Home Built out of Repurposed Concrete Blocks

As you’re probably well aware, concrete has a huge carbon footprint and what’s worse, a lot of it gets discarded each year. Given these facts, it’s nice to come across the new project by Australian firm Archier, which recently built a family home using recycled concrete blocks.

The home is called Sawmill House and is located in Yackandandah, Australia on a site where a gold mine was once located. It was commissioned by sculptor Benjamin Gilbert. The entire home is built out of recycled and repurposed materials, as well as those available locally. These include 270 recycled concrete blocks, which would otherwise go to waste.

To name a few, the concrete blocks used to build this home once formed a bridge, a footpath, and a home, and repurposing has given this home a unique façade, reminiscent of a quilt. The timber used in the construction process came from a local supplier who felled and milled the trees within walking distance from the building site. The flooring is made of roughly cut macrocarpa wood, while all the furniture and cabinetry was custom designed.

The home features an open plan design, which gives it a feeling of spaciousness and connectedness, though it can also be subdivided when privacy is required. The home also features a huge 30 feet (9 m) wide door, which opens from the living room to the patio. The latter can also be covered by an operable roof, thus effectively extending the living area into the outdoor space. The designers gave the kitchen a golden layer of brass, which connects the home with its gold mining past, while the bathroom features an old copper sink.

Sawmill House is another example of just how easy it is to create a beautiful modern home using repurposed and recycled materials. Hopefully more architects will think of reusing concrete blocks in the years to come.

Related Articles on JetsonGreen.com:
Zero Energy Home Built of Recycled Wood
Sustainable Eco Lodge Built Entirely of Eco-Friendly and Natural Materials
Glamping in a Tiny House Made From Repurposed Water Tanks

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