Worimi
New South Wales
Olive Tree House is a new urban infill project, it has been designed to challenge the Australian norm of housing, it is half the size of an average Australian home, sits on a site half the size of an average site and provides flexible rather than large spaces.
Situated within sight of Stockton beach and the Hunter River the house responds to the coastal location. Planned for the inevitable summer afternoons at the beach and winter afternoons on the deck the house is flexible and allows for parts of the house to be left open to catch the coastal breeze or connect to the winter sun. The mature Olive tree is retained to provide shade and habitat for the site.
It is a small house in which every metre works hard to provide quality living spaces.
Award for Sustainable Architecture
Olive Tree House is an innovative two-storey single-family home of modest size, on a vacant portion of an urban block, creating inside/outside living options. The house opens up and closes down, responding well to orientation and sun control, and catching the coastal breezes.
North to the street with a wide side lane to the west, the house is configurated around an outside living deck and existing olive tree. The lower floor is concrete and combines with an elevated roof garden over the living room to deliver effective thermal mass.
Strategically positioned high level opening apertures allow heat to escape. Solar panels on the roof, all-electric appliances, underfloor heating and hot water by electric heat pump enable the house to be energy neutral in operation.
The house has really changed how we live, the flexibility of the plan makes entertaining just as easy as day to day living. I love how the house engages with the street and doesn’t dominate the streetscape.
As a non designer I was originally hesitant designing to the western lane however the borrowed views to the laneway are great and the house is well shaded by the olive tree, timber batten screening and external blinds.
I like the connection to the old house; the use of familiar materials and the new security screen is an interpretation of the neighbouring front door.