Symbiosphere

OK so first i thought it was a really big duck swimming towards me... but this guy just seemed to be out for a morning swim because he could easily have just hopped along the bank. And he really swims well for something that looks like it shouldn't... I think he may even use his tail as well when swimming, kind of like a crocodile

The tropics - moonscape, the light is so different to down south, cockatoos chatting in the palm trees

Currumbin Alley

Rogue reflection from a car windscreen outside streaming across the exposed recycled joists that support the loft. It wouldn't look like this if it was lined in plasterboard (it would also be too low). By thinking outside the box for this space we can reduce material use, increase the sense of height, create changing atmosphere in what is a utilitarian hallway. That's what design can do ... more thinking = less building = cost savings + more interesting (tricky maths!)

Going tropical - Watching TV from the deck with the ceiling fan on.
On Summer nights with no breeze it's cooler outside so we can move out there until it cools down more inside.
Lately it would even feel hot outside with no breeze but the ceiling fan makes all the difference, and it keeps the mozzies under control.

Moth angel

Glow

From our home to yours, happy holiday season everyone!

Framed landscape + skyscape
The western sunscreen wall (on the right) doesn't just block Summer arvo sun from the deck and the windows and stop rain from all but the worst of storms, it also creates the feeling of a "room-like" outdoor space which frames this tall view to the south as well as a lower and longer panorama to a ridge line to the North. This is all made possible by a simple skillion roof and a wall of reused corrugated metal on a recycled timber frame (with some sheet mixed in), low cost and durable. This is what holistic design can do, delivering much more than the sum of it's parts or its limited budget.

Presenting a story of The Ecovillage at Currumbin to the .architect.nsw yesterday (I felt very honoured, thanks to John Kurko for the invite).
I think I could do 3 or 4 talks about different aspects of the Ecovillage community, design and environment. There are so many lessons to be learned from this place that could be scaled up or down to apply to cities, towns, suburbs and individual lots. So hit me up if you want to find out more.