Congratulations Connor!
Congratulations!
Congratulations Connor on completing your Masters of Architecture. A well-deserved achievement.
National Commendation
CHAC D Block
National Commendation
We are honoured, humbled and absolutely delighted for Cannon Hill Anglican College D Block to receive a National Commendation for Educational Architecture in the 2023 National Architecture Awards.
Thank you to our client CHAC and all the people who were involved with the creation of this building.
Dunes Residences | Yamba
Dunes Residences | Yamba
Dunes Residences | Located in coastal Yamba, the four residences are designed to complement the local environment – with warm wood elements and subtle colour palettes. The balconies and courtyards with their BBQ facilities encourage residents to enjoy the opportunities for outdoor living.
Project completion is expected to be November 2023 and more information is available from the sales team for the project.
Materials choices | Timber
Materials Choices
Timber
Timber is a versatile material that we use in many of our building designs. It can be used for structural elements, screens, ceiling treatment, joinery, walls and decorative finishes. Choosing locally sourced and ethically supplied timber is critical in making sustainability a priority in the project.
T House sustainability
Sustainability
Award Winner
2023 AIA award - Qld
Winner - The Jennifer Taylor Award for Educational Architecture (Qld)
We are honoured to receive The Jennifer Taylor Award for Educational Architecture for 2023 for Cannon Hill Anglican College D Block. Thank you to our client, CHAC and all the people who were involved with the creation of this building. Thank you to the AIA State jury who took the time to visit and award our project. We also acknowledge the other projects in this category who were recognised.
The beginning, the middle and now
NA House - the beginning, the middle and now
The beginning
The existing house was extensively damaged during the 2011 Brisbane floods. The project entailed raising the existing house above the flood level and repairing the flood damage. The brief was also to review the overall design of the house and extend it to provide flexible and adaptive spaces. The aim was to create a design that engaged physically and visually with the backyard and adjacent parkland.
Completed in 2014, the renovations provided the client with the increased space they needed and added a level of flood resilience to their home. The raised under-croft space is adaptable and made the clean up process after the 2022 Brisbane floods reasonably straightforward.
The rear addition to the building is orientated north-east and helps achieve the goal of engaging visually with the backyard.
The middle
And now ...
The recently completed additions expand on the living areas of the house, giving the owners additional living and entertainment areas. This achieves the original goals of engaging physically and visually with the backyard whilst respecting the need for the spaces to be flood resilient.
The Shoreline | Luxury Retirement Living
The Shoreline | Luxury Retirement Living
Situated in the heart of Coffs Harbour, The Shoreline provides luxury retirement living and premium residential aged care. Working with the team at the Bachrach Naumburger Group, the project has extended over a number of buildings including the Residential Care Facility, the Pavilion and luxury independent senior living residences (99 luxury apartments and villas). In addition, the project has incorporated a community hub – with a pool, on-site cafe and the Bombora Bar.
We are particularly proud of the work our team has done in helping to bring this project to life.
Sustainability Strategies part 6
Sustainability is important to everyone at Reddog. We firmly believe that our environment is fragile and now is the time to address some of the sustainability challenges that face us all.
To help communicate how we can all make a difference, we have created a series of articles introducing and discussing how sustainability choices can be incorporated into design choices.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
Energy efficient lighting, solar panels, ceiling fans and energy star appliances are some of the many “sustainable” choices that play a part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) emissions. Given that the building sector contributes to around 40 per cent of all GHG emissions, these products (and others like them) are all valuable in helping to reduce the operational energy of a building. Operational energy of a building refers to the energy that is used for heating, cooling, lighting, running equipment and appliances etc) once a building is occupied.
While the construction industry is getting better at reducing emissions from operational energy, there is another source that needs to be considered; GHG emissions from embodied carbon.
What is ‘embodied carbon’?
“Embodied carbon consists of all the GHG emissions associated with building construction, including those that arise from extracting, transporting, manufacturing, and installing building materials on site, as well as the operational and end-of-life emissions associated with those materials.
The traditional starting point for many in the construction industry has been to remove old buildings and structures, clear the site and build new.
However, as our understanding, and ability to measure, embodied carbon increases, it is becoming apparent that the environmental movement’s mantra, Reduce/Reuse/Recycle, can be equally applied to the construction industry and the adaptation of buildings and the contributing construction materials.
Reduce (refuse) | Unnecessary new construction
The first step in a sustainable design process should be to consider whether it is possible to reuse or repurpose an existing building. Indeed, the very first question that should be asked – is new construction truly necessary for the project? Can the existing building be adapted to meet the needs of the homeowner or business thereby reducing the need for new construction?
Whilst this may not initially be the easiest approach, prolonging the useful lifetime of an existing building by reusing it can potentially save material costs, and lessen the embodied energy impacts of a new build.
Reuse | Long term adaptability
Because of the long lifetime of buildings, it can be very difficult to anticipate the possible future uses of a building at the time of design. However, recognising the possibility of future repurposing of a building, architects can design with a level of flexibility in mind to support long-term sustainability. Looking at how a building is utilised and how a building may be later be adapted as use changes are important design decisions. A building designed for adaptability is ultimately more sustainable in the long term.
Recycling | Materials Choices
Whether a building is being reused or being demolished, it is important to look at opportunities for reusing and/or recycling construction materials rather than have the construction waste get sent to landfill.
Many construction materials are already able to be either reused or recycled. Concrete can be crushed down to create concrete aggregate; steel and glass can also be recycled. Salvaged timber can be utilised in numerous ways. Clay bricks and roof tiles can be used as aggregates. Aluminium as well as paper and carboard are also able to be recycled.
The circular economy
By and large, today’s manufacturing takes raw materials from the environment and turns them into new products, which are then discarded into the environment. It’s a linear process with a beginning and an end. In this system, limited raw materials eventually run out. Waste accumulates, either incurring expenses related to disposal or else pollution. Additionally, manufacturing processes are often themselves inefficient, leading to further waste of natural resources. In a circular economy, however, materials for new products come from old products. As much as possible, everything is reused, re-manufactured or, as a last resort, recycled back into a raw material or used as a source of energy.
https://www.unido.org/our-focus-cross-cutting-services/circular-economy
