Architects: CHROFI – Choi Ropiha Fighera
Area: 265 m²
Year: 2008
Photography: Brett Boardman
Lead Architects: John Choi, Tai Ropiha
City: Mona Vale
Country: Australia
Mona Vale House, designed by CHROFI, is a residential project on the south side of Mona Vale Headland. Completed in 2008, the house integrates both active and passive sustainable initiatives to accommodate a contemporary coastal lifestyle. The design includes a large north-facing skylight to maximize winter sun and utilize reverse veneer construction for thermal efficiency.
The client, with a long-standing interest in building sustainability from working at the Sustainable Energy Development Authority, approached CHROFI to design a house demonstrating various sustainable initiatives.
The project is located on the south side of Mona Vale Headland with expansive views over Mona Vale Beach. The south-facing aspect and narrow site posed challenges for passive design.
The house is oriented toward the southern view but features a large north-facing skylight at its center to admit winter sun into the living areas and trap warmth using the thermal mass of the structure.
The building uses reverse veneer construction, with low embodied energy timber cladding on the exterior and high thermal mass concrete and blockwork inside.
The house can be zoned into three separate areas: the sunroom at the back, the bedroom and hallway, and the front living areas, aiding heat retention in winter.
Cross ventilation is optimized throughout, with the front living area ventilating through high-level clerestory louvers and bedrooms through fanlight windows above doors.
Additional sustainability measures include a 15,000 L rainwater storage tank with gray water recycling, evacuated tubes for in-floor hydronic heating and hot water, and photovoltaic solar panels providing electricity back to the grid.
The house serves as a test-bed for these initiatives, with their performance monitored post-occupancy.
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Project Location
Address: Mona Vale, Sydney, New South Wales 2103, Australia
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
