This Rural Off-Grid Home Embraces Biophilic Design Principles to Connect with Nature
This Rural Off-Grid Home Embraces Biophilic Design Principles to Connect with Nature
5th of July, 2023
Sitting on a rural property in Wooragee, a small town in Victoria, is a compact off-grid home designed to connect the family with the natural environment surrounding them. The house needed to respond to the harsh weather extremes in both summer and winter while accommodating everyday family life and the occasional larger gatherings.
BRD Studio designed the home using biophilic design principles, looking at where it would be located, the materials used, the layout and the views.
"It sits just below the ridgeline with views to the north over nearby creeks and waterholes, embedding the home with its local ecology," explains Tim Smith, architect and Director of BRD Studio.
The corrugated galvanised metal and cypress macrocarpa cladding provide durability and a sense of protection and will patina over time, settling the home within the natural environment. Internally, shining gum timber was sourced from a local sustainable plantation, and local granite was used in the concrete slab. This approach truly embeds the off-grid home into its locality.
Little Granite House is compact, especially by contemporary Australian standards, at just 100m2. The home is split into two main zones, divided by an entry where you kick off your muddy boots and hang your wet coat. The living zone features a kitchen, dining and living area that opens to a north-facing deck, overlooking Mount Baranduda and Mount Pilot.
The sleeping zone features two bedrooms, a guest bedroom with a Murphy Bed, bathroom, a powder room and a flexible space that the children use.
With it being an off-grid home, minimising energy consumption is paramount. The house features a high level of passive solar design, using orientation and proper shading to its advantage, with the meticulous placement of double-glazed timber windows, and deep walls with R4 insulation.
The off-grid is powered by a 13.2kW of solar panels and a 28kWh of battery storage, providing power for the energy-efficient LED lighting, induction cooktop, electric oven and a split-system airconditioner to provide relief during intense heat waves.
Living off-grid and in a home with strong biophilic design principles connects you to the cycles of nature, creating a deeper understanding and appreciation for the natural environment and inspiring sustainable practices for future generations.
"Hopefully, we continue to see more smaller sustainable homes in rural locations like this. Discussing with the clients, the home has performed well in both summer and winter," explains Tim Smith, "And although small by contemporary standards, they have not found themselves wanting for more space. Allowing them to live a simpler, more together lifestyle."
Little Granite House by BRD Studio.
Videography, photography and words by Anthony Richardson.
Related Stories
