home as project house

Said friend Florence (name has been changed) is a business professional and still recent graduate who is building a home in a newly developed estate by Stocklands, south of the river.  The particulars are; the home is a land and house package by Ideal Homes, block is 320m2 and house is 136m2 (total area of 182m2 with covered open spaces; garage and alfresco).  The home is a standard design for a 280m2 block and therefore, Florence has more garden than would be usual.  The total package has cost approximately $370,000 (inclusive of home, land and design variations).

I have asked Florence to share some insights into the process and reflect on her experiences on the murky topic of; building with a project home company.

[Image Google Maps of Perth Suburbia]

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Fiction architecture & a popcorn article

I just wanted to share my latest crushes (architectural of course).  It was either trying to articulate my rage at the many failings of this profession or posting about my new inspirations, I have chosen the later.

The title is borrowed from a theory pioneered or borrowed and at the very least propagated by Thornton Architecture.  The title is pretty apt for these whimsical projects.

Firstly Andrew Maynard Architects.  I recently spent a while looking through this practice's website after ADR published 'Hill House'.  Not my favourite as published on their website but the humour and sleek detailing does appeal and nicely shown in other works;

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LOW CARBON, LOW COST HOUSING: IS IT POSSIBLE? a Dutch answer from the field.

Presenter: Rein Buur
Date: Thrusday, May 31
Time: 11:30-12:30pm. Please join us for morning tea at 11.00am
Venue: CUSP Shed, CUSP Office, 3 Pakenhan Street, Fremantle

The financial crisis is hitting hard in Europe, especially affecting the building sector. Consumer confidence is low and lending criteria for home loans have become very strict. The economy is stagnating while the ambitions for sustainability are still high. One of the biggest challenges in the Netherlands is thus to make sustainable houses affordable.

Solutions are not only to be found through technological innovation, since most of the technology is already available. It is important to incorporate green technology into the design from the start. In addition, supply chain integration and applying Lean principles contribute to a more efficient building process. This can be achieved by offsite production, using BIM to reduce failure costs, and the willingness of companies to share knowledge and profit.  These ingredients are the key to create a budget for sustainable houses.

An example from the field is a residential project in Amsterdam (460 houses), called ‘Co-Green, Stadstuin Overtoom’. The focus of this project is more than low carbon low cost housing alone. Another aspect is closed-loop design, meaning that demolition material is re-used. Finally, the transition of a post-World War II suburb with social problems brings the challenge to create a better living environment.

All in all an interesting answer from the field to make cities more resilient.

About the presenter:

Rein Buur

Rein is an architect from the Netherlands. He has over 12 years experience in designing residential projects. First at KOW Architecture in The Hague, as senior architect responsible for the business unit residential buildings, and now working at Groosman Partners in Rotterdam. He is currently visiting Western Australia with his family, having a sabbatical leave.