Product

LowE Plus with Clear for highest clarity and visible light transmittance – while also excellent Insulation performance (very low U-Value).

Specification

  • Outer: Clear Toughened
  • Spacer: Argon Gas
  • Inner: LowE Plus Toughened

Site Address

Harcourt, VIC 3453

Architect

 Sense of Space Architects

Builder

The Sustainable Building Co.

Photos courtesy of

Marnie Hawson

 

 

Challenge

In Victoria’s Central Highlands, Harcourt House needed to synthesize sustainability, aesthetic design, and community values. For Bonnie and Remy, owners of the Harcourt Coolstore Cafe, the brief was clear: a beautiful, functional family home that embraced the site’s natural features while adhering to a tight budget.

As architect Silas Gibson noted, “The biggest challenge was matching the ambitious brief with a restricted budget while responding sensitively to the site’s granite outcrop and undulating levels. Harcourt’s climate demanded thoughtful passive design to maximise winter comfort while balancing energy efficiency with aesthetic appeal.”

The site’s exposed granite outcrop, proximity to an ephemeral creek, and long, sweeping views offered both opportunities and constraints. The design needed to incorporate privacy from the street while framing the landscape’s natural beauty. Added to this was the clients’ desire for a contained backyard for their three children and chickens, and a home that embodied their commitment to sustainable living.

Solution

The solution lay in celebrating the site’s unique attributes while optimising passive solar principles. The 180m² home, with its intersecting gable forms and simple yet elegant layout, achieves just that.

The house is positioned to embrace northern light, with living areas oriented to capture winter sun and long views over the creek. The granite outcrop was embraced rather than modified, serving as a natural foundation elevating the home. This strategic siting not only creates a sense of prospect and privacy but also connects the house to its natural surrounds. “By working with the granite instead of against it, we were able to ‘perch’ the house lightly on the site, creating a dynamic interplay between built and natural elements,” says Gibson.

Harcourt House incorporates cutting-edge sustainability measures, including a high-performing building envelope. The home is insulated with R6 batts in the ceiling, R2.5 in the walls, and R2 polyester batts under the floor, minimising energy loss. High quality double glazed uPVC windows and doors, fitted with AGG’s Insulglass LowE Plus®, deliver superior thermal performance.

“Insulglass LowE Plus® was a critical component,” explains Gibson. “Its advanced technology, combined with argon gas filling, provides excellent insulation while maximising natural light.”

This glass system not only reduces heat transfer but also eliminates the risk of visible haze, ensuring clarity and abundant natural light throughout the home. Laminated glass on external panes adds security, acoustic performance, and UV protection, all while offering aesthetic versatility.

The home’s energy systems include an all-electric setup with induction cooking, a Sanden 315L heat pump hot water system, and a freestanding Oblica wood fireplace for supplemental heating. Ceiling fans ensure comfort in summer, while a solar system offsets energy needs.

Materiality and thoughtful spatial planning elevate the design. The home is clad in durable Colorbond steel and warm cedar shingles, creating a low-maintenance yet visually striking exterior. Internally, recycled solid timber flooring adds character and sustainability.

Spaces are designed for flexibility and function. The compact yet efficient layout includes a shared children’s bedroom, a multipurpose hallway with study nooks and storage, and a sunken lounge that fosters connection to the outdoors. The backyard, enclosed for the children, extends seamlessly into the carport, creating a flexible area for gatherings and projects.

Gibson says the home extends the couple’s philosophy of creating spaces that foster community and sustainability. As custodians of the neighbouring vacant lot, they have initiated its regeneration, transforming it into a biodiverse space.

The standout element of Harcourt House is its harmonious response to the site. The granite outcrop remains a focal point, with the house perched above, maintaining its legibility in the landscape. The intersecting gable forms provide simplicity, cost efficiency, and spatial hierarchy, while the north-facing living areas offer both comfort and connection to the environment.

“We wanted this home to elevate everyday living while respecting the environment and the community,” Gibson reflects. “It’s not just about building sustainably; it’s about creating a space that feels inherently good to be in.”

For more information on Insulglass LowE Plus®, click below:

 

 

 

 

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