Sustainable design features and a natural materials palette are helping the developers of a new luxury residence project set a new benchmark for premium, low impact living.
An inspiring development of four environmentally-responsible residences by HIP V. HYPE, Ruskin Elwood is designed by Fieldwork Architects and includes collaborations with Swiss appliance manufacturer, V-ZUG and Scandinavian furniture supplier, Great Dane. Every element of these homes including the space, material and outlook has been designed to enhance the quality of life, ‘embrace the benefits of considered living’ and reduce the cost of living and environmental impact for each owner.
Liam Wallis, Founder, HIP V. HYPE, explains, “True luxury exists only when environmental impact is a priority. Our intention is to ensure that the homes we create endure. In the inimitable words of John Ruskin, after whom Ruskin Street is named, ‘When we build, let us think that we build forever’.”
Set over three levels, each residence will have all the luxuries that maximise practicalities and comfort, including an elevator and private double garage with secure entry. Warm, earthen tones including stone bathrooms and pale oak timber flooring have been used to reflect the home’s coastal setting. Large north facing windows will lead to spacious terraces overlooking heritage listed trees and the Elwood Canal.
Each residence comes with four bedrooms as standard with the owners given the flexibility to select three bedrooms and convert the fourth to a home office or a large walk-in wardrobe.
“Ruskin Elwood represents for us our attempt to create homes that had very little, if any compromise, in the way that they are designed and in the way they perform. And the by-product of that is an incredibly efficient home,” adds Liam.
Ruskin Elwood uses the highest quality natural materials, from textured, locally crafted Krause Smoke Grey bricks by Robertson's Building Products Pty Ltd, to solid timber detailing.
“Architecture is mediating the connection between the natural environment, and it was important to select materials with natural characteristic to them. We found the Krause bricks, they’re made near the Grampians and they’ve got this beautiful variability in colour, this silvery white through to a light grey colour,” Joachim Quino Holland, Director, Fieldwork, remarks.
Renowned ethical developers, HIP V. HYPE delivers thoughtful solutions respecting the environment and striving for new standards in quality and sustainability. Thanks to its sustainability team, each residence will achieve exceptional environmental performance and ease of use.
Highlights include a 7-star minimum NatHERS (National Housing Energy Rating Scheme) rating objective; sufficient renewable power with onsite solar panels to meet almost the entire energy requirement of each residence; and electric heat pumps for hot water, hydronic heating and Tesla Powerwall batteries.
“Sustainability is inherent to good design. Our approach sees human health and comfort at the centre of sustainability,” observes Peter Steel, Managing Director, HIP V. HYPE Sustainability.
Earthworks have commenced on the Ruskin Elwood development, which is expected to take shape over the next year.
