Defence housing embraces the natural elements of the Top End with Troppo Architects

Defence Housing Australia (DHA) is embracing tropical style housing by building comfortable, energy efficient homes that reflect the natural environment of the Northern Territory.

Under the Nation Building – Economic Stimulus Plan (NB-ESP), DHA in conjunction with Darwin Constructions, is building a tropical demonstration home in Darwin, designed by Troppo Architects. This is one of the 185 Defence houses being built in Darwin at a cost of $74.4 million.

The home will be used to assess the suitability of the designs for homes provided to Australian Defence Force (ADF) members in Darwin, with the aim of saving on the cost of living for ADF members.

It also allows DHA to test energy efficient features that will suit tropical environments such as Darwin.

The construction of a further 18 houses in Lyons, Darwin in the coming months will incorporate some of the key design attributes from the demonstration house.

“We decided to test this design in Darwin, where we see opportunities to further enhance tropical style features in our homes,” DHA Managing Director, Michael Del Gigante said.

“This project has a strong relationship to the local environment.”

In building this demonstration home, DHA recognised that an educated process was required to ensure the long-term success of such structures and to equip the local industry with the right skills and knowledge for building to tropical designs.

For Gus Matarazzo, the Managing Director at Darwin Constructions, it has been about bringing all the elements of natural living into a home and responding to the climate and local setting.

Gus is a Darwin local and knows the importance of living in suitable housing for the tropics. In the past, the architecture of homes celebrated the experience of living in the warm tropics. Open spaces, louvered windows, (not always glass but timber and metal) tropical gardens and the orientation of the house, all helped to give the dweller a refuge from the tropical heat.

”Designing for climate and seasonality naturally leads us to look at how we can supply an energy efficient home; by looking at the nature of building planning,” Mr Matarazzo said.

While building the Troppo house, Mr Matarazzo and his team recognised how the design of the home could take into consideration sound waste management and recycling systems, water collection systems and ecologically responsive stormwater management systems.

“While planning these homes we have to consider how the inside and outside respond to each other,” Mr Matarazzo said.

“Providing quality outside areas allows a connection inside to the outside. Allowing wholesome and meaningful enjoyment of the lifestyle Darwin has to offer. The elevated house provides a shady and breezy multiuse ground level area under the house secure and great for kids.”

Gus also expressed his hope that more houses in the area take on this kind of design.

“While it is slightly more expensive than the price of building a standard blockwork ground level house, the extra usable outside space is definitely worthwhile,” Mr Matarazzo said.

This tropical demonstration house in Lyons signifies a change in direction for DHA , as it provides valuable information on the key design attributes that make a tropical house more liveable and energy efficient for Defence families.

DHA will be monitoring the house further once Defence members have moved in.

A Darwin based ADF member and family will live in the Troppo house when it is completed in late March 2010.

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