Better living Not bigger
The thinking behind every home we design, and the standards we hold ourselves to before a single line goes on paper.
Ethos
Good design should not be a luxury
Good design should not be reserved for big budgets, and it should not be a stressful, confusing process either. We work with people building new or renovating who want the same thing we do: a home that is genuinely comfortable to live in, cheaper to run, and built to last, without unnecessary size, cost or complication.
Whether your budget is modest or generous, we bring the same care, the same process, and the same commitment to getting the fundamentals right.
Whether your budget is modest or generous, we bring the same care, the same process, and the same commitment to getting the fundamentals right.
Get the fundamentals right and everything else gets easier
Free heating and cooling from the sun
Solar passive design. Good orientation and design can heat and cool your home for free, using the sun in winter and the breeze in summer instead of relying on the aircon. It costs nothing to run and it works every single day.
Living spaces that face the sun
Orientation. We design your living areas to get plenty of natural light. Good natural light makes rooms feel bigger and warmer, and it does wonders for your mood and wellbeing. There is a reason a sunny room just feels better to be in.
A building envelope that keeps the weather out
Full, or near full, insulation. A well insulated home holds its temperature, warm in winter and cool in summer, without your heating and cooling running non stop. It is one of the simplest ways to cut your energy bills for good.
Only as big as you need
A sensible footprint. We do not believe bigger automatically means better. A smaller, well designed home beats a larger, thoughtless one on every measure that matters, including what it costs to build and what it costs to run.
Our own project
Orangebark House
The place where all of this gets tested properly, because we are the ones living in it.
Every principle on this page is running in a real house, through real summers and real winters, with the bills to prove it.
How we measure it
Two ways to measure it, one way to think about it
We use both NatHERS modelling and Passive House principles to guide our designs. The right tool depends on your project and your goals, and we are not here to push one badge over the other.
Our job is to give you clear, honest advice on how to build better, so you can decide what is right for your home, your budget and your future.
Tell us about your project
A block you have bought, a rough idea, or just a feeling that the way most homes get built is not for you. We would like to hear about it.