Waratah Secondary House by Anthrosite

Waratah Secondary House was developed as an affordable housing project in Waratah, Newcastle with a focus on design and sustainability. Designed by Newcastle architects Anthrosite, the house was built to maximise efficiency in it’s 60sqm footprint whilst minimising costs. The house was built using standard building materials and features concrete blockwork and prefabricated materials, such as structurally insulated panels (SIPs) which provide the home’s interior with an inviting warm glow. The SIPs were used on the walls and roof and were chosen for their environmental and insulating benefits as well as their efficiency to install, which helped the house get built in just three months.

Whilst the house is constructed of simple building materials which are left unfinished, the architects have given much consideration to their installation, so the detailing is beautifully resolved and these simple materials feel celebrated and precious. The architects have seen the beauty in these materials, rather than regarding them just as construction materials, so they’ve become a feature in the home rather than concealing them, as is most often the case. The home feels full of personality and intrigue and it’s robust nature would make the home incredibly easy to live in.

Sustainability specs:
– Solar passive design
– Windows and doors positioned for cross flow ventilation
– Ceiling fans are used for additional cooling
– Double glazed windows and doors
– Thermal mass provided by the concrete slab floor
– No supplementary heating is required due to heat stored in thermal mass concrete floor and captured by insulated floors, wall and ceiling
– Structurally insulated panels (SIPs)
– No internally wall linings were applied, avoiding the need for plasterboard and painting
– Low maintenance materials
– 4,000 litre water tanks are used for the toilet, washing machine and garden irrigation

A simple construction of standard block work, SIPS, prefinished fibre cement panels and modular components made this a time efficient low maintenance build with minimal site finishing resulted in a total construction time of just 3 months.