Weekend House Kangaroo Island

Building a weekend house for an investor originally from Germany on Kangaroo Island in Australia was a significant challenge for a Czech company. And the distance certainly was not the biggest issue. As architect Pavel Horák confirms, who "was forced" to spend two of his vacations in Australia due to the construction: "If people are on the same wavelength and sufficiently motivated, it doesn't matter if they are scattered around the world – they can still build a house together, and distance doesn't play a role."

At the beginning of the collaboration between the investor and the architects was a coincidence – they met through a mutual business partner in Slovakia, where the investor (originally from Germany) was on a business trip. His original intention was not to build a house with a Czech firm, but he was interested in the CLT wooden panel construction technology, and therefore he visited Domesi Concept House in Budíkov. During the visit to the showcase house, he found a great understanding with architect Pavel Horák, which ultimately led to the design and construction of the house.

The location itself has its specifics – Kangaroo Island is accessible only by ferry. All materials – wooden structures, bioboards, acoustic panels, doors, and others – had to be sent in shipping containers. The transportation of large windows was particularly stressful – they did not come from Europe, but "only" from the Australian mainland. An interesting fact is the calculation of the carbon footprint that the homeowner – an ecological enthusiast – had prepared: despite the transportation of everything over a long distance, the environmental impact of the wooden construction was still lower than it would have been if the house were built from traditional masonry using local – undelivered – materials. Besides the distance, it was also necessary to "fight" the local climate, protect against termites, and deal with heightened fire protection requirements. A local company – Envirotecture – helped with all of this, as well as with communication with the authorities.
During the construction, the experience of the Czech construction manager, who had previously spent time in New Zealand and knew the local climatic conditions, was a great advantage, enabling him to manage everything remotely – from his Prague office.

The two-hundred-meter fully self-sufficient wooden building stands on a sand dune – so it was necessary to establish it on a solid steel structure. It is oriented to the north – with a view of the bay. The facade is partially clad in metal, which was a requirement from the insurance company as part of fire protection. The house is built from CLT panels to passive house standards and is completely self-sufficient, which is crucial on the island. It utilizes solar energy and is connected to the power grid only for emergencies. It also includes a charging station for the owner's car, which allows him to travel to the island on weekends without "harming" nature with exhaust emissions and diesel consumption. Under and beside the house, there are several large tanks for collecting rainwater, which is used for consumption in the house and also for fire emergencies.

The floor plan of the wooden house consists of three cubes covered by a generous roof that conceals a spacious living room with a kitchen and dining area, three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a utility room, and a laundry room. The house has a beautiful view of the bay and beach. The interiors designed by architect Pavel Horák feature exposed wood. The dominant element is a chandelier above the dining table from the Czech company Brokis.