Finnis project
Location: Finnis S.A.
Completed: roof up May'95
occupied during construction
Architect: E. Prelgauskas
Builder: owner built
Owner: Helen & Derek Fenton
Size: 80 sq. metres living module
Climate: Dry, warm temperate
Objectives.
To provide a low energy demand living module incorporating
cellar and kitchen for cheese manufacture; and living,
mezzanine bedroom and greenhouse areas incorporating
open bathroom.
This development to match in with existing bedroom and
other modules already existing elsewhere on the site.
Site.
20ha of steep east facing sloping land on the eastern
hills face, the site was already developed with some
accommodation as well as creek water pump, some solar
power, water tanks.
Parts of the land are being revegetated. A steep access
track exists up to the building site.
The building site is on a level area part way up the slope
with limited existing vegetation.
The land is characterised by thin top soil overlying shale
soils on solid rock.
Construction.
Cellar built with concrete slab, waterproofing tanked stone
walls and capped venting ducts for moisture control.
Main building module built with concrete slab, stone walls
and pole frame roof support. Stone recycled on-site, recycled
timbers and window units built-in.
The module is principally open plan, with greenhouse open to
living room and mezzanine bedroom.
Design includes glazing and window box to greenhouse, venting
clerestorey to both north and south to living room.
Systems.
The building is to connect to the site services of water
supply and septic disposal. A wind turbine was built on the
hilltop to the west of the building site and connects
to the self contained site power supply.
Solar hot water is to be roof mounted.
Occupation.
The owners have lived on site prior to and during
construction.
The building comfort is to be controlled by manipulation
of openings.
Services to be limited to capacity of the
existing site systems.
