Dinorben House
2017 - 2022
Dinorben House
2017 - 2022
At first glance, one would not immediately distinguish the façade of this building from others in this leafy suburb. Yet beyond the heavy front door, a home has been rebuilt with an ambitious architectural and sustainable brief.
A glazed central atrium splits the house in two providing dramatic views to the roof and garden whilst allowing natural daylight deep into the plan. High levels of glazing with minimal sightlines give expansive views to the garden. The dwelling incorporates numerous renewable technologies alongside a fabric first approach to maximise thermal performance and air tightness. A garden studio clad in charred timber is carefully situated in a Japanese influenced garden.
With a site constrained by established trees, geothermal boreholes were carefully located to avoid root protection areas and link to a ground source heat pump providing heating and cooling to the building. A new basement was formed to accommodate the equipment, with duct routes carefully routed invisibly through the building’s fabric. Photovoltaic panels capture solar energy to help reduce emissions and batteries provide storage for vehicle charging and night time use. We were conscious to maintain a balance between building performance and architectural rigour and experience. Spaces are dynamic, flexible and controllable. A bespoke lighting design was developed with the client’s desire to be able to sit outside at all times of the year enabled through the architecture of a large, cantilevered overhang positioned to capture the last rays of the day.