When viewing this vast landscape from above, you would be forgiven for not spotting this grand design. Hidden low in the hillside like a “fold in the landscape”, this bunker-style sanctuary is an architectural marvel. Featuring complete wheelchair access, the single-level Earth House is an important retreat for its owners, especially wheelchair-bound Trevor.
“Trevor is a paraplegic, so wheelchair accessibility needed to be integrated into every aspect of the house,” says Jeanette Robinson, homeowner and wife to Trevor. “The single level allows for full wheelchair access to every part of the house, including the decks, storage areas, driveway and the earth roof.”
All of the home’s rooms flow seamlessly into each other and feature a stunning panoramic view of the picturesque landscape named after the 100-year-old fig tree that welcomes you at the entrance of the property.
“To gently wake up, press a button to open the curtains and see nature at its best is both calm and relaxing,” says Trevor. “When I go there, the blood pressure goes down, the world is okay.” The rooms can be cleverly sectioned off for privacy or opened completely for when entertaining guests.
To create this tranquil respite, the homeowners had to move heaven and (literal) earth. With Trevor as project manager, he faced a multitude of challenges, from cost blowouts to delays due to council and even a lengthy hospital stay for spinal surgery. “That delay (caused by council) just became a nuisance. It cost us a lot of money,” says Trevor. “At one stage of the game we thought, yeah, let’s not build it. I got very despondent.”
Even once the build had started, the homeowners from Canberra did not escape mistakes and mixed messages with the project. “While pouring the slab, Jeanette noticed that a doorway was missing,” says Trevor. “In their enthusiasm to insert a reinforcing steel bar in the slab, the builders inserted steel in the doorway!”
Luckily Jeanette spotted it with her keen eye and a handy angle-grinder fixed the problem quick smart. Yet with all these challenges, the Earth House became a reality, blending beautifully with its surrounding landscape. The entire underground haven is completely off-grid, with each room spilling out onto the deck, effectively doubling the area of the house. Sustainability was a must, with the home achieving an 8.5-star energy efficiency rating.
As the soil wraps around and over the home, this highly technical building can be temperature-regulated internally while also shielding against both the hot and cold extremes of the local climate. The slight north-east orientation of this hideaway maximised solar gains in winter and the earth roof above extends out to block summer sun.
The polished concrete floor that stretches through the home is not only beautiful, but also soaks up the heat throughout the day and releases it at night. Solar-powered hydronic heating within the slab acts as a booster when it is overcast over extended periods.
“We wanted to both minimise our impact on the visual amenity of the Goobarragandra valley and limit our impact on the environment,” says Jeanette. “Building an earth-sheltered house fulfilled both these goals.”
The underground laundry and garage also negate the need for air-conditioning as it acts as a reservoir of cool air which is pulled through the house by the hot air rising off the deck. “Energy efficiency was paramount. Earth-sheltered houses by their nature are energy efficient,” says Trevor. “As the Earth House is off-grid, appliances, lighting and heating also had to be highly energy efficient. One goal was to limit the palette and texture of materials in order to complement the natural environment.”
The two-bedroom, two-bathroom home was crafted using plywood and polished concrete, blending beautifully into the surrounding landscape. Plywood was chosen as it was low maintenance and it paid homage to the local forestry industry. It also exudes warmth and tranquillity, something both Jeanette and Trevor want to feel more of.
“Viewing the Goobarragandra river and valley with its kookaburras laughing, kangaroos feeding, wedge-tail eagles soaring on thermals and an ethereal mist drifting through the peaks and troughs of the ranges can only reassure oneself that all is right with the world,” reflects Trevor.
