Clyde Mews consists of 8 dwellings including 6 double storey, family centric, townhouses and 2 units, ranging in size from one to three bedrooms. The project is a development of two traditional Thornbury housing blocks into medium density housing, and provides an alternative model to the usual car centric development of this type. Instead a model of medium density living is delivered that that prioritises the development of community, shared amenity, sustainability and landscape. The dwellings have been designed to maximise the site's orientation to provide energy and water efficient residences that are sustainable, comfortable and affordable.
The site features good public and private open space positioned around a central shared space that contains seating and large planter boxes for communal gardening. The development is well located in the centre of Thornbury, in close proximity to a range of services including transport, retail, and recreational facilities.
LOCATION
Clyde Mews is situated on Clyde Street, in Thornbury, only seven kilometres from Melbourne's CBD.
Thornbury is bordered by Merri Creek to the west and Darebin Creek to the east, both are popular recreation paths for cyclists, joggers and walkers.
The local area offers a mix of stylish bars, boutiques and cafes, along with an abundance of amenities including hospitals, childcare and schools, parks, playgrounds, markets, sporting amenities and public transport.
Utilising natural and honest materials including recycled brickwork, black steel, stained glass, cyclone fences, and natural wood, Clyde Mews ties seamlessly into the Thornbury streetscape, while still providing strong visual points of interest.
COMMUNITY
With only eight homes spaced around the communal gardens and reclaimed timber board-walk, Clyde Mews encourages the formation of a small tight-knit community where residents are able to interact with each other, taking ownership of the communal areas and edible gardens.
PRIVACY
All Clyde Mews dwellings are developed with livability in mind, and resident privacy is one of the most important factors.
Dwellings are either standalone or semi-detached and are designed with carefully considered layouts that maximise privacy.
Window specification and placement were also considered - with different shapes and sizes of windows used to control the degrees of privacy. Long horizontal windows have been used to control sight in more public areas, and larger windows have been used where privacy is of lesser concern.
CAR PARKING AND ENTRY
Entry to Clyde Mews is a unique experience, with residents entering from Clyde Street via the timber board-walk, constructed using recycled railway sleepers that presents an attractive vista towards the dwellings and communal gardens.
Car parks in Clyde Mews are grouped together and located on the edges of the site, which breaks the norm of lockup garages attached to dwellings, minimising the amount of space allocated to the driveway. This frees up space for communal areas, including the shared planter beds and outdoor spaces.
SUSTAINABILITY & GOOD DESIGN
Water Efficiencies
The Clyde Mews development is equipped with a 30,000 litre underground rainwater storage tank that collects and stores water from the rooftops. This water is then used to flush toilets, fill washing machines and irrigate the communal gardens.
All dwellings feature water – and energy – efficient appliances, taps, showerheads and toilets.
Native plants are prominent throughout the Clyde Mews common areas and gardens, which are heat resistant and drought tolerant.
Communal Spaces
The Clyde Mews development is clustered around a generous garden plot, providing an area where residents can grow, maintain and harvest their own fruits and vegetables while also connecting and collaborating with one another.
Solar Power
Each Clyde Mews home is equipped with Canadian Solar photovoltaic solar panels, complete with Fronius solar inverters and monitoring system with a capacity between 1 to 3 kilowatts depending on the dwelling.
Sustainable and Recycled Materials
Clyde Mews is constructed using a variety of refurbished and recycled materials; from the timber board-walk, made of recycled railway sleepers, to the communal mailboxes, made using reclaimed bricks.
The outdoor timber decking of each dwelling is built using sustainably harvested timber.
Some dwellings also feature a reclaimed timber beam which provides structural support for the staircases and acoustic felt panels made from 60 per cent recycled PET plastic, which are both decorative arid functional, absorbing noise and reducing sound reverberation within Clyde Mews.
Modern Amenities
Clyde Mews utilises traditional heating and cooling techniques, enabling each home to maintain optimal air temperatures during the few weeks of the year where extreme temperatures are experienced. These include:
⋅ Aerotron ceiling fans, designed for efficiency and quiet running volume. Aerotron are known for their uniquely designed fans, which also provide a strong visual point of interest to each room.
⋅ Hydronic heaters, providing a gentle, non-drying, low energy radiant heat for the colder months.
⋅ Reverse cycle air conditioners, which are placed in each master bedroom to provide additional comfort during extra hot summer days.
Passive Heating and Cooling
Clyde Mews incorporates various passive design features, so each dwelling requires minimal energy to achieve optimal living temperatures. Utilising a range of passive heating and cooling innovations, each Clyde Mews home features:
⋅ High thermal mass exposed concrete flooring, embedded with R2.o thermal insulation, which absorbs sunlight during the day and releases it slowly at night, ensuring a comfortable living temperature in winter. In summer, the concrete leverages the naturally cooler temperature of the earth to reduce the impact of heatwaves.
⋅ Cross ventilation encourages natural cooling in summer months by increasing air flow and allowing hot air to escape. This minimises any need for mechanical cooling, reducing energy consumption for residents.
⋅ Pitched roof design, with high sloping ceilings on select dwellings that not only create a visual point of interest, but helps regulate internal room temperatures during warmer months. Additionally, angled ceilings feature openable roof vents to allow hot air to escape.
⋅ All windows (except louvre windows) are double-glazed, increasing thermal insulation within the dwellings.
⋅ Extensive pergolas and awnings, providing a framework for vines to spread and form a lush canopy, which in the summer provides shade, and in the winter months loses its leaves, allowing the sun to warm each dwelling.
Lighting
Clyde Mews dwellings feature a range of lighting fitted with energy efficient LED lightbulbs. Each home features beautiful IVY pendant lights by Mark Douglass, a Richmond based studio specialising in bespoke hand-blown glass creations.
Natural Light
Clyde Mews is laid out to maximise the amount of natural northern sun each dwelling receives. Dwellings feature north-facing windows with awnings in the living and dining areas, reducing the amount of hot summer sun exposure, while allowing extra sun indoors during winter.
Stained Glass Installation
Bespoke glass installations by Adadaz, a Hawthorn-based leadlight artisan are prominently featured within each dwelling. These stained-glass windows provide a strong point of visual interest, and reference a signature of the architects Six Degrees.
Flooring
Dwellings feature a range of flooring types including polished concrete, tiled and carpeted floors, providing a combination of easy to clean and comfortable surfaces.
The bedrooms of all dwellings and living areas of the apartments are fully carpeted with Cavalier Bremworth carpets, woven from 100% New Zealand wool to provide warmth, comfort and durability.
Appliances
Clyde Mews kitchens are equipped with well-designed, high-star-rating, energy and water efficient V-ZUG or Miele appliances.
Building Features and Fixtures
Clyde Mews dwellings feature a combination of robust materials and natural textures, such as plywood, steel and concrete to maximise character while introducing warmth.
Dwellings are designed with a pitched· roof, which not only helps differentiate each home from the other, but serves to minimise the visual bulk of the development and the overlooking of neighbourly space.
The pitched roof design also ensures that the Clyde Mews development sits comfortably within the existing Clyde Street landscape.
The brief was to create purpose-built homes that are timelessly designed, environmentally conscious and community focused. Meticulously planned to forge a sense of community while maintaining privacy – the design of Clyde Mews includes communal areas with edible gardens and a reclaimed timber board-walk, encouraging social interaction and a sense of community among neighbours.
