Cabin

My exemplar cabin focuses on the design principles of Bligh Voller Nield’s Gully House.
The house is built over three levels just like Gully House. As the cabin can only be 75sqm, the three levels have been used as split levels rather than stacking them. This segregates the living areas just like BVN intended with Gully House.
The use of lightweight construction juxtaposed with the thick masonry blade walls, is supposed to create the same visual effect of Gully House, with it’s block work walls on level one, and lightweight clad walls on the upper levels.

A house is an Environmental Filter

The use of bi-fold doors that open onto a deck, work the same way as in Gully House as they promote the use of outdoor living.
The use of bi-fold doors allows for cross flow ventilation and allows the occupant to open and close them as they desire, to allow for cooling and purging.

A House Is A Container of Human Activities

The house is segregated into three main zones. The living area, sleeping quarters, and the study area. This allows for three different uses, even though the cabin is fairly small, it can still be utilised in different ways at the same time while having a relatively small impact on other in the cabin.
The use of the decks promotes the use of these spaces for family gatherings. This is also the space for reflection.

A House Is a Delightful Experience

The framing of views to the north and the use of blade walls to lead the eye are key design factors with the cabin. By framing the views, it is allowing the occupant to be able to view specific views in the landscape, yet the blade walls block most of the views to the west. The blade wall is also intended to work as thermal mass, absorbing the afternoon sun, and radiating it out throughout the night hours. This creates a warm climate through the night. During the day, the doors and operable windows can be opened to allow for cross flow ventilation which is designed to create the stack effect, in which the hot air will be drawn into the upper bedroom part of the house, and forced out via operable windows close to the ceiling. This same affect was designed by BVN for Gully House, as it uses the height of the house to its advantage by using the stack effect.

The cabin is set on the river with a heavily sloping block, like Gully House. It also takes advantage of a from timber deck, which is similar to the raised board walk over the gully which leads to the front entrance in Gully House.
The views are primarily to the north, and use the Northern aspect to maximise solar gains. The use of window shading devices would be essential to minimise heat gains during the summer, while still allowing the winter sun in. The cabin has been raised off the ground to allow for ventilation to come up from under the floor in the hope that it will circulate the air inside the building, and force the warm air up and out.