Peppermint Ridge Retreat

XSQUARED ARCHITECTS

41a Salamanca Place, Hobart, Tasmania, 7000

Created by Xsquared Architects | T: 03 6224 7077 | F: 03 6224 7078

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A project designed and built as an exemplar of sustainable construction.

Every aspect of the project from the on-site wastewater distribution system and rainwater farming to the recycled materials and energy efficient windows was designed to reduce the projects' short and long term impacts on the environment. At the same time the project offers a unique tourist accommodation experience, attracting comment from locals and visitors alike.

Peppermint Ridge Retreat was recognised by the Mercury newspaper in 2007 as one of ‘Tassie’s 50 finest homes’, applauded for its innovative use of materials and outstanding design.

Environmentally sustainable design formed the foundation for this project – from the outset it was designed both to incorporate and demonstrate what “sustainable” buildings can be like. Central design philosophies included the use of recycled and local materials, design that would allow the use of local and unskilled labour for construction, the incorporation of on-site infrastructure (e.g. all water is sourced from rainfall harvested off the roof, greywater is treated on-site, toilets are composting with compost used to fertilise stock crops, and allowance has been made for the building to be powered by site-mounted photo-voltaic panels), and a design that was energy efficient and took advantage of passive solar design strategies. The use of timber is central to achieving the significant sustainable outcomes. Different sources, grades and species of timber occur throughout, depending on the required functionality, but in every case the use is expressed so that the building tells, in timber, the story of its construction and underlying design philosophy.

Although unusual in design and construction, this project was developed on a commercial basis and proves that environmentally sustainable design generates its own commercial impetus, in this case significantly aiding marketing. This project’s key contribution is as a highly visible, publically accessible exemplar of the environmentally sustainable design approach and of the impact of that approach on the aesthetic of building.