Place of Keeping
Wutuma
As shown by the plan and photographs, the building is a unique earth-integrated structure linking architecture with the landscape.
Geotecture is a conservation-based method of building, one that conserves land surface, thermal energy and life cycle costs.
Earth-covered building is an exciting and innovative concept, relatively new in Australia. It is widely accepted in many other countries because of important advantages over ‘above-ground’ building, such as major savings in heat and cooling costs, a substantial reduction in noise level, and a minimisation of adverse effects on the ecology.
The building would be constructed from a reinforced concrete floor, walls and roof. In this day and age we have the technology to build damp free, well drained and dry underground space free of condensation problems, and these spaces would be will lit and ventilated by natural and artificial means. The advantages of having a near constant internal temperature through seasonal change can be achieved by sharing the near steady sate temperature conditions of the earth which insulates the building. This is a necessary condition for preserving artefacts.
The overall cost of sitting the structure within the ground, under reasonable site conditions, compares favourably with above-ground structures because there is no external wall and roof finishes.
While the complex is sizable in floor area, the landscaped earth-covered roof will be non-visible from the outside. From above, the only sign of the structure will be the paved, recessed courtyards which, like the roof, are designed to blend with the surrounding landscape.
Wutuma
As shown by the plan and photographs, the building is a unique earth-integrated structure linking architecture with the landscape.
Geotecture is a conservation-based method of building, one that conserves land surface, thermal energy and life cycle costs.
Earth-covered building is an exciting and innovative concept, relatively new in Australia. It is widely accepted in many other countries because of important advantages over ‘above-ground’ building, such as major savings in heat and cooling costs, a substantial reduction in noise level, and a minimisation of adverse effects on the ecology.
The building would be constructed from a reinforced concrete floor, walls and roof. In this day and age we have the technology to build damp free, well drained and dry underground space free of condensation problems, and these spaces would be will lit and ventilated by natural and artificial means. The advantages of having a near constant internal temperature through seasonal change can be achieved by sharing the near steady sate temperature conditions of the earth which insulates the building. This is a necessary condition for preserving artefacts.
The overall cost of sitting the structure within the ground, under reasonable site conditions, compares favourably with above-ground structures because there is no external wall and roof finishes.
While the complex is sizable in floor area, the landscaped earth-covered roof will be non-visible from the outside. From above, the only sign of the structure will be the paved, recessed courtyards which, like the roof, are designed to blend with the surrounding landscape.
