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Lee Residence - "Wakool"

SunConscious Design took a site bordering a nature reserve in Tuggeranong (far south suburban Canberra) and created a curvaceous response to its Brindabella Ranges vista and the Macarthur Ridge Reserve landscape while building a home needing virtually no heating or cooling. Designer: Trevor Lee.

Various passive solar design techniques were successfully used in combination:

  • Generous fenestration on the north to let in the solar heat in winter
  • Earth sheltered on the south and around the cellar
  • Clerestory windows and reflectors to direct solar heat and light to the southern rooms
  • Reverse brick veneer construction to keep the heat/cool-storing thermal mass inside the insulated cladding
  • Trombe walls (solar-charged heat banks) in the northern rooms
  • Double glazing for the Trombe walls and other key windows
  • Cross-flow and stack-effect ventilation designed in for summer cooling
  • Summer shade by carport to the east, veranda to the west and movable shading to the north

Download the article 'Canberra passive solar home' as a reprint from 'Green House Plans' published 2002, Earth Garden Books <www.earthgarden.com.au> (PDF - 5.2M)

Renowned Canberra artist, Paul Summerfield, has interpreted the dwelling and its environment into this house portrait in 2017. To watch a two-minute video of the portrait coming into being, click here. Visitors interested in Paul's other work should click here.> (PDF - 12.7M)

Hover mouse cursor over images to view captions - click on an image to view enlarged image in a new window:

 
Seen from NE with snow on Brindabellas Seen from E with snow on Brindabellas Seen from NE with snow on Brindabellas
Seen from NW in Winter Seen from SE in snow Seen from NW in Winter
Seen from NW in Summer Seen from E on a bleak day Laundry door
Lounge in Winter Lounge in late Winter Solar hot water in snow
Study in Winter with clerestory Reserve seen from Parents Parents with clerestory in Winter
Bathroom with clerestory light on Spring morning Bathroom with clerestory light on Spring morning Bathroom with clerestory light on Spring afternoon
Bathroom clerestory on Winter morning Bathroom with clerestory light on Winter morning Bathroom with clerestory light on Winter afternoon
S Child in Summer with clerestory light Neighbourhood