Set in the hills of the NSW hinterland, the Yarrabee Homestead is an advanced design for a mine subsidence affected area.
The area provided a challenge for building designer Dick Clarke from Envirotecture, as the ground surface was prone to fall or rise, move horizontally, tilt or cause cracking, leading to potential impacts on the building. Thought to be the first high thermal mass building of its kind in an area affected by mine subsi dence, the homestead used Colorbond steel as a building product.
Clarke was approached to design the new homestead on an existing cattle stud incorporated guest accommodation as well as the corporate headquarters for the owner’s business. Additionally, the building was to be passively heated and cooled and entirely self sufficient for water and energy.
Walls are made from Timbercrete blocks, a mix of sawdust waste, sand and a small amount of cement and are solid internally and insulated externally. Adjacent to the walling, roofing made from Colorbond steel was chosen as it could be used to create the curved roof form. Guttering made from Colorbond steel in the colour Bushland was also featured.
The Yarrabee Homestead was the winner of the Custom Built House of the Year category in the 2009 HIA National Housing Awards, winner for Houses over 450 sqm in the 2009 BDA NSW Design Awards and received a commendation for Environmentally Sustainable Buildings in the 2009 BDA NSW Design Awards.
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