Ideas & Advice
Design workshop: Down by the river
Having lived in their beloved riverside suburb of Melbourne for ten years, Rowan Doyle and Fiona Cock are planning an updated, more flood-resilient home to accommodate changing family needs. They are interested in prefabrication and Passive House; Sven Maxa of Maxa Design is knowledgeable about both, and gives them some pointers.
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Design workshop
Design workshop: new house from the old
On Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Lisa Hartmann and Kurt Weinert are planning to deconstruct their ageing, inefficient house and use the materials to build a sustainable new family home. Experienced in the use of recycled materials, Peter McArdle of ptma Architecture gives the couple some pointers.
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Design workshop
Design Workshop: Garage to granny flat
Alicia Brown and Marc Horler are planning to retrofit the red brick garage in their backyard as a temporary living space for their family during house renovations, with an eye to creating a useful ‘granny flat’ for the future too. Building designer Elizabeth Wheeler of Future Focused advises them on a workable layout and what they can achieve with their budget while complying with local regulations.
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Design workshop
Design workshop: Connecting indoors and out
Libby Kartzoff and her husband Gary Fry are planning a renovation of their 1950s home on the mid-north coast of New South Wales.
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Design workshop
Design workshop: Making space for family and friends
Anaise and Martin Cotrell are in the planning stages of extending their 1950s double brick home in Adelaide to provide more living space for their family of five. Paul Worroll of Reddog Architects offers an alternative, pavilion-based design.
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Design workshop
Design workshop: A better beach shack
Uta Green of Green Design Architects in Tasmania offers suggestions for how a 1950s beachside shack can be renovated for better thermal efficiency, including options for a low-budget retrofit or a modest extension.
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Design workshop
Design workshop: Wetland retreat
Kane and Cherie Morley are planning to owner-build their long-awaited strawbale home with wetland views south of Perth. Local sustainability specialists Sid Thoo and Alex Raynes-Goldie help them fine-tune their design.
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Design workshop
Design workshop: Slow transformation
How can this much-loved workhorse of a farmhouse best be upgraded to provide more comfortable living?
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Design workshop
Design workshop: Modular mountain magic
A house designed around a series of modular units seems like a great solution for this holiday home in Victoria’s alpine region.
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Design workshop
Design workshop: A private sanctuary for retirement
After a busy farming life, Karin and Bruce Glen are looking forward to moving into town, downsizing, and having more time for gardening, entertaining friends and travel.
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Design workshop
Design workshop: Passive solar strawbale
Leaving their busy city lives behind them, Lisa and Shawn are planning an energy-efficient strawbale home and productive permaculture garden on their newly purchased block in the Blue Mountains.
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