The Kula House

40a Portsea Crescent, Kewarra Beac
by Edge Project Constructions PL and Beachcomber Building Solutions PL, Building Designers and Structural Engineers.

The design philosophy _______________________________________

The ‘Kula House’ has been designed and built by parents of young families and will take the next generation into the future. The house is affordable, practical, and comfortable and complies with many ‘green’ principles.

The challenges presented by the long side boundaries of the land facing east and west has shaped design solutions that have ultimately made this house design very suitable for many land lots in new housing estates. The ‘Kula House’ typifies the traditional ‘long house’ design, common to the cultures of the Pacific islands and South East Asia.

This contemporary low set home design follows a ‘Beachcomber’ philosophy that the structural lines should be simple with the main emphasis on the roof. Get this right and everything else falls into place. The roof’s principle job is to protect the occupants from the tropical rain and heat whilst promoting natural light into the internals and visual appeal from the street front. The long house has a 1:2.5 width to length ratio and works with a contemporary steel frame skillion roof system. The main double skillion has an average height of 5.5 metres with a 20 metre spine. Clerestory windows run for three quarters of this central span. The double system skillions to the front and rear with the carport skillion roof flying over at complementary angles mixes practical function and style well, delivering on sustainable ‘green’ living outcomes.

The house works with the weather, not against it __________________

The work that the 900mm roof eaves perform is critical to comfortable tropical living by keeping the tropical sun off the walls. The decks to the western side of the house play a critical role for this location and even the deck roof has an eave to protect it from the sun and rain. The house is raised off the ground above sand fly level, allowing air to circulate under the floor and reducing the risk of flood or surge high water damage. The open carport allows prevailing dry season south easterlies access to the house.

The ‘Kula House’ achieves desirable natural light and breeze for every internal space and no air-conditioning has been installed. Traditional ‘Queenslanders’ in the tropics can be quite dark in the middle of the house, particularly during the weeks of very high rain fall when we are in the hottest part of the year. These parts of the house can also be mould traps due to poor air circulation in times of high humidity. The ‘Kula House’ has a central split in the main double skillion and along this spine the high clerestory louvred windows deliver light and cooling breezes. Every room in the house has an external wall with large full height louvre galleries. The cooling breezes push hot air up into the high raked ceilings to the clerestory windows promoting passive cooling. Sea breezes and monsoon north easterly breezes can also be captured through the 7 metre opening onto the rear deck. There is covered access from the carport to the house to help take children and shopping from car to house during weeks of monsoon rain.

A healthy home ____________________________________________

Sustainable building principles include smart design producing smaller houses that deliver standard features. The 180 square metre internal floor plan delivers four double size bedrooms, a full size ensuite and walk in wardrobe for the master bedroom, a large main bathroom, a laundry and storage room, dedicated kids play area and a study. Upon closer inspection, fine design and use of space has taken place. The high raked ceilings bring about bigger room volumes and an increased sense of space. The central hall way is strikingly wide and complimented by the high raking ceilings and angles. The children’s play area is central to two of the bedrooms and also acts as an open breezeway. The open galley shaped study is tucked behind the kitchen keeping more powerful electro magnetic fields away from sleeping areas. The laundry opens to a large covered drying deck on the western side of the house. The open plan kitchen, dining and living area is only 50 square metres in size although in true appreciation of tropical design, the adjoining 50 square metres of deck will be the main living area for most of the year.

Thinking about environmental impact ___________________________

The building materials selected add to the sustainable features. The roof is a light colorbond steel with 8 mm E-Therm reflective thermal insulation blanket under the roof sheeting in a 260 mm cavity with a raked ceiling achieving a R3+ rating. The light weight external wall sheeting will not retain heat for long periods of time and is made up of CFC sheeting and boards. The yellow stringy bark timber floorboards throughout are coated with a low VOC water based product. All paint used is from the low VOC Wattyl ID range. Compact Florescent (CFL’s) or LED lights are used in 100% of the house, including the outdoor floodlights. Ceiling fans with 1200mm blades are plentiful and strategically located. All water fittings have water saving flow restrictors. A Conergy solar hot water system is installed. Plans are in place to also install Photo Voltaic Panels, water tanks and a grey water system as time permits. Most importantly, the design of this house reduces the demand for electricity, in particular, air-conditioners throughout the long summer months.

A design that is valuable and relevant ___________________________

The house is named after ‘Kula’ shells that are valuable in the PNG Trobriand Islands. The Trobrianders believe everyone's desires are their own, and that mere argument is unlikely to change someone's mind. They focus on all the more indirect and subtle means of persuasion, like the physical allure of gifts such as valuable shells. This ‘Kula’ house is designed and built to appeal to future generations, ensuring it remains valuable and relevant. Classic design principles based around traditional Pacific island ‘long houses’ will last the test of time in the tropics. David Wood from Edge Project Constructions PL is a HIA Greensmart Accredited Professional. David and Emily Wood found synergy in thinking with Beachcomber Building Solutions PL who are also HIA Greensmart Accredited. The team has been very passionate about achieving a sustainable affordable family home.