Mona Vale House - 2008

This was an amazing site and a great project to build.

Situated on the south side of Mona Vale Headland this house has expansive views over Mona Vale Beach to the south. This south facing aspect and the narrow site combine to limit the passive design potential and accordingly establish the key design challenge of this project.

The site was undeveloped so the building started with a large excavation for the garage, cellar, plant room and work shop. The ground floor was constructed from core filled blocks then a suspended concrete slab for the first floor. The front pavilion was built with a steel portal frame then infilled with lightweight construction and the rear pavilion is reverse veneer construction. The roof and gutters are colorbond Cliplock and Longspan.

Sustainability measures include a 15,000L rainwater storage tank combined with grey water recycling, use of evacuated tubes for in floor heating and hot water supply, photo voltaic solar panels to provide electricity back to the grid, reverse veneer construction, solar hydronic heating, drought tolerant plants and low E performance glazing.