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Tuesday, 3 June 2014

La Belle Champe

Maison La Belle Champe (House in the Pleasant valley) also known by the Belsham clan as the "fossil pad" is under construction. 
It is located on Brendan and Debby's property.
Many of you have expressed and interest in the progress and trials and tribulations that we will endure over the next few months (To gloat I suspect) so here it is warts and all.

The fossil pad was conceived as a 10 square metre box with a vaulted ceiling. The inspiration is a minimalist mid century Danish Barn. Here is the initial concept. My friend Terry who is an experienced project developer / construction guru told me that I had designed a "BOX" and I needed to get an architect and add some "twiddly" bits.

I knew we were  on the right track. What I had in mind was a barn with vaulted ceilings and a minimum of internal walls. In fact in the design the only room with full height internal walls is the bathroom.

The entire slab including wrap around porch is to be tiled with porcelain timber look tiles with etched grain. This would both maximize the use of space by bringing the outdoors in - simply by opening one of the sliding doors.

Construction would be steel frames clad on the outside with Vermont planks and on the inside with Rynolite panels. With 100mm of insulation below the slab in the wall cavities and under the vaulted ceiling. Windows, Curtain Walls, Sliding doors and Doors are to be double glazed powder coated aluminium framed.

The whole house will heated in Winter by a small wood burning furnace.

The house is off the grid. So cooking is by gas oven and hob, 18 Photovoltaic panels are planned for the roof and the water will be heated by a 1000w heat pump. I haven't run the numbers yet but I estimate having to install about 16 12V Deep Cycle batteries connected serially in banks of 4 because 48V is the best configuration.

I have a cunning plan to supply the brats with spare power when our system is over generating and use some of theirs when we experience continuous rainy days.

In the next post I will include the later revisions of the design.



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