Bi-fold doors leading

to a rain-fed plunge
pool blur the lines
between courtyard
and living area,
while the pool helps
regulate the home’s
internal climate

A new old
ustralian architectural vernacular has found new are beautifully paired – a wonderful example of
the perfect urban setting with this cutting-edge different yet complimentary styles.
sustainable home in Newtown, Sydney. In deference to the old facades and streetscapes,

This 21st-century Walk a few blocks south of King Street, with its
array of cafes and restaurants, student fashion and
this home largely conceals its cutting-edge
sustainable side. Only the proud, curved Zincalume

makeover comes book shops, and you are in old Australia – a place
of car workshops, 150-year-old pubs, workers’
roof and aluminium alloy frame that rise above the
external brick walls inform the interested passer-

wrapped in a

Australian
cottages, Victorian terraces, sandstone churches by of innovation within.
and stately parks graced with Moreton Bay figs. Architect Stephen Sainsbury says it’s his goal

period skin Right next door to an 1858 hand-hewn sandstone

cottage lies this light-on-its-feet home, a prime
example of contemporary living that is somehow
By Judy Friedlander right at home in its historic surrounds. Old and
to make ecologically sound buildings that are
“luxurious, exciting and beautiful places to live,
work and play”. The lightness of the Newtown
house is due to the way it cleverly features and

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 terrace
library
study

bath

robe
bed 1

ensuite

terrace
living / dining
void

landing
bath
entry

spa pool

kitchen

deck
bed 2

courtyard

laundry

Ground level Upper level

One of the most

common arguments we
have with critics is with the
use of aluminium

coherently blends the prefabricated modular,
extendable building structure he designed, called the
“EcoShelta” pod system, within the original walls.
The whole house seems to be a living, breathing
entity. Owners Jane Johnson and Brian Murphy
were attracted to its “private, secure, yet completely
light and airy space”. “It is perfect for entertaining”
says Jane. “People who visit love the open feel of
the house, the way the inside and outside blend and
the pool is almost set in the kitchen”.
A welcoming courtyard is at the heart of the
L-shaped internal home. Recycled timber and
glazed timber folding doors form the downstairs
level exterior and open onto the courtyard and a
rainwater-fed plunge pool.
With the wide eaves extending more than a
metre over the lower level kitchen and living area,
the downstairs doors can remain open even when
it is raining.
Jane points out how Sainsbury added interest to
the square shape of the block with unusual touches,
such as a natural plastered curved masonry wall
that draws you into the home from the front door,
and the multiple curved sail-like roofs. The upstairs
balconies are sheltered by adjustable timber
louvres made from recycled fence palings and the

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 People who visit love the open feel of the house, the way the inside
and outside blend and the pool is almost set in the kitchen
Bi-fold doors
open the upstairs upper walls are clad in corrugated iron, a nod to the
to cooling Australian vernacular.
cross-breezes
The upstairs main bedroom can be opened to
the elements through bi-folding glazed timber
doors. Being located on one of the highest points
in Newtown, a refreshing cross-breeze often floats
through, and light and sky abound.
“In summer, ceiling fans are all we need to
regulate the temperature and in winter, the sun
comes directly into the bedrooms upstairs and
warms them,” Johnson says. “And how many
people can see the moon from their bed?”
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Sainsbury, who has earned three degrees – a
Bachelor of Environmental Design, Bachelor of
Architecture and Masters of Architecture (Research)
– has a considered and thorough approach and has
no opposition to applying new technologies in the
pursuit of sustainability. For the Newtown house he
employed a combination of age-old principles and
cutting-edge innovations.
The pool is located near the bottom of a two
and a half storey void. When louvres at the top are
opened, the air current passing over the pool is
cooled, which in turn helps to cool the house.
In summer, the cantilevered doors of the
courtyard are opened to allow the cool of the pool
to permeate the house.
In-floor, saline phase-change heat store packs
maintain a temperature of around 21 degrees
through the ability of the saline crystals to absorb
or release heat without changing temperature
dramatically. Explains Stephen, “The plastic pods
which incorporate the saline crystals are placed
in the mortar underneath the downstairs floor
surface.” Essentially, when it gets hot the crystals
A water tank and
planter boxes
ensure plenty of
greenery graces this
multi-level house
“melt” and absorb heat, and when it gets cold they
“freeze” and release it.
The building’s strong, lightweight aluminium
alloy frame that forms the basis of the EcoShelta
pod system “results in the minimal environmental
footprint,” says Sainsbury.
His choices are determined through the EcoCost
system, developed through his university work and
a Federal government research scholarship which
establishes environmental cost through balancing
factors such as land degradation, toxic outputs,
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 A strong,
ultra-lightweight energy consumption and type, transport costs and
aluminium beam recycled components.
supports the roof
“One of the most common arguments we have
in the upstairs
bedroom with critics is with the use of aluminium,” says
Stephen. “The material we use is five times as
strong as steel and half the weight, which means
we end up using about a quarter the amount of
material as steel or a tenth that of timber to do the
necessary structural work. For fabrication we use
standard low-energy power tools and high-tech,
low-energy computerised MIG welding. The alloy
requires no finishing or painting, is corrosion-proof
and has a long life. It already contains significant
recycled material and is easily recycled once its
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building life is over. It is light to transport, readily
available and we can erect it without the use of
heavy machinery.”
Insulation at the Newtown home is an Australian
Photography: Tim Wheeler
sheep’s wool polyester blend. Sheep’s wool has the
added benefit of being naturally fire resistant, and
the lanolin helps repel pests. No toxic paints, glues
or chemicals have been used.
“The house works completely differently in winter
and summer,” says Jane. “We were always big
recyclers, had green energy, a worm farm and a
hybrid car, but this sort of house really makes you
aware of the seasons – and the weather generally
– and how to live with them.”
Designer: Stephen Sainsbury www.ecoshelta.com
Builder: Wonders Building Company
Location: Newtown, NSW
Features: n 325L Solarhart solar hot water
n TEAP Energy TH29 in-floor saline
phase-change heat store packs
n 4000L Hunter Tanks Zincalume
rainwater tank
n Small in-house rainwater-fed, solar-
heated pool to help regulate climate
n Natural stack ventilation with louvred
windows and openable walls
n Ceiling fans
n Customised greywater system
to irrigate garden beds
n Sheep’s wool polyester blend R3.5 batt
insulation in floors, walls and ceilings
n Triple brickwork external walls
n Recycled bricks and timber
n Exposed hard-plastered internal
walls with no finishes
Insulated slab floor with natural
n
20mm limestone flooring
n Original recycled floorboards
on upper floors
n Recycled timber window frames
and 6.38mm laminated glazing
n 3-4 WELS-rated water fixtures
n No glues or toxic materials
used in construction
n Bio Paint ceiling paints
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