Straw bale and rammed earth house

Ryan Residence, King Scrub QLD

This highly energy-efficient and low-impact house is oriented north-north east to accomplish several things – providing excellent solar access for the winter months and effective sun shading for the summer months, taking advantage of shading from the hills to the east, taking in the view of the hills, and providing privacy to the main outdoor living area and planned future outdoor spaces in what was formerly an open paddock.

The design takes a relaxed but effective approach to zoning of the internal space between parents' and children's areas with the ability to control the separation to adapt to various situations – the lounge room and playroom both join onto an external courtyard with sightlines between these three areas carefully considered.

The entire space can be easily joined together by way of stacking doors when desired or closed for noise control without losing the visual connections.

The courtyard is wrapped by the house on three sides with the north side open to the sun and view. Its roof is raised above the main house roof to provide effective ventilation to this area as well as creating a light and airy feel. The overhangs of the courtyard roof are sized such that this outdoor area can be used in all but the most extreme weather conditions.

This house will appear in an update to the influential book, Warm House Cool House by Nick Hollo, due to be published in November 2011.