Eltham Bush Studio, Victoria

Design Philosophy

An addition to an existing brick house, the Eltham Bush Studio is an inspiring workspace for an artist. The lightweight timber structure hovers above the ground, perched in the native trees. The studio is oriented to maximise passive heating through solar gain, while deep awnings prevent summer overheating. It is clad with sustainably harvested and radially-sawn local plantation hardwood that complements the surrounding landscape. The local ecology was not encroached upon by the addition and was actively enhanced by revegetation.

Sustainable Design Elements

• Oriented for maximum passive solar gain for natural heating in winter complemented by external shading to prevent summer overheating
• Passive cooling through natural cross ventilation
• Thermal mass provided by existing brick structure
• Materials − clad in sustainably harvested and radially sawn local plantation hardwood
• High performance thermal insulation and double glazing