Solar Powered Kangaroo Valley House
Posted By Jorge Chapa On April 9, 2009 @ 11:00 am In Architecture,Sustainable Building | 3 Comments
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Situated amidst 100 acres of scenic views, rainforest [5], and flowing water, this gorgeous solar-powered [6] residence stands perched above Australia [7]‘s Kangaroo Valley. Faced with an incredible natural site, Tom White and Alexander Michael’s home incorporates simple, robust materials [8] while practically floats among the clouds.
Located in two hours south of Sydney [9], the Kangaroo Valley house is twenty meters long and 7 meters wide. It was built out of simple readily available materials (concrete [10], steel, glass and timber), not so much because the builders wished to make a statement, but for practical reasons. In order to get to the site the construction crew had to drive along a precarious winding path, so the project’s robust form and straightforward assembly was a boon.
The house is divided into a living area and two individual bedrooms. The living area takes the form of a simple rectangular square with one solid wall and retractable glass all around. The single-span composite timber beams support the photovoltaic-laden roof [11], which is angled into a V-shape to improve the efficiency of the building. The butterfly-shaped roof also acts as as a sunshade and shelter while serving to support the building underneath. A lovely pond rounds out the project, which strives to strike a harmonious balance with its site.
Via Contemporist [13] and Notcot [14]
Article printed from Inhabitat – Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building: http://inhabitat.com
URL to article: http://inhabitat.com/the-solar-powered-wombat-towers-house/
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[3] Email: mailto:?subject=http://inhabitat.com/the-solar-powered-wombat-towers-house/
[4] Image: http://www.inhabitat.com/?p=23636
[5] rainforest: http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/02/21/eco-ewok-treehouses-finca-bellavista-sustainable-rainforest-community/
[6] solar-powered: http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/01/14/solar-ark-worlds-most-stunning-solar-building/
[7] Australia: http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/04/21/australias-most-sustainable-development-by-foster-nouvel/
[8] materials: http://www.inhabitat.com/category/materials/
[9] Sydney: http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/03/28/sydney-earth-hour-2009/
[10] concrete: http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/02/05/is-it-green-concrete/
[11] photovoltaic-laden roof: http://www.inhabitat.com/2005/06/10/solar-panel-roof-tiles/
[12] + Kangaroo Valley House: http://www.siloboy.com/site/Pages/portfolio07.html
[13] Contemporist: http://www.contemporist.com/2009/04/03/kangaroo-valley-house-by-alexander-michael/
[14] Notcot: http://www.notcot.org/post/20300/
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