At The Sociable Weaver, we are not just an architecture firm; we have a larger purpose. We aim to create positive change within the building and design industry, designing and building healthy homes for families and the planet. Through inspiration and guidance, we hope to inspire individuals, architects and builders to follow our approach, improving existing homes and building new homes better.
Every new home adds to the building industry's significant contribution to global warming. With our growing population, we're sandwiching more homes into less space, a model with both advantages and drawbacks. On one hand, the sandwich method makes homeownership more accessible and helps families manage household debt. On the other hand, these homes have a short lifespan, built with cost-effective yet poor-performing materials creating high running costs. Unfortunately, many of these short-lifespan homes sacrifice long-term sustainability for quick building permits, overlooking the natural, free resources our environment can offer.
With the increasing cost of living and fluctuations in weather conditions, homes that are not consciously and meaningfully designed from their inception are increasing global warming through their energy requirements to run and keep them livable.
Growing up in an original 1920s home, I remember we had one "warm room," dark with heavy drapes, and the warmth kept in by closing all the doors. Our bedrooms were separated from the "warm room," and we would shiver or curl up in bed, fully dressed. The situation was futile in summer, too, as we could not escape the heat outdoors even when we came inside.
This is a typical example of Australian households today, not simply old homes but new ones too. They are heavily reliant on costly mechanical heating and cooling to withstand the fluctuating seasons (particularly in Melbourne). Most homes being renovated today follow this same example. While older homes were typically built with better craftsmanship, they still perform poorly and with little insulation, in most cases, looking and feeling dark and cold. Fortunately, older homes can be retrofitted with clever design and incorporate fundamental principles for improved thermal performance.
At The Sociable Weaver, we aim to design (or renovate) homes with less impact, by lowering our carbon footprint and reducing our contributions to global warming, subsequently building homes that stand the test of time. We hope to lead the way; showcasing how simple design principles can translate into sustainable homes, redefining architecture through sharing. We commonly share our design principles and building methods to showcase firsthand that positive change for the planet can start in our individual households. This shift towards sustainability is not just a possibility; it's a reality we can and need to create together.
The sustainable principles I'm referring to, such as thermal mass, north-facing home orientation, high-quality insulation, and high-quality windows and doors, may seem basic. Still, they are often overlooked in new homes. Incorporating these principles into new home design can achieve well above the minimum NatHERS star rating, resulting in homes requiring minimal heating and cooling. Compared to the conventional 'sandwich method' we discussed earlier, these are superior solutions for our cost-of-living crisis and the environment.
Redefining architecture and positively changing the building and design industry starts with rewriting the dialogue of what's 'normal' in Australian homes. Our homes should provide shelter and work harmoniously with our environment, not against it. They should actively work for us, warming, cooling, and maintaining comfortable, livable spaces without intervention. We plan to share more insights into what our practice strives to do differently and set an inspiring example for achieving better homes.
If you have any questions for The Sociable Weaver team or want to discuss how we can improve your existing home or design and build a sustainable home, please contact us.
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