Mud

CLIENT BRIEF
Client expressed the desire to be an owner builder with a restricted budget. There was an interest in passive solar principles incorporating mud-brick, however they did not want a slab, preferred high ceilings and were willing to do something a little different. Bush fire concerns were expressed.

DESIGN RESPONSE
Through consultation it was decided to break the construction process into three stages. Loan restructuring at the end of stage one allowed extending for the second bedroom. Posts and a removable wall could accommodate the final Stage.

Juxtaposed over a 900mm x 3.6M grid floor plan was a curved "Boomerang" roof. Curved walls utilising the plasticity of mud offsets the image of straight visual lines.

Most window panels are double glazed glass with the jarrah framing and other timber materials sourced from wholesale timber auctions. These were then incorporated into the design and took advantage of the thermal mass and passive solar qualities of mud-brick. This plus cladding with corrugated iron and cement sheet gave some radient fire protection.
Existing vegetation was retained, orientation and landscaping features were to Feng Shui principles and the overall design aimed at environmental sustainability that suited an owner-builder utilising local skilled/unskilled labour.