In Preston, Wurundjeri Country, the Bike Shed House is a perfect marriage of sustainability and functionality with a dash of whimsy. Designed by Ande Bunbury Architects, this home isn’t just a showcase of environmental responsibility—it’s a love letter to bikes, bunnies, and better ways to live.
The homeowners, an environmentally conscious family of four, had some unique requests. Top of the list? Storing their fleet of bikes, including two hefty electric cargo bikes, inside the house. This wasn’t a passing request but a design-defining feature. Entire meetings revolved around how to suspend bikes from the ceiling, resulting in a high, striking roofline that now frames the oversized front hallway. Who knew bike storage could be so architectural?
The sustainable ethos flows through every corner of this 150-square-metre home. Passive solar design ensures the main living spaces bask in sunlight during winter, while clever shading keeps things cool in summer. Internal concrete walls and polished concrete floors maximise thermal mass, soaking up warmth from the sun during the day and releasing it as the temperature drops. This clever design means the family rarely needs to turn on their airconditioning, a backup only for the chilliest mornings.
The gardens deserve their own spotlight. Typical planning rules would have seen the front third of the block swallowed by an unused front lawn. Not here. Instead, the north-facing side garden runs right to the street, connecting the family with their neighbours and creating a vibrant, community-focused space. In the backyard, a productive garden feeds the family and their furry friends.
Speaking of furry friends, the resident rabbits are living their best lives. With a terracotta chimney pot repurposed as a rabbit hatch, they scurry between the laundry and an outdoor run, keeping cosy on the home’s polished concrete floors. Special modifications like cupboards raised off the ground (to prevent chewing) and a nest tucked into custom joinery make this house a rabbit’s paradise.
The Bike Shed House doesn’t shy away from acoustic challenges either. With one owner being profoundly deaf, sound reverberation from all those exposed hard surfaces could have been a nightmare. Instead, acoustic ceiling panels were added, turning this into a home where conversations and connections flourish.
Every inch of this project screams sustainability. From salvaged timber cladding sourced from retired farm windbreaks to water-saving rain tanks, greywater systems, and low-VOC finishes, the home is a poster child for green living. Its 8-star energy rating and net-zero carbon credentials mean it’s not just beautiful—it’s a game-changer for sustainable design.
Ultimately, the Bike Shed House isn’t just a place to live; it’s a manifesto for how we could all approach housing. By prioritising community connection, environmental performance, and a bit of quirky fun, this Preston gem by Ande Bunbury Architects has redefined what it means to build a home.
