Modest-Size Home In Cairns Responds to Tropical Climate

Designed by: POD (People Oriented Design).

Location: Cairns, Queensland, Australia | Latitude: 16.78496˚ S

Today, a modest-size home that creates a low-consumption lifestyle is not typical. A modest-size home catering to low-consumption living is usually less desirable than larger ones filled with stuff.

However, the house on Gavin Street is an efficient design by architects, POD (People Oriented Design).

“It supports simple, low consumption living choices that encourage a connection with nature.”

– POD (People Oriented Design)

House Location and Context

Gavin Steet House is in the McAlister Range of northern Cairns, Queensland, Australia.

According to POD, the east-facing site is a problematic solar orientation in Cairns.

The lot is long and narrow with steep terrain.

House Design Brief

Gavin Street is an efficient three-bedroom, two-bathroom house. It is an investment property with a modest budget, including a pool.

The clients wanted a modest-size home that is sustainable and uses tropical design principles and strategies.

It should enjoy the views while capturing natural breezes. They did not want to rely on air-conditioning. Hence, they want to have a low energy consumption.

Its enclosed area is a modest 98m2 or 1,055 sq. ft. This area is efficient to meet the client’s budget. However, it also has outdoor spaces like the carport, verandahs, breezeway and other external areas, which add to the home’s functionality.

House Design Layout

The house has two main zones.

On the south are the main entrance and public spaces. This block includes the living, dining and kitchen.

The bedrooms and bathrooms are in a separate, private block to the north. 

Photo: Veronica Sagredo

A large, covered breezeway separates the public, living spaces, and the private sleeping zone. Next to the breezeway is an outdoor dining area and a pool.

A carport, laundry and storage area are east of the public zone.

The Least House Necessary Design Philosophy

Gavin Street house is an example of POD’s philosophy of creating The Least House Necessary. 

This philosophy promotes climatically responsive and sustainable solutions suitable for tropical environments. It enables strong connections between interior and exterior spaces.

The Least House Necessary comes from POD’s concern that Australian societies have an overconsumption ideal. This situation is disconnecting more people from their natural environment.

POD’s concern is essential for homes anywhere. I think many modern homes are much bigger than they need to be.

However, it is especially critical for homes in an Australian context. Australia has some of the largest homes in the world. In the 2017 survey by Statista, Australia was number one on the list of the largest average size homes in the world. 

Hence, POD’s aim to educate people to build The Least House Necessary is relevant for Australia. Creating a modest-size home that promotes a low-consumption lifestyle is pertinent.

A modest-size home is generally more efficient. They require less materials and consume less energy because of their smaller size.

The house received a regional commendation in the 2019 Australian Institute of Architects Residential Category.

Tropical And Sustainable House Design Approaches

“Gavin Street celebrates being in the tropics rather than creating a climate-controlled box, which is what the majority of the housing stock in Cairns does.”

– POD (People Oriented Design)

The house has a narrow floor plan. This arrangement encourages ample natural ventilation. Breezes can flow from one side of the house to the other with minimum obstructions. Hence, this minimises the need for air conditioning.

A long verandah spans the entire eastern side of the home. In addition, the verandah has vertical, retractable shading devices. These verandahs and shading devices, along with a central breezeway, help control the morning sun while allowing breezes into the house. 

Photo: Veronica Sagredo

Large sliding doors along the east open out to the verandah and allow the prevailing breezes.

Verandahs to the front and back provide deep shade. In addition, there is a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living spaces.

All spaces enjoy 180-degree views through the treetops to the nearby Coral Sea. Hence, the people within the home always connect to the natural elements around them.

Though the enclosed area of this modest-size home is only 98m2, it feels much larger. That is because of the large covered outdoor spaces around the home. A cool outdoor space that provides shade and shelter from the sun and rain is ideal in tropical climates. 

There are also glass jalousie louvre windows by Breezeway in various parts of the house, like the corridor and master bedroom. Louvre windows have many benefits and are one of the best types of windows for natural ventilation. They are great in the tropics since they allow almost 100% of their opening for natural ventilation.

Photo: Veronica Sagredo

In addition, glass louvre clerestory windows occur under the roof’s highest point in the living space and the bedrooms. These louvre windows allow warm, rising air to escape through the stack effect ventilation method.

Ceiling fans are also in interior and exterior spaces to help create thermally comfortable rooms.

General House Construction and Materials

Gavin Street residence comprises lightweight materials. These materials include lightweight steel and timber construction for most of the house. The carport, laundry and storeroom use rendered concrete blocks. 

Other materials include mixed Australian hardwood timber floors, clear finished plywood ceilings in the living area and patterned fibre cement sheets in different spaces. 

The warm wooden tones and the white walls create a tropical modern interior aesthetic.

Sustainable Products and Materials

Fittings, fixtures and finishes include low-VOC and low-emission products. These include joinery and cabinetry.

In addition, the house contains provisions for a photovoltaic system.

Conclusion

This modest-size home creates a low-consumption lifestyle that responds well to its tropical climate.

Its roots in POD’s philosophy of The Least House Necessary are appropriate in its context. I think it is an ideal that we all could benefit from. It creates a more sustainable home and form of living.

In addition, connecting the interiors of our home with the natural environment outside is a beneficial strategy for designing a tropical home.

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Designed by: People Oriented Design
Photography by: Veronica Sagredo