Straw bale house, Te Arai Point, Auckland

Concept for an off-grid, straw bale, buck and beam home in Te Arai Point, Auckland. The site is elevated with beautiful views down to the ocean and the Hen and Chickens Islands off in the distance.

The concept has a standing seam roof, with an oiled timber fascia and barge. Three dormers will allow natural light to wash into the interior, and hot air to escape in summer.

Two exposed, heavy timber, mortise and tennon trusses are proposed to support the roof over the open plan, kitchen, living and dining space. This area will have a sarked timber, cathedral ceiling.

The straw bale walls will have a lime render externally, with a pigmented lime wash finish. Internally, they will have a clay plaster applied. This clay plaster will help with the humidity and temperature buffering of the home.

A veranda will wrap around much of the house for utility and weather protection. Skylights will be strategically placed in the verandah for passive solar design, and a wood stove with wetback will help keep the home warm in winter. The exposed areas, not under the verandah, will have heart cypress timber weatherboards, with a yakisugi or shou sugi ban finish.

Timber joinery will be used throughout, and this is proposed to have an natural oil finish to complement the oiled, burnt timber cladding.

The house will be self sufficient in terms of power, water, and waste water.