Self-Sufficient House

Off-grid passive design house that meets living building challenge standard.

Location: Lilydale, Victoria, Australia
Architect: Madina Zhazylbekova

The design of the house is based on the requirements of living building challenge and reduces architecture to its essential qualities. The place-based design underlies environmental conditions such as topography, vegetation and climate. The elevated structure of the house enhances natural ventilation, maximizes views and minimizes the impact on soil. The space underneath the ground level operates as a mechanical floor running different processes such as anaerobic digester, rainwater filtration, greywater distribution and home biogas production.

Due to the suitable orientation and high thermal mass of used materials, the house operates in thermal equilibrium where its energy losses are equal to the energy gained. High-level operable windows capture the winter sun and create cooling currents in summer, meanwhile aerated concrete with vacuum insulated panels helps to keep heat during the winter. In order to reduce summer temperatures and improve comfort, the west façade of the house is incorporated with sunshades and thick insulation boards.

The project uses sustainability as a form of moral beauty and explores the aesthetics governed by environmental conditions and scientific innovations.