradespeople reciprocated by doing minor extra work free of charge.

architects...from sustainable house day 2009
Sunpower Design [knoxfield]

BP Architects (Bridget Puszka) – [cheltenham]

Positive Footprints (Chi Lu) [altona meadows]

Steffen Welsch Architects - [thornbury > article]

house in belmont

**your home technical manual (4th ed)

***your home - renovator's guide