Green Magazine #67 May-June 2019

editorial

The four houses in this issue either draw on – or expand upon – archetypal Australian architecture, with an emphasis on simplicity and modesty, as well as energy production and preservation. On a 3.8-metre wide site in inner Sydney, Anderson Architecture has built a modern terrace using the boundary walls to create thermal mass and a sloping roofline encasing high volumes for light gain. This modern interpretation of a Victorian-era home comes with an eight-star NatHERS rating (pg 36). Meanwhile in Brisbane, Bligh Graham Architects has made space for a growing family, with minimal increase to the footprint of a classic Queenslander. At the same time it sought to give back to the neighbourhood by designing a theatrical tower viewable from the street (pg 52). A line of timber pavilions linked by…

upfront

Perspective “S-1500” chair was conceived to change the public’s attitude towards used plastic – from perceiving it as waste, to seeing it as a valuable resource. Together with furniture manufacturer Nordic Comfort Products, Snøhetta developed a chair made from 100 per cent recycled plastic sourced from the local fish farming industry in north Norway. Colour us impressed. snohetta.com ncp.no Sculpted These shapely glazed stoneware vessels from Melbourne ceramicists, Clay Canoe, are striking enough to be displayed au naturel – although one can fill them with flowers and plants if the heart desires. claycanoe.com.au Weave These vibrant handwoven pendant lights are latest addition to a collection of Tili Wiru lights developed by Koskela in collaboration with the Tjanpi Desert Weavers. Woven from tjanpi (meaning grass in Pitjantjatjara language), each pendant is a one-off creation by a…

front /centre

Denfair’s Front / Centre competition has returned for 2019, reaffirming a commendable commitment to Australian emerging design and creating accessible pathways for those who create it. We’ve selected a few standouts from this year’s finalists. 1 Makiko Ryujin The “Shinki Burning Vessels” are concerned with the uncontrolled, transformative nature of fire. After fashioning the timber pieces, Makiko surrenders her work to the flames and the result is something spectacular. makikoryujin.com 2 Mathieu Cottin French-born Mathieu aims to create furniture that generates interest. “Astro” certainly does just that – its two front doors are encrusted with leather, adding texture to this eye-catching geometric design. frenchdeconected@gmail.com 3 Stephen Roy Stephen Roy describes the “The Arc Wardrobe” as “a minimalist response to today’s growing trend in semi-permanent living”. The piece’s sweeping curves, luxurious full-length bronze mirror and patterned framework…

waste not, want not

Are you a part of a cyclical iteration of style? That’s what co-curators Dale Hardiman and Tom Skeehan, the duo behind process-based design studio Friends & Associates, asked of the creative practitioners exhibiting in their 2019 Melbourne Design Week show Welcome to Wasteland. By which they meant, are you contributing to the design cycle that has been adding to the world’s waste problem for decades or are you, in some way, attempting to counteract your footprint? It’s a potent question and it’s important to understand its context. In 2018, Australia was forced to stop exporting much of its recycled waste to China, which has led to a landfill problem that many other countries already face. For Dale and Tom, news of this issue prompted them to think about their material privilege…

striking a balance

FRESH This retrofit of an existing apartment called for inserting a new layout into the original shell that better met the needs of a growing family. Accordingly, materials were chosen that could withstand “the bumps and knocks of daily life” while ageing gracefully. Also crucial was engaging with local fabricators and craftsmen, the fine work of whom is not least on display in the bathroom. A soothing combination of greens and blues with timber and touches of brass suggest enduring sophistication. johnwardlearchitects.com Specs • Tiles INAX Yohen Border from Artedomus • Tapware Astra Walker “Eco Brass” finish • Vanity unit European oak panels produced by Charles Sandford Wood Turning & Joinery • Basin Rogerseller handmade over counter top basin HOMAGE Belonging to a Victorian beach property, this bathroom is inspired by its coastal context. The tight master ensuite…

changing tune

Built in the late nineteenth-century, unaltered terrace houses aren’t big on passive solar design. They are notoriously dark with a compartmentalised and often less than functional layout. The terrace house typology, however – long, thin, two or three storeys high and with only two exposed façades – has inherent attributes for passive solar design when renovated or redesigned. This is the case in Glebe, Sydney, where Anderson Architecture designed a modern terrace house, achieving an eight-star NatHERS (Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme) thermal performance rating. Located on a narrow, sloping site, the original house lacked natural light, ventilation and the bathroom was two flights of stairs below the bedroom. The owners, Julianne and Andrew, wanting a more sustainable house, contacted Anderson Architecture because of its environmental credentials. “We wanted something that…