Anna's House

Melbourne's leading sustainable building experts

Transformed a cold, leaky, dark and cramped home to a home of light, space and comfort, bringing Anna’s dream sustainable home to life.

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This renovation project maximised windows to invite the greenery of the garden into the home.

I remember visiting Anna on a cold Melbourne winters day, sitting in her cramped little kitchen drinking tea with our jackets on. Anna had long dreamed of a cosy, light-filled home but didn’t know where to start.

We engaged Gardiner Architects for the design and they were up for the challenge of transforming this north facing home into the dream sustainable home Anna had long desired.

A tight site with little access we’ve become accustomed to, presented its challenges yet again. On this occasion, in consultation with the Architect and Client it was decided to opted for a concrete slab rather than facing drainage issues on the low lying land.

The open plan, light-filled home maximise the northerly aspect with large windows. Windows were also maximised to the east to bring the greenery of the garden into the home.

Internally the home is complemented by recycled Messmate timber floorboards and an assortment of timber veneer benchtops throughout. This transformation is as far from the original as can be, from a cold, leaky, dark and cramped home. To a home of light, space and comfort with an earthy feel. Anna’s dream sustainable home is brought to life.

~ Simon Clarke
Managing Director
Meet our team

Project Features


Materials & ESD (Ecological Sustainable Development) Features

  • Small footprint with considerate and condensed design
  • Preservation of the heritage of the existing home
  • Cutek to cladding and timber windows
  • Ironbark and Blackbutt benchtops throughout
  • Silvertop Ash cladding
  • Recycled Messmate flooring
  • Bona Traffic HD (Water-based internal floorboard solution)

Passive Design Features

  • Central courtyard to allow the northern sun into the home in winter
  • Only 1 west facing window
  • Large north and east facing windows
  • North facing windows protected by large overhang

Heating and Cooling

  • Hydronic panel heating
  • Fans for cooling

Windows & Glazing

  • Double glazed timber windows - PEPC certified KD hardwood frame with blackbutt sills

Renewable energy

  • 4kwh solar system

Water Saving

  • Bosch Combi Boiler for hydronic heating and hot water usage
  • 1/2000L Slimline water tank with pump to flush toilets
  • WELS 4-star rated tapware throughout
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