About

Butterfly House.

ArchiPro Project Summary - A sustainable family home harmoniously blending high-performance design with recycled materials, set between Little Austinmer Beach and the Illawarra escarpment, featuring stunning views and innovative thermal comfort solutions.

Title:: Butterfly House
Architect:: Alexander Symes Architect
Category:: Residential/; Renovations and Extensions
Photographers:: Peter Hyatt

Sited in a beautiful position bookended by Little Austinmer Beach and the Illawarra escarpment, the brief was to adapt the existing dwelling into a high-performance, sustainable family home. To achieve this, a significant portion of the existing dwelling was retained with the new additions harmoniously composed from high recycled content and low environmental impact materials.

The high-performance thermal envelope includes high transparency glass to capitalise on the amazing views and insulation to maximise passive thermal comfort. Highlight windows frame long horizontal views and are shaded by an elegantly thin roof that appears to float when illuminated.

Awards

2014 – National Winner | Butterfly House| Boral National Environment & Energy efficiency Residential Building Award | In association with MJB – Master Builders Australia

Project Team

Alexander Symes

Builder

Matt Jolley Builder

Consultants

Detom Engineering

Photography

Peter Hyatt

Council

Wollongong City Council

Project Gallery

Views and Engagement

Professionals used in Butterfly House

Alexander Symes ArchitectArchitects

SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

PASSIVE HOUSE

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SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

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About the Professional

Project Portfolio

Alexander Symes Architect was founded in 2014 with a mission to advance sustainable architecture. The world’s climate is changing and we believe that architecture must lead the way in changing how we utilise resources to contribute to a sustainable future.

This vision for sustainable architecture is layered through all aspects of our practice and through all the stages of a project. This starts with the examination of a project brief to ensure the grounding principles of a project support a sustainable way of life. As the project takes shape, Alex deploys his depth of technical expertise to realise the project to its full potential.

Alex’s technical expertise in building physics and facade system design is built on the experience he gained working in Arup’s Building Physics and Facade Engineer teams from 2010-2014. He has hands-on experience with construction and design for manufacturing assembly (DFMA) and a passion for how buildings are put together.

Alex has specialist training in the design and delivery of passive houses which we believe offer a pathway towards exceptionally comfortable and healthy homes. Alex loves collaborating with like-minded individuals and testing the boundaries of how we can challenge the status quo to advance sustainable architecture.