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archi-bits......what?
30/04/2017
Initially this exhibition was planned to document 100 architectural aspects of Quilpie’s built environment to pair with the centenary celebrations. Ironically as a result of the centenary week, we were caught up in far too much socialising and country hospitality to get that much work done. It was fantastic and so instead we completed 22% of that! Archi-bits looks at the framgments of buildings, services, construction and design to better understand how people respond to place. Quilpie’s architecture primarily deals with heat. With temperatures reaching a mean maximum above 30 for 6 months of the year. What a bloody schorcher! Air-con has taken control of this now with massive air-con units ‘tacked on’ a common sight. Cold nights in winter are also an issue, with locals wardrobes varying from morning jumpers to midday tee-shirts. The buildings again appear to rely on mechanical heating. Take a look at the following pages to see what the Archi-bits reveal!!
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shading External shading is seen all around Quilpie, often to the north & west sides of buildings. Effective external shading can reduce heat gain by up to 90% passive solar design allows us to figure out exactly when sun will come into a building. With these tools we can reduce how much a building heats up. Maybe a shed within a shed is the way to go?
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Myendetta Homestead This beauty is on the way to Quilpie, sum 200km east near a place called Charleville. We didn’t get the chance to visit it but were told stories of it’s architectural merit. It is even heritage listed and has been classified as a piece of nationally significant architecture by the Australian Institute of Architects. The house sits close to the ground with a massive hipped roof of 40º pitch. Nearly all openings were generous French lights and the building was fully equipped with its own electric power generation driven by an artesian bore.
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Air-con + Air Heat is obviously the force to be reckoned with here. To cool yourself passively, wind must move across your skin, sweat will help this process. For this to happen you need windows opposite each other to pull breeze through a space. Air-conditioning works by lowering the ambient temperature of a room. Whilst cross ventilation wont keep you sweat free, properly designed windows will help reduce your electricity bill.
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CARAVANS ah, the Grey Nomads.... No doubt they are a force that can bring life to many country towns. There are those who grumbel of their tight purses and love of a free lunch. Whatever your take on these travelling get-abouts, their impact beyond the coastal fringe is staggering. Whole towns are making a living off catering to these travellers. In a particularly intruiging twist on inhabitation, the Grey Nomads decide where to inhabit purely based on lesuire. No longer is inhabitation confined to resource rich areas. A completely new paradigm is here. A new approach to living!!
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landscape Moble homestead is a great example of how landscape can increase amenity of a local area. Supporting a healthy ecosystem, the copious amount of perennial and deciduous planting around the house lowers ambient temperature, slows dust + heat loading of the environment. A fantastic ecosystem for a dwelling to exist within.
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materials Good quality building timber is hard to come by around here. Trees are often small, twisted and hard to work. Corrugated iron is light, strong & cheap per m2. If curved against the corrugations it becomes self supporting. This combination of materials and thinking is used in the Moble shearing shed. What a ripper!
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suggestions from visitors Following are some of the suggestions, stories and ideas from visitors we had at the exhibition. Not all of these are Quilpie specific although all relate to adapations to place through buildings. One even provides options for new mothers!!!
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BOU G STRU H SHED , A DA CTURE O A BUSH PTIN FTEN G CON STRU INDIGEN MAT OUS CTIO E TECH RIALS AN N ST YL NIQUES. D T E WIRE WI TH H HIS E A N D BR SSIAN, WAS A SI T L USED TO NCHES OCA L DE BABY B HA LL!
THE BOURKE LANDS DEPARTEMENT BUILDING USES OPEN RAIN-WATER TANKS UNDER THE BUILDING TO COOL AIR AS IT PASSES THROUGH THE BUILDINGS WALLS AND MANY VENTS. RAISED 1400mm OFF THE GROUND THERE IS PLENTY OF SPACE FOR AIR TO GET UP AND THROUGH THIS BAD BOY. DESIGNED BY GEORGE OAKSHOTT, AND PASSED ON TO US BY JOHN THORN.
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A NOTICEABLE FEATURE OF OLDER COMMUNITY BUILDINGS IS THIS CEILING PROFILE. IT FOLLOWS THE ROOF TRUSS STRUCTURE AND WE ARE TOLD IT IS TO ALLOW A HIGH CEILING TO GET HEAT UP AND AWAY FROM THE INHABITANTS. ANYWAY WE THINK IT LOOKS FAB! THANKS SUE!
DESIGN - CONSIDERATIONS Following are some observations and considerations for designing in Quilpie. you can see alot of these things around town and others are from conversations and experiences we had whilst there. If you need a house designed our email is; superdooperexpensive@thegrandsection.com
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Step 001. design for HOT HOT
Step 002. design for DUST
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Step 003. design for COLD HOT
Step 004. design TO MOVE BABY!
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Step 005. design for NOMADS
Step 006. design FOR THE FUTURE
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