This dwelling encapsulates the essence of modern, eco-conscious architecture. Capturing views across a lake within an extinct volcano crater to coast and ocean vistas towards Port Fairy, this house leverages its natural surroundings while achieving enviable environmental performance and wellbeing.

The brief for Tower Hill House was clear: to create a home that is exemplary in comfort and sustainability and takes full advantage of expansive southern views and the northern sun for winter warmth.

The dwelling’s design achieved high thermal efficiency with an 8.3 Star energy rating, significantly above the then-minimum requirement of 6 stars. Integrating 300mm-thick hempcrete walls with Thermosmart’s windows and doors. The architect explained, “Given the high performance of the hempcrete walls, it was imperative to pair them with windows and doors of equal calibre.” It was noted that the decision to opt for triple glazing provided a substantial performance upgrade for less than an additional 10 per cent cost. The owners’ preference for uPVC for the window and door system was influenced by its widespread use and proven performance in Europe.

Builder: Paul Butters Builder
Architect: Live Architecture
Photographer: Matt Seebeck