Origami-Shaped "Beached House" Saves Energy Amid Australia's Idyllic Landscape

Sometimes you look at a house and the landscape that surrounds it and just think: wow, they totally belong together. That's exactly how we feel about BKK Architects' beautiful origami-shaped Beached House in Australia. An AIA award-winning, building set

Beached House by BKK Architects

1 of 13

Sometimes you look at a house and the landscape that surrounds it and just think: wow, they totally belong together. That's exactly how we feel about BKK Architects' beautiful origami-shaped Beached House in Australia. An AIA award-winning, timber-framed building set in coastal Victoria, the humble abode uses site orientation, glazing, passive design techniques and energy-efficient appliances to keep its carbon footprint to a minimum without compromising on its wide and playful expanse.

This origami-shaped home and this bucolic landscape belong together

Beached House by BKK Architects

2 of 13

This origami-shaped home and this bucolic landscape belong together

A timber framed home with 5 star energy ratings

Beached House by BKK Architects

3 of 13

A timber framed home with 5 star energy ratings

The Beached House in Victoria employs numerous tricks to boost its energy efficiency

Beached House by BKK Architects

4 of 13

The Beached House in Victoria employs numerous tricks to boost its energy efficiency

All of the home's windows are double glazed

Beached House by BKK Architects

5 of 13

All of the home's windows are double glazed

Which controls solar gain without interrupting light flow

Beached House by BKK Architects

6 of 13

Which controls solar gain without interrupting light flow

Roofed terraces provide shade and shelter

Beached House by BKK Architects

7 of 13

Roofed terraces provide shade and shelter

Thermal massing on the southern end is amped up

Beached House by BKK Architects

8 of 13

Thermal massing on the southern end is amped up

Keeping energy consumption low, even though the footprint is fairly substantial

Beached House by BKK Architects

9 of 13

Keeping energy consumption low, even though the footprint is fairly substantial

Beached House by BKK Architects

10 of 13

The vertical ash panels and diagonal zinc slats on the exterior emphasize the home's exciting origami shape, while the interior floors made of recycled timber gives it a warm and natural finish. All of the windows are double-glazed to control solar gain, while thermal massing on the southern end is amped up to further boost energy-efficiency. An outdoor storage system ensures that rainwater, which can be a scarce commodity in parts of Australia, is duly harvested and recycled. Although this is a luxury vacation lodge, great care has been taken to ensure that it sits in harmony with its serene landscape.

While the exterior zinc and ash panels - diagonally and vertically placed - emphasize the playful shape

Beached House by BKK Architects

11 of 13

While the exterior zinc and ash panels - diagonally and vertically placed - emphasize the playful shape

Rainwater is harvested and recycled

Beached House by BKK Architects

12 of 13

Rainwater is harvested and recycled

And water is heated using a heat exchangesystem

Beached House by BKK Architects

13 of 13

And water is heated using a heat exchangesystem

Origami-Shaped “Beached House” Saves Energy Amid Australia’s Idyllic Landscape

Architecture

Additional Resources

Energy Efficiency

LEAVE A COMMENT

SIGN UP

Already have an account? Log In

Energy Efficiency

LEAVE A COMMENT

Slideshow