Light Homes defined

This site is a celebration of light homes because when they’re well designed, they’re perfectly suited to the way we love to live.

For example:

• A perfect light home is light and airy: able to be open and breezy when it's warm and deeply shaded when it's hot, with sunny inside spaces and toasty temperatures when it's cold.
• Its visual style hints at our heritage but it looks cutting-edge modern when it's called for and seamlessly subtle when the surroundings hold the stage.
• It’s robust enough to endure almost anything nature dishes up, and it also touches lightly on the earth - literally - as well as lightly on your pocket.

When it comes to designing and building a home that achieves all these things, the way to do it is with lightweight construction methods and materials. Here’s why:

• When it comes to creating homes that are light and airy, with big openings and large overhangs, nothing is as cost effective as using lightweight materials.
• When it comes to achieving thermal comfort no matter what the orientation or climate, nothing lends itself to climate-sensitive design like lightweight construction.
• When it comes creating a visual style that’s appropriate to the surroundings nothing is as aesthetically flexible as lightweight materials.
• When it comes to preserving vegetation and site topography no construction method is as low impact as lightweight construction.
• When it comes to creating affordability through building efficiency lightweight construction covers all the bases.

Now while lighthome.com.au is sponsored by the lightweight materials range Scyon™, the advanced cement composite that’s both lightweight but heavy duty, there are many, many designers and builders across Australia who are just as passionate about Light Homes.

Meet our Design Ambassadors

Light Home features three Design Ambassadors. They’re Australian architects, primarily designing Australian homes, and each month one will choose a project they believe is a great demonstration of a light home. They’ll also answer any design questions you choose to throw at them, via our Ask the design expert feature right alongside to the right.

Carolyn McFarland, Austin McFarland architects

Carolyn graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture with Honours from the University of Technology, Sydney in 1999. She’s worked in both large commercial practices as well as smaller residential practices including Marston Architects, Caroline Pidcock Architects and Virginia Kerridge Architect. After she and her husband Russell had their second child in 2004, they decided to form their own firm Austin McFarland Architects and relocate to Wingham on the NSW Mid North Coast.

You can find out more about Carolyn in her profile, in the winter issue of the Light Home magazine.

Shane Denman, Shane Denman architects

Architect Shane Denman is Director of Shane Denman Designs Pty Ltd. Established in 2000 and based in Palm Beach on Queensland's Gold Coast, Shane Denman Designs Pty Ltd is registered in QLD, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, and the practice has undertaken various successful projects in both states and territory. Since inception the practice has undertaken many varied projects, from residential, multi-residential, and commercial to wineries/cellar doors, hospitality and medical.

Prior to establishing his own practice Shane worked for various mid to large practices in Tas. Sydney and the Gold Coast, working in design, presentation, documentation and contract admin. Shane graduated from School of Environmental Design and Architecture in Hobart, Tasmania in 1975.

You can find out more about Shane in his profile, in the winter issue of the Light Home magazine.

Ed Ewers, Ewers architecture

Edward is a graduate of Deakin University, Geelong but also studied architecture at Montana State University. During this time he was fortunate to work for renowned American Architect Will Bruder at his desert studio in Phoenix, Arizona. Will Bruder taught Ed the importance of listening to clients, and hence providing responsive design solutions.

Following architectural registration in 1997, Ed traveled extensively to further his knowledge of, and exposure to great architecture. Numerous projects under Ed’s direction at Ed Ewers architecture have featured in a number of national publications and have received public recognition and commendation in a variety of design awards/competitions.

Passionate about architecture, Ed thrives on design challenges and his small part in promoting efficient, practical and inspired contributions to the built environment.

You can find out more about Ed in his profile, in the winter issue of the Light Home magazine.