Pretty perfect pavilion

A self-contained prefabricated pod extends the living space without impacting the landscape on Mark and Julie’s NSW South Coast property.

Compact and crafted

Taking cues from Japanese architecture, Condon Scott Architects crafted a compact small-footprint home in Wanaka, New Zealand, with a tight and considered floor plan and lots of smart storage.

Modest masterpiece

Simple, prefabricated construction and careful design enabled a spacious-feeling and high-performing home on a seriously tiny Perth site – all on a budget.

Playing for keeps

There’s nothing new under the sun at Ali and Clay’s Sunshine Coast home: they bought and transported an unloved old house and rejuvenated it with reclaimed and second-hand materials and vintage finds.

Space upgrade

Architect Emma Scragg designed a modest two-storey rear addition to a Brisbane home that has a large impact on how the homeowners live, and minimal impact on the existing house.

Stepping it up

This high-performing Sydney home employs a site-specific design that breaks out of the typical Passive House box while still achieving the energy efficiency and renewable energy requirements.

Sanctuary 56 out now: Sustainable House Day special

Sanctuary 56 is our annual Sustainable House Day special, tying in with this year’s event themes with deep dives into building and design, retrofitting, building materials and climate-resilient homes.

Sanctuary Issue 56

Laying the groundwork

Architect Simon Anderson experimented with creative and technical ideas for his own off-grid, bushfire-resistant home in the Blue Mountains, developing a successful prototype for client projects.

Signed, sealed, delivered

Prefabricated modular construction provided a simple and stress-free solution for this off-grid home on a spectacular site in the Snowy Mountains, New South Wales.

Mixed media

Chris and Jac staged the design and build of their eclectic off-grid pavilion house in the Gold Coast hinterland to manage the budget and adapt it to the changing needs of their expanding family.

Keeping the cottage

A renovation and small extension brings home the benefits of passive solar design for this Wollongong family.