Product
LowE Plus with Clear for highest clarity and visible light transmittance – while also excellent Insulation performance (low U-Value).
Specification
- Outer: 6mm Clear Toughened
- Spacer: 12mm Warm Edge + Argon Gas
- Inner: 6mm LowE Plus Toughened
Site Address
Battery Point, Hobart, TAS 7004
Fabricator
Builder
Architect
Photos courtesy of
Challenge
Given the site’s historical significance, the design had to respect the existing architectural grain. “Aware of the historic value of the site, the alteration and addition to this 1850s cottage and former milk depot was designed to be unapologetically modern while remaining sympathetic to its surroundings,” explains Archier director Chris Gilbert.
The desire for a contemporary living space presented a unique challenge. The architects aimed to create a space to host family and friends while enabling the clients to age in place.
Finding the perfect balance between privacy and connection was central to the design. The new pavilion had to allow for visual connections yet ensure distinct spaces for the owners’ respective interests.
Solution
Informed by the “house and garden” typology of Battery Point, the new addition took the form of a dark-glazed pavilion discreetly hidden behind the original structure. Multiple courtyards optimised solar gain, energy efficiency, and natural ventilation.
Insulglass LowE Plus®, an ideal LowE double glazing for colder climates, contributed immensely to the house’s energy efficiency. Its high-performing, Energy Efficient sputter coat Low-Emissivity glass, known as a “soft coat”, contains atomic layers of silver and metal oxides, providing superior performance without the risk of visible haze that other traditional coatings can have. These features offered maximum visible light, passive heat gain, and excellent insulation.
Continuous glazing in LowE Plus wrapped around the central courtyard created a semi-permeable veil, allowing occupants to remain visually connected while engaging in their pastimes. “With the reflection, there’s a lot of movement in the house – as you move through it, you see yourself moving, which gives it a very lived-in feeling,” Gilbert observes.
A blend of steel, timber, concrete, brass, and stone ensured that the house would stand the test of time, with the continuity in materiality creating a sense that everything is connected, although everything is different.
Hampden Road House is a statement of architectural elegance that resonates with both the historical fabric of Battery Point and the modern sensibilities of its inhabitants. The strategic use of advanced insulated glazing served as a pivotal solution to the design challenges, facilitating an inspiring dialogue between connection and separation, reflection and transparency.
Winner: Residential Architecture / Alterations & Additions / Tasmanian Architecture Awards
Commendation: Residential Als & Adds / ArchiTeam Awards
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