The Hütt 01 Passivhaus

2022 National Architecture Awards: National Award for Sustainable Architecture

The Hütt 01 Passivhaus | Melbourne Design Studios (MDS)

Traditional Land Owners: Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Eastern Kulin Nation

The Hütt 01 Passivhaus regenerates a forgotten piece of land in the middle of Melbourne’s urban jungle, creating a ‘wedge of calm’. It is a building that not only provides a healthy home for the people living in it but a building that is good for the planet also, a building that creates more energy than it uses. The architects call it TMRW by Hütt : A Beacon of Hope for the Future. Or simply put : An inspirational response to the challenges facing the built environment in a changing world.

The journey of our Hütt 01 Passivhaus coming to life was followed by Grand Designs Australia (Series 9, Episode 8). Below is a link below with some snippets and extracts (Video not for Publication), but the full version can also be watched online.

JURY CITATION

With humans already occupying more than their fair share of the earth’s biosystems, it is time for us to use our projects to help remediate and improve damaged land in locations already well-serviced by transport, shops and communal facilities.

The Hütt 01 Passivhaus does this, using its clever design and high-performing building envelope to enable great amenity. Considerable care and enthusiasm have been applied to every aspect of this project. The house, built from lime-washed, exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT), with triple-glazed windows and doors, incorporates beautiful courtyards and roof gardens along with fun and joyful nooks for all family members. The garden, enclosed from the laneway with recycled bricks (sources all logged), encompasses water tanks, a natural pool with fish, aquaponic and standard food gardens, fruit trees, and places to sit and enjoy the northerly aspect.

Aiming to create a lighthouse for the future, the architect/client hope that the cost of similar projects will decrease as this approach is normalized. By inspiring others with their design, they’re surely aiding this process.

Client perspective:
How does the design benefit the way you live/work/play/operate/educate/other?

The home is flooded with natural northern light, an aspect we absolutely love. The dynamics of the house live off the balance between inside & out, between nature & human-made and between communal and private spaces. The biophilic design approach ensures connection to nature is eminent throughout the building.
The adjacent trainline, while shut out acoustically through superior construction methods/materials, is part of the setting. Our home connects not only to the suburb’s past, but also to our future, inspiring and showcasing a better way of building, and a more sustainable way of living in a net zero energy home in Melbourne.

Practice team:

Felicity Bernstein, Interior Design Lead & Design Director, Project Management, Owner-Builder
Marc Bernstein-Hussmann, Project Director, Project Architect

Builder:

Home by Hütt in collaboration with G-LUX Builders and owner-builder

Construction team:

Eckersley Garden Architecture, Landscape Consultant
Clare Parry, Life Cycle Assessment, Passive House Specialist and Certifier
Dobbs Doherty, Fire Engineering
MDS, Thermal Performance Assessor & PHPP (Passivhaus) Consultant
MDS, ESD Consultant
Marci Webster-Mannison (MDS) in conjunction with Marc Noyce (Biofilta.com.au), Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD)
Conti Group, Building Surveyor
GCE Consulting Engineers, Structural Engineer