Toorak's Limestone House, devised by John Wardle Architects, has been designed to be entirely self sufficient.

Asked by a pair of clients to create a spacious and efficient home, JWA set about creating a home that did not compromise on being a wondrous place to live despite its sustainable requirements. The home’s outer shell, composed of Mt Gambier limestone, has been carved away thoughtfully to create a number of window apertures.

The windows facing the street have been aligned in such a way that they capture as much natural light as possible, without sacrificing privacy. To the north, larger openings allow for an influx of light and views of the sky. The largest aperture is a central, shaded courtyard that draws in natural light, ventilation and the winter sun.

This aperture comprises a plated pond, in which sits a timber lined study that doubles as the heart of the home.

A sweeping staircase leads from the street to a steel portal which identifies the entry to the dwelling. The open-plan Living and dining, kitchen, powder room, main bedroom suite and two dedicated studies occupy the ground level. Guest bedrooms, bathrooms, and a roof-top kitchen garden are located above at first floor level. Much of the building services equipment is located in the basement, with a wine cellar, larder, music studio and space for cars located underneath the living spaces. The garden has been sensitively landscaped with a strong emphasis on native planting.

The locally sourced limestone is a sustainable material that requires minimal energy expenditure and is easy to extract. The stone is then cut, sliced, laid and detailed to the liking of an architect or designer, as evidenced with the unique contours of Limestone House’s facade. Recycled timber cladding within the dining room and study will eventually become a silvery grey over time, with other textural elements of the house following suit. The overall appearance of the home has been designed to evolve and to gain a weathered feel in the years to follow.

Limestone House’s interior consists of a restrained material palette with a focus on details that accommodate the hand and eye. Siltstone floor tiles complement the exposed limestone walls. Recycled blackbutt has been utilised for timber cladding and window frames. Reclaimed Tasmanian oak is crafted into flooring, interior linings and joinery.

JWA built the home to Passivhaus principles in order to maximise both comfort and environmental harmony, and to ensure energy input to the home was minimal. The Living Building Challenge also informed much of the design, encouraging the practice to select a number of natural and locally sourced materials, as well as an off-grid approach to energy and water management. In order to achieve quality control, the thermal shell was prefabricated, which also mitigated the need to create it onsite. Superior indoor air quality is attained using a 100 percent fresh air mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery.

The implementation of all a number of locally sourced and sustainable elements has resulted in a home that emits a minimal carbon footprint. Limestone House is the embodiment of environmentally-conscious design, with John Wardle Architects aiming to utilise a number of materials and textures that bring character sustainability in equal measure.