Tropical House In Darwin Uses Passive Design

Designed by: Sabi Design.

Location: Darwin, Australia | Latitude: 12.46350˚ S

The Inside Out House is in the tropical city of Darwin, Australia. This house uses passive design strategies to ensure it remains cool in the hot tropical climate.

Sabi Building Design did the design and Tropix Homes were the builder.

Darwin is near the Top End of the Northern Territory, Australia. It has a tropical climate with wet and dry seasons.

House Design Layout

This house consists of two pods. One pod contains public spaces, including a living room and kitchen. Off the living room is an outdoor dining area connected by large sliding doors. The second pod has bedrooms.

Photo: Peter Eve

Photo: Peter Eve

A covered outdoor walkway connects the two pods. This walkway is next to a garden. Hence, it gives the homeowner a pleasant outdoor experience when moving from one part to another.

Photo: Peter Eve

“The resort-style outdoor bathroom gives the finishing touch to a true tropical experience.”

– Sabi Design

Passive Design Strategies

Having the two pods separated gives the home “one room deep” spaces. This separation promotes cross-ventilation through the rooms. The short, unobstructed path for air to move from one side of the room to the other is ideal for proper cross-ventilation to occur.

In addition, large louvred windows allow ample air movement in every part of the home. Louvre windows are one of the best types of windows for passive ventilation. Also known as jalousies, louvres achieve almost 100% of their window area as actual openings for natural ventilation. Other windows, such as a sash or sliding window, have less than 50% of the ventilation area of the entire window.

Photo: Peter Eve

Mesh eave linings under the pitched, layered roof structure allow hot air to get out. This process is through the stack effect. Therefore, when the hot air inside the home rises, it escapes through the mesh eave linings. Hence, cool air from outside can come in through the glass louvred windows below. Mesh prevents vermin and other pests from entering.

“The house has been orientated so that the sun hits the smallest part of the walls to minimise heat exposure and ultimately reduce air-conditioning bills.”

– Sabi Design

Construction And Materials

The floor of this house is semi-elevated. It is cost-effective and allows adequate airflow under the floor, which helps to keep it cool.

Photo: Peter Eve

Sabi Design also uses wall materials that create a cooler home. Lightweight construction helps the walls cool down quickly. Thermal massing materials like concrete store heat during the day and releases it slowly at night. However, lightweight materials such as wood, corrugated metal and steel frames cool quickly after sunset.

Sustainability

A solar water heating system provides the hot water in this project.

In addition, the house uses a wastewater treatment system. The recycled wastewater irrigates the garden using a drip system.

Conclusion

The Inside Out House checks several boxes of a tropical house that uses passive design strategies.

It encourages cross-ventilation through its large louvred windows and its one-room deep spaces. In addition, the meshed eave linings allow stack-effect ventilation. These linings ensure the roof area is kept cool.

Its site orientation minimises solar heat gain. Furthermore, raising the floor promotes airflow. In addition, lightweight construction helps the house cool quickly in the evening.

Also, the outdoor dining room and corridors create a connection with the outdoors.

This house produces thermally comfortable spaces for the tropical climate of Darwin, Australia.

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Designed by: Sabi Design
Photography: Peter Eve