Demolition has begun on the site of the Cathedralette House, we are excitedly awaiting construction to commence!

This successful council project on a tight budget and designed to involve the community in the build. The dramatic roof plane is the product of extensive solar diagramming. This design utilises local earth and incorporates other locally sourced materials.  A subterranean rock bed stores energy and stabilises internal temperatures.

The design re-thinks rammed earth.  Comprehensive sectional analysis, solar modelling, meld the best of both worlds – creating healthy and naturally comfortable zones that adjust to the seasons.

Artisan Apartments design by EME is scheduled to commence construction later this year.  These apartments combine spacious north facing living with quality ageless finishes.  This spectacular looking building also delivers spectacular performance – with an 8.7 star energy rating the development leads the way.  Whilst soaking up the natural light and sweeping views, you can rest assured as these apartments will give massive savings on heating and cooling costs.

The Australian Hardwood cladding makes its way around the Main Pod revealing the composition of windows progressively.  Paul has also installed an extensive array of solar panels on the roof.

Here is our new design for a riverside house, stay tuned for more!

Luke at the Official Launch Event celebrating the launch of the BDAV’s 10-Star Challenge 2013.

Follow the link to see EME’s 2012 winning 10 Star Apartment entry.

Recent article in The Fifth Estate By Donna Kelly

Luke Middleton may have designed a 10-star energy efficient house – but he certainly doesn’t have stars in his eyes.

Middleton, of EME Design, was a winner in last year’s Building Designers’ Association of Victoria 10-Star Challenge

link to The Fifth Estate

“A combination of detailed analysis, clever design, cutting edge insulation and cladding technologies have enabled a Melbourne-based team to design a 10 star residential apartment development. click here to link to BPN article

Enquiries – more info on project

Link to Harvest Apartments

Phil recently commissioned the low energy heating and cooling system at Eme’s Eco Education building in Mildura.  EME’s design has both passive and active passive systems to provide creature comfort throughout the year.  The building is designed to capture and storage energy with a combination of symbiotic systems.

This week Luke talked with journalist Donna Kelly at The Fifth Estate

extract of article    …….  Middleton said that while aiming for 10-star energy efficiency in a home was admirable, other considerations were important.

“The 10-star rating is like one colour in the rainbow,” he said.

link to article

EME Design is now on Facebook! ‘Like’ us and enjoy the latest EME happenings and lots of glossy renders and photos!

Link to ‘like’ us

The design has been completed on this space, cost, time and energy efficient regional office.

Link to Efficient Regional Office

Breaking the mold, and in the EME tradition of designing funky spaces that work, our retro-fit kitchen for this compact apartment illustrates that you can have your cake and eat it.

Eme’s award winning apartments are unique – their flexible and spacious layout is extremely versatile and efficient.  They offer an alternative to the traditional compact apartment.  Careful planning provides for the spaciousness of a home within a relatively compact footprint.

Eme has designed these apartments to be adaptable and buildable.  They can be configured to work well on a variety of plot sizes and sloping sites.  We can adjust the design to scale up or down the density to suit the location without compromising the amenity or high performance of the homes.

Luke would be happy to discuss with you this exciting development further -  just click here

Like to view a 3d walk thru of project click here

EME’s sustainable design education building situated in Mildura is drawing close to completion.  The locally sourced cladding has been fully installed.  Within the walls behind the hardwood cladding is an insulations system designed to harness maximum performance from the thermal mass.  This exemplar piece of architecture is designed without the need for airconditioning or heating no easy feat in the extreme climate of Mildura.

Link to Sustainable Living Mildura – Eco Living Centre

Eco centre day

Luke and Alita are very proud to welcome the arrival of Ned Middleton – born on 14 November 2012, happy, healthy and with his hands in the air.

The first three weeks have been a joy, all be it with new sleeping habits.  Ned has a lovely nature, a good baby most of the the time, we are very lucky.  He has a very healthy appetite – the local nurses were astonished at his 2.5cm of growth and 250 gram weight gain in less than one week – he now measures 55cm.  Alita and Luke are not sure where he gets his height from.

This clever home explores the symbols and materials of suburbia.  An architectural re-invention, the roofline is morphed to capture the winter sun.  The eastern facade plays with scale, an arrangement of shapes resemble the stylistic drawings of kindergartens.  On closer inspection these spaces are filled with plants that provide a living layer of privacy to the upper living spaces.

The stunning earthworks for the Grey River house have been completed, ensuring a beautiful garden will be well established when the house construction is completed. Quarried locally, these stones look at home, terracing the steep slope.

Construction of this showcase sustainable education building in Mildura is scheduled for the end of 2012.  The contractor has commenced installation of the cladding and the radial timber weatherboards have been delivered to site (in log form) ready to be fixed and cure on the building.

EME’s design for this autonomous family home embraces an extensive use of locally sourced sustainable material.  The radial cut weatherboards were fitted to the building straight from the log and have been curing with the free energy of the sun.  This method harks back to the historic use of timber.  This significantly reduces the embodied energy of the cladding.  As the species chosen is a durable hardwood, the wall has a prolonged life span with no painting.  The timber has been oiled, this enables the timber to settle in to its new form, whilst also adding extra resistance to deteriation.  As the oil is absorbed by the timber there is no delaminating or flaking as is the case with paint, or other surface treatments.   The timber weatherboards have now cured on the building and being a durable Victorian hardwood they need no maintenance.

EME has added a new project to the website, please have a look at the images for a new extension in the heart of South Yarra.

EME’s Burgundy apartments feature inverse masonry construction.  This has a double benefit, firstly the apartments are rock solid, and secondly, our design maximises the efficiency of the thermal mass for incredible thermal performance.  Our client has always stressed that this project has an extra special site and that this was to be reflected in the design.

We have ensured that all apartments are drenched with sunlight and capture the parkside environment.  Generous balcony spaces facing north have panoramic views of Heidelberg and the parklands adjacent.  Yet the site is a stones throw from an extensive range of services.

The living Pod is taking shape and Paul will be fixing the shiplap cladding shortly.  In these pictures you can see the multi-layered insulation system used on this highly efficient home.

EME Design’s community project in Mildura is well advance on site.  The wall and roof framing is almost complete and the builder is ready to install the main roof.  Our design is a hybrid based on the poetics of strong skillion roof forms and the wrap around veranda.  Both iconic features of the Australian rural landscape.  EME’s design takes these forms and has manipulated the roof shape, angles, overhang to provide protection in summer and capture warmth in winter.

This sustainable education building has both internal and external learning zones.  The thermal mass of the ground slab is complemented with an internal curved earth wall.  Again, EME has undertaken deep analysis in the design of the curved wall to provide extra solar energy storage in winter.  In summer we can reverse its role, and use the wall to store coolth from the overnight heat purge.

Over the weekend Luke was invited to be on the expert advice panel to provide free design advice to the public.  This was part of an initiative set up by the BDAV.  It was very busy, doing more than a dozen consultations.  The questions and projects varied immensely, from how to deal with noise and rain for an outdoor living space through to design advice on multi-residential developments.

Eme designed this 7.2 star family home in 2009 with a host of other sustainable features well ahead of its time.   Set on more that 2 aces of productive land, Paul and Elodie’s brief was to create a comfortable and energy efficient home for their growing family.  Before getting in to the design of the house, we looked closely at the overall layout of structures on the site, weighing up many important factors including solar access, vegetation overlays, wildlife management, waterway management (there is a seasonal creek running through the property), water catchment and management.  Once a suitable location was identified we set to design the home.  As Paul also works from home he required an autonomous office that was integrating in to the home.  Keys aspects of the brief included maximising passive systems, zonable living spaces.  Eme’s cleaver design solution was to create a playful composition with the windows.  Each window was carefully considered both in terms of its contribution to the composition but also the views its framed and its potential for winter solar gain.

Paul having experience in the construction industry is building the project from start to finish – with a little help from his friends, family and local trades.

sustainable new home Apollo Bay

2011

This eco home features semi passive solar design, integrated vertical planting, zoned and multifunctional living. The eco strategies have been optimised in the architectural expression.  Thermal mass strategically placed for both comfort and aesthetic results.

super sustainable 10 Star apartments

EME’s winning design creates flexible, viable and liveable apartments that achieve a 10 star rating.  Innovative design sets new benchmarks in sustainable architecture. They include a greenhouse which is repeatable over multi-storey developments providing free energy and food production.   In addition they address the wider aspects of sustainability including, minimising embodied energy, integrated food production and community building.

Intelligent density – Naturally responsive density.  These designs tackle the future of City Housing from a multivalent perspective

flexibility – the design can provide increased density ranging from 1 dwelling per 166m2 up to 1 dwelling per 30m2

- the design enables many configurations to suit a wide variety of site conditions holistic – the design encompasses a  wider frame of reference.  The typology embraces sustainability at an Urban Design perspective.  Key elements include     integrating social spaces and interfacing with street scape     integrated food production within both shared and private spaces    materials – local and low embodied energy materials with natural and sustainable finishes. kit of parts – the embraces maximising the use of standard materials with minimal waste.  in addition the repetition afforded by the carefully planned layouts will result in efficiencies of scale.

With the cladding and windows in place, the scupltural forms of the design are visible.

The semi passive cooling system is being integrated in to the slab preparation.  Earlier this we Luke visited site discuss the optimal location for the underground pipeowork.  EME’s approach of working closely with Wayne, the head contractor, facilitates a more practical solution to the coordination of underground services.  Our on site meetings provide an opportunity to transfer the intent and principles of the design’s ESD aspects.

This project is the first stage of the Mildura Eco Living Park (MELP).  The park will be developed as a world-class demonstration site and a hub for programs which will encourage more sustainable ways of living.

Watch walk thru animation of project, click here

Sustainable Mildura click to link

CERES master plan  – link to Outreach

Link to other conceptual work

It seems the local Kola’s are getting out of the trees to check out the evolving landscape of our Grey River project.  This little furry friend is making her way accross the terraced front garden recently planted out by Phil and Anne.  Under this landscape we have concealed 2 large concrete water tanks that will service the garden and home.

EME’s sustainable education building the Mildura Eco Living Centre (MELC) commenced construction last week.  Site and foundation preparation involves building up a raised plinth made of local rock.  This will provide an elevated vantage point for our building and also helps satisfy other regulatory requirements.  EME’s design is embedded with energy efficiency, local materials and community involvement   The key to a holistically sustainbale project.  This project is to become the regions hub for innovative learning, we are very proud to be a part of this fantastic initiative.

Watch walk thru animation of project, click here

Eme’s commitment to sustainable architecture has recently been recognised in an industry first.  We are very proud to announce our 10 star design received first prize at the BDAV awards night held at the Great Hall, NGV.  EME’s design for 16 apartments was a stand out for the judges.  EME collaborated with Greensphere Consulting who provided energy modelling of the design and the First Rate certification.

“Eme Design’s innovative approach to home designed for urban residents committed to a more engaged sustainable lifestyle impressed the judges… they also noted the sympathetic way the building’s roof form and facade is designed to integrate well with the streetscape.

In terms of a sustainable architectural response, these apartments lead the way.  The apartments provide great amenity for the occupants, and go further also integrating sustainability at a community level.  Link to project

Like to view a 3d animation of project click here

Click to link to Greensphere

In the heart of Brunswick we have designed a new home working inspired by the local vernacular.  Inversing the conventional planning of cottages this home embraces the sun and the street.  Flexible living is afforded in the layout.  The design also manages to preserve and improve the existing permaculture food garden.

to work harder in terms of light and passive solar.  The solid concrete structure has been designed to optimise the performance of the building.  Our client states that “these apartments will offer a highly level of apartment housing for the area.  Apartments that are more comfortable. more functional, more spacious and more efficient.  Exquisite park views, generous balconies, and 2.9m ceilings are just some of the features”.

Jo & Dylan were asked to open their gates for the Moonee Valley and Hobsons Bay councils’ My Smart Garden program which helps residents to grow their own food, shelter their homes, recycle wastes and use water wisely. Over 205 people visited their inner city permaculture backyard to learn how you can be more self-sufficient in the suburbs.

Link to My Smart Gardens Website, Time-Lapse of their Garden, News Article

The first half of this year our energetic client, Phil Anderson, has been busy building the landscape.  The re-shaping of the landscape has involved the construction of natural rock walls – all the stone has been sorced locally.  Eme’s master plan for the site focused on creating useable terraces on this sloping site.  Phil and Anne have already planted trees, shrubs, vegies and ground cover to give their garden a head start on the main construction work.

Watch animation click here

The folded roof form is taking shape.

Work has commenced on our warehouse mezzanine.  Working within the confines of an existing warehouse apartment this design places the new space to create bulkheads within the existing rooms.  Careful placement of new internal windows also improves natural light to the adjacent living room.

We are pleased to announce that our multi-residential 10 star design is a finalist in this years 10 star challenge.  Eme’s design was a stand out for the judges, offering both 10 star performance with additional embedded features addressing intentional community building and urban food production.

See More

The natural edge silver top timber cladding begins to wrap the western two storey pavillion of the Autonomous House.  Progressively we can see the interesting composition of windows designed to highlight and frame the landscape.

 Innovative design includes a thermal exchange chamber which is repeatable over multi-storey developments providing free energy and food production.   In addition they address the wider aspects of sustainability including, minimising embodied energy, integrated food production and community building.

The yarraville project is approaching its last phases of completion.  Our client has partially moved in to enjoy the new spaces and begin to appreciate all their hard work.

Sanctuary Magazine’s editor Sarah Robertson has a focus story on our Victoria Street apartments.

“….. the apartments are one approach to designing more intengently for denisty, providing place specific, spacious yet smaller fottprint homes for “empty nesters” …

New multi-residential designs are showing that apartments can offer the positive attributes of a house, with benefits for the environment

Our favourite renovation, the award winning Ribbon House, is featured in the latest issue of Green Magazine.

Click here to read the story, Ribbons of Light

EME is proud to announce that the Yarraville house has been completed. The clients have settled in and are now tackling a new permaculture garden, we will be updating the projects section with photos soon!

An essential part of creating an energy efficient home is incorporating a smart design into the project from the very start – particularly in the case of a renovation. Dimi Kyriakou speaks to an environmental design company (EME Design) that has addressed this gap in the market.

View Building Connection Magazine article pdf

Working with Salter Architects EME have come up with a new look “White Sally” development at Mount Buller.  The revised layout devised by Charlie has car lift access to the car park under the top building.

Persistence has paid off for the owners and builders of our Autonomous Home design.  In the design for Paul and Elodie’s home we incorporated an internal earth wall that wraps around the living spaces.  This massive wall 600mm thick ends in a cantilever that hovers over their wood fire.

Another first for EME is a design feature that we thought up in 2004 – this home has a hydronically heated earth wall, this system can be reversed in summer.  We are very grateful for Paul’s perseverance to see this through – and of course we must thank Earth Structures for constructing the magnificent wall.

Today I visited Steve on site.  He was putting the finish coat of oil on the front porch deck.

Internally the timber floor had received its final coat of wax on Monday, so after removing our shoes we could have a look around inside.  The low sheen wax beautifully complements the rich grain of the timber.  The silky feel and appearence of the floor finish works well with the textured brick fireplace, natural concrete fire plinth and the plywood bulkhead.

The courtyard house is progressing well on site, here is an artist impression of the living space looking north through the courtyard.

eme’s ribbon home featured in the The Age, Domain  Remaster of art and craft.  By Jenny Brown

” …. solid and timeless scupltural architecture that emphasised natural materials”

read Domain article

“Beyond the embedded sustainable features, all of our designs have a standard suite of sustainable features such as water tanks, high level insulation, double glazing, solar hot water, low VOC paints and joinery. These items have been in our specifications for the last 10 years,” Luke says.

The ground floor framing is complete and the first floor is well under way. The intersecting forms are beginning to become legible, as are the layered views throughtout the home.

Similar to nature the component parts of an efficient building (ie glass,brick,timber, insulation) work together in a symbotic relationship.  This requires careful selection and placement of the materials that make up the walls, floors, roof and ceiling.  Incorrect placement can drastically reduce efficiencies.

For more information

Insulation is one of the best ways to improve the performance of a building.  Things to watch out for are, thermal bridging, ambient and radiant heat transfer.  These can invert much of the perceived benefits.

Next Sunday eme design will be participating in Speed Date a Sustainable Designer.  This initiative organised by the ATA is part of the Sustainable Living Festiva.   The event enables you to meet and discuss your plans in a relaxed “no obligations” environment. More info

When: Sunday 19 February, 2012
Time: 1-3pm
Where: The Atrium, Federation Square, Melbourne

Adam Wood are back in full swing after the summer break.  Final touches to framing with first floor roof trusses arrival imminent

As the first level begins to take shape we can begin to appreciate the beautiful views of the surroundings framed by the windows on the upper level.

eme is featured in Volkswagen Magazine’s Green Housing article, please click to see the article.

For those interested in reading more about eme design please visit the Publications area of the site where you can find all the magazine and newspaper articles featuring our work.

Click to to go to the Publications area.

Our Christmas Card this year can be found here.

Please click play or click on the picture and be sure to turn your sound ON and UP …. click here to go to the eme christmas card.

We are excited to see the Autonomous Home under construction! The basement has been completed and the first stage of framing to the bedroom pod, ground floor and childrens bedrooms is going up. The basement is integral to the thermal design of the building and will also act as a fire shelter.

Winter in Luke’s permaculture garden. Looking quite lush despite it’s small size. Luke has been battling the snails lately, but hopefully he will be victorious and his employees will have broccoli for lunch soon!

New house at Apollo Bay.

The slab & structural steel are in place.

Internal cladding has been installed at Yarraville.

EME has been featured on the Stonnington Leader website, click the link to read the article.

Cladding is being installed at Yarraville!

eme is proud to have the Ribbon House in Armadale featured in the Stonnington Leader Newspaper.

The ideas presented in this competition will form part of suite of initiatives required to prepare our cities and towns for a low carbon future.  Strengthening existing communities through incremental change.  This encourages families and friends to remain in close proximity whilst improving the quality and efficiency of the housing stock and tripling the density of the typical quarter acre block.

At the BDAV 2011 Award Ceremony eme was honoured to win in the category Heritage Conservation Project – Residential and received a special commendation for Residential Design – Alterations & Additions over $500K construction cost for the Ribbon House in Armadale. Click to view the winning project.

Luke Middleton was invited to speak at the Good Design Speaker Series at the Capitol Theatre in Melbourne. Wrights Terrace was shortlisted as an exemplar of good design and was honoured to speak about the project to a packed house.

Sunset on the soaring roofs of our Mildura Eco Centre Concept model.

Why use a ladder when you can use a cherry picker? eme measures up this stunning site in style.

Watch animation of project design -  click here

At Grey River the tanks are now in place!

Walls and rafters are up and ready for the cladding and windows to go in.

Situated at a established block on the Mornington peninsular this new home captures the stylistic desires of the client whilst embedding site responsive environmental design.  One notable feature is the multifunctional thermal wall and atrium spine.  Minimal disruption to the mature landscape has been made possible via Eme’s process of deep analysis in the orientation and siting of the home.

The Grey River house sits perched amongst the tree tops, its site sloping gently towards the ocean with a stunning view of the waves crashing to the shore below. Natural materials and its careful siting allow this building to sit harmoniously within the landscape it occupies. Windows frame views of sea and forest and careful consideration of ESD allows this building to make optimal use of solar access and cross-ventilation. The garden will be designed with consideration of permaculture principles allowing the occupants to grow their own food.

In January the eme team participated in an SuperAdobe workshop at CERES with The California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture.

We have begun design development on new apartments in the Heidelberg area, and envisage a medium density housing building, sustainable and sympathetic to the green parklands of Heidelberg and surrounds. Higher density housing with a seamless integration of innovative design, a natural palette of materials and our usual high standard of ESD principals, as well as a holistic, considered response to site.

Located in Armadale, this contemporary extension responds to the requirements of modern living, providing: natural lighting, intelligent connection between spaces and excellent use of the compact site through placement of the built form and design detail.  It includes numerous important environmental features, including a passive solar design, energy efficiency and water storage.

A sympathetic, sustainable extension and refurbishment of an existing heritage protected house.