Strawbale Home at Narara Ecovillage

Narara Ecovillage is one of Australia's most prominent resident owned sustainable communities, and designing within it brings a particular set of opportunities and responsibilities. The clients, Jay and his partner, were drawn to my work because of the curved, natural forms in my portfolio. They described their dream as something where Gaudi meets mid century cool, but eco. That brief made me smile, and it gave me a clear direction.

Strawbale construction was the obvious choice for this project. The bales, sourced locally, provide exceptional thermal insulation, keeping the house cool in summer and warm in winter without relying on mechanical heating or cooling. But strawbale also allows something that conventional framing does not: genuinely curved walls. Rather than fighting the material into straight lines, I let the walls flow and bend, creating organic forms that feel alive. The house breathes in a way that rectilinear construction simply cannot achieve.

The design process itself was unusual. I brought watercolour sketches to every meeting, drawing the spaces by hand rather than relying solely on computer modelling. Jay described these sketches as a much loved part of the journey, something that brought their dreams and visions to life in a way that CAD drawings alone never could. I also provided 3D modelling and AI driven reference materials, but it was the hand drawn work that anchored the conversations and kept the design feeling personal.

The site within the ecovillage shaped the plan. North facing glazing captures winter sun, while deep eaves and the thermal mass of rendered strawbale walls manage the summer heat. Natural ventilation paths were mapped early in the design, with openings positioned to catch the dominant breezes. Every material was chosen for its environmental credentials: renewable, locally sourced, low embodied energy. The result is a home that sits gently on its land and belongs unmistakably to this place.