THE ARCHITECTS BEHIND BUILDHER8'S RATHMINES PROJECT
This week I caught up with Ben Callery from Ben Callery Architects for BuildHer Collective’s blog.
In preparing for the interview, it got me thinking - What makes an architect a good architect?Indeed, what is good architecture?!
Let’s put aside commercial and industrial for a second. Even just in the residential space, there are countless types of architects with their own specialties and flavours.
Choosing the right one can make or break your build or renovation!
What I am loving about Ben Callery’s practice is that they specialise in:
“design that is environmentally responsive and responsible!”.
HE IS SPEAKING MY LANGUAGE.
South House & North House - BuildHer8's Rathmines Street Project
RATHMINES & SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
One of the reasons why I’m so excited about being involved in the Rathmines Projects is that sustainable design was one of the core objectives from the beginning.
The choice to go with Ben Callery Architects is an emphasis on environmental design as they are able to incorporate passive solar design and active technology.
Ben and his team are designing the houses so that they achieve a minimum 7-star rating through the use of high levels of insulation and good glazing. Good architecture, I’m learning, is about working with the elements - that is using the sun to help heat in winter and cool breezes to cool in summer.
When you read “passive design” it really essentially means without the use of mechanical heating and cooling.
It’s not just about reducing bills.
It’s also about increasing thermal comfort (no blowy heaters in your face), and it’s about reducing our carbon footprint!
I’d argue this is THE most pressing issues of our generation (still!).
Heating & Cooling Flow
We also talked about urban consolidation.
Because we are doing a subdivision and turning one house into two, we are increasing ‘housing density’.
I quote Ben:
It is a more efficient use of inner suburban land and infrastructure in a suburb with fantastic amenity.
Some subdivisions and townhouse developments are controversial, but when done with thoughtfulness and good design, they increase housing stock for our growing population without compromising liveability!
Rathmines Backyard Render
Yes I asked him what he thought was ‘good architecture’, and I loved the answer.
Read the full blog here at BuildHer Collective website.
Initial sketches by Ben Callery Architects
ABOUT BEN CALLERY ARCHIECTS
Ben Callery Architects specialise in design that is environmentally responsive and responsible. They are based in Northcote, working locally as well as all over Melbourne and regional Victoria.
A small but effective team of four – Ben (sitting in the centre), Tim (sitting on the left), Jen (standing on the right) and Mil (standing in the centre). All members of the team are architects, with complementary broad and diverse areas of interest and specialisation, including fashion design and manufacturing, construction project management and of course a sophisticated, detailed level of design.
The below images are from their project “Elemental House”, High Camp – an off-grid home built under a big hard sun. See more of Ben’s projects HERE.
