Archetype Research - the Marika Alderton House

Location: Yirrkala Community, Eastern Arnhem Land, NT, Australia.

Architect: Glenn Murcutt

A house as an environmental filter

• The Marika Alderton House is is open to fresh air with wood panel louver windows rather than glass windows, insulated from intense heat and protected from extreme climate in the Australia outback.
• Using simple materials such as plywood walls, tallow-wood shutters, and corrugated iron roofing, easy assemble, helped contain construction costs. 90 degrees open of all the wood panel louvers windows can be opened to  to maximize ventilation.
• Wide eaves create shading for the house.  pivoting tubes along the roof  and vertical fins enhance ventilation in the living space.
• Airflow through under the floor of the house by raisiing several metal pillars and numerous small gaps in the floorboards.

A house as a container of human activity

•  Glenn Murcutt combined his own creative vision with Aboriginal ideas, creating a unique and valuable bridge between cultures.
• Younger family members sleep in the centre of the house while elders sleep beside the western wall which is close to the outside.
• A large eastern open space designed for public activities is separated from the western private sleeping area.
• The large open layout allows kids to play around the house and also provide enough space for aboriginal activities.

A house as a delightful experience

•   Provide effective ventilation and insulation for the extrem climate housing.
•  Respect and understand the culture back ground of the users. Rational space arrangement that separates private areas from public spaces.
•   Use of environmentally friendly and economical materials, substainable design.
•   Low maintenance costs and energy saving.

Something more about Glenn Murcutt

Ideas of Glenn Mucutt

• Use Simple Materials
• Touch the Earth Lightly
• Follow the Sun
• Listen to the Wind

"Life is not about maximizing everything, it's about giving something back - like light, space, form, serenity, joy."

-Glenn Murcutt

Born:

1936 in London, England Primary Residence:
Sydney, Australia

Education:

Studied architecture at the University of New South Wales from 1956 to 1961

Awards:

Glenn Murcutt has won many important awards, including:

• 1992: Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal
• 2002: Pritzker Prize
• 2009: American Institute of Architects Gold Medal

References:
Author Unknown, 2011. http://architecture.about.com/od/buildyourhous1/a/murcuttbuild.htm (Accessed 12/03/11)