An exercise in low-embodied carbon design.

Consisting of a timber sub-floor, Cross Laminated Timber walls, ceilings and roof, timber framed windows, wood-fibre insulation, timber flooring and timber joinery throughout, Scamander Passivhaus A is a testament to the versatility and practicality of timber as a construction material.

A certified Passive House, Scamander Passivhaus A stands up to its coastal environment with ease, capturing the warmth of the sun when it shines and retaining it for when it doesn’t.

The utilisation of timber in this project and its thermal properties gives not creates a physical warmth inside, but a sense of it as well, with soft hues and the raw natural material visible at all times, a sense of calm is constantly present.

The oblique geometry that is possible from CLT construction creates a sense of space, with the modest building footprint feeling open and spacious, which can often be a juxtaposition to a feeling of warmth, in this instance it is not the case.

Designed and then built by its owner during the building cost rises through 2022-2025, it was built as a home, not as a house, and the detail resultant of this creates a unique and captivating space.

Photography by Adam Gibson