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FSC AustraliaFSC established its Australian branch in 2006, and is currently developing its own standard to suit the Australian context and environment. FSC Australia ensures that Australian stakeholders are heard internationally, contributing to the standards and promoting the scheme. It also ensures the use of the FSC trademark is enforced, and that the public understands and can engage in FSC processes.9 Australian Timbers and Their Characters
FSC certification is recognised internationally as the most rigorous environmental and social standard for responsible forest management.FSC standards ensure that environmental, social and economic needs are balanced, and that long-term forest management plans are implemented. Benefits for the local and wider communities include cleaner air and water, and mitigating the effects of climate change, while having positive effects on economic development, environmental conservation and poverty alleviation. It also ensures no illegal logging, no human rights abuses, and no unregulated production practices take place.See more stunning exteriors
Forest management certificationForest management certification is a voluntary process for forest owners, operators or representatives to initiate. They request an independent FSC-accredited certifier to inspect the forest to determine if the management meets the FSC requirements. The certification applies to all tropical, temperate and boreal forests and to many plantations and partially replanted forests. In August 2017, more than 198 million hectares were FSC certified in 84 countries. Oceania has 1.3 per cent of total FSC-certified area. This includes 1.23 million hectares and 14 certificates in Australia, and 1.27 million hectares and 21 certificates in New Zealand.
Find an FSC supplier or retailerYou can find FSC-certified suppliers using the database on the FSC website. Search by country, species, product type, name or number. You can also use the database to confirm that a supplier is certified. Retailers of FSC-certified products are also listed on the FSC website.Tell usDid you find this story interesting? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to like, share or bookmark this story. Join the conversation. MoreRead more eco-living articles
Is there a lesson humans can take from Tony’s fate? Deprived of sensory stimuli, social bonds and connection with nature in our homes and workplaces, we may be heading down the same path. Biophilic design is being advanced as the next important focus in architecture and as a remedy, partly, for the plethora of modern-day conditions linked to fatigue and stress.
Is it just another name for green architecture?Green building principles emphasise responsibility to the environment and efficient use of sustainable resources. Although biophilic design embraces these aims, its focus is more on the wellbeing of those who use the spaces. The merging of planet-based with human-based philosophies is causing a stir in architectural circles. Brian Donovan of BVN Donovan Hill commented that “architecture will never be the same again”.
Frank Lloyd Wright was a more recent exponent of biophilia. “Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you,” he advised, and many of his buildings bear this out. Notably, his ground-breaking Fallingwater is so integrated with nature as to be inseparable.
Today, there is growing interest in designing restorative, productive and appealing buildings with sustained opportunities to engage with natural systems. Workplaces, medical and aged care facilities and, vitally, our homes are set to benefit hugely from this trend.
What are the elements of biophilic design?Natural light from windows, skylights, clerestory openings; full-spectrum artificial light sources that complement daylight; dynamic light of varying intensity via facades, shades, shutters and apertures.Exterior views. A distant view past a close view gives perspective and a sense of connection to a wider ecosystem.Water sources such as fountains, ponds and water features, that can be seen, heard and touched.Rich sensory stimuli that reference nature; scented plants, plants that change colour seasonally, plants positioned to move in breezeways, open flames, tactile materials.Minimally processed materials that reflect the local ecology; natural fibres such as leather, stone, timber and handmade objects.
An intriguing aspect of biophilic design is that, in the absence of real natural environments, simulation has equal benefits. This is known as ‘biomimicry’ and is perhaps the feature that is most useful and achievable in urban spaces. It is found in:organic shapes in construction and furniture (geometric shapes are rarely found in nature).colour schemes derived from nature – earth and vegetation tones, colours found in water and the sky.nature imagery, either realistic or derivative, including photographs, art, murals, sculptures and stylised floral or vegetal patterns.See more eclectic living rooms
A green buffer to the street enables connection and interaction with vegetation and views for the occupants and passers-by. Internally, a central courtyard allows visual connection with other areas of the house and creates a thermal ‘lung’ for natural cooling and heating.
Meanwhile, in his Rathmines project, salvaged materials relate to the Japanese tradition of wabi-sabi – the beauty in imperfection and natural processes. The kitchen island is topped with tactile recycled wharf, while the interior walls and barbecue area outside are constructed of salvaged brick.
In Martin’s Trentham Long House, the material palette echoes the natural environment, favouring texture over flat colour. Timber cladding is allowed to silver over time and contrast with the character-filled slate tile floor. Gabion stone walls shelter alfresco living areas, allowing outdoor connection even on windy days.
A lattice of timber battens throws dappled shadows on the slate floors. “The moving patterns evoke the protective canopy of trees on the forest floor,” says Martin.
An extension to the Carlton Cloister was achieved by a corridor link between the main house and the two-storey addition. The covered walkway connects continuously to the garden through north-facing glazing. Built from red brick and blackbutt cladding, materials in this project more closely align to external spaces than interior ones, reinforcing the outdoor aspects of the walkway.
Photos by Lisa Atkinson PhotographerHouzz at a glanceWho lives here: Penny Atiwill and Matt Learmonth, their daughters Tilly, 20, and Grace, 16, Henry the Labrador, Hudson the cat, and Horatio the kookaburraWhere: Mornington Peninsula, VictoriaSize: 4 bedrooms, 1 bathroom
The couple spotted the 1870 Red Hill property online and were quickly smitten: “As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to buy it”, says Atiwill. Soon after, the couple packed up their city life; kids, pets and their online and retail business, and moved to their new coastal home, which they aptly named The Mailing House. “Moving here was a real gamble,” says Atiwill. “What if the kids loathed it? What if a couple of months down the track we decided we’d made a mistake? Not a chance! The community here is fabulous, and it’s the perfect mix of coast and country.”
The house is set high on the hill with views to Port Phillip bay. “One of the original postmistresses used to watch the ships sail through the bay towards Melbourne, and would jump on her horse to collect the mail from the docks,” says Atiwill.
“Many of the original insides of the property have been tampered with over the years, which is a great shame,” says Atiwill. “But we do still have the old phone box out the front and the original post office boxes in our front wall.”
“Because of what we do professionally, importing vintage bits and pieces from Europe for La Brocante, we are naturally drawn to curious and quirky objects, including houses,” says Atiwill. “Our home is a crazy mix of old bits and pieces, recycled and upcycled pieces, and several vintage European posters. I like a home to have warmth, with interesting collections scattered around the place. I guess our decorating style could be defined as eclectic and homely.”
“The house has a slightly odd shape and mix of rooms,” says Atiwill. “It’s made up of one long cottage, with an entry in the middle. There are three bedrooms to the right and three studies and a guest bedroom to the left. My study is the original post office sorting room, which I adore.” Step outside the study and you’ll come to a combined lounge-dining area, with a lean-to kitchen and bathroom to the side. The couple found the old cherry wood dining table at a Parisian market. The chandelier, which Atiwill believes dates back to the 1940s, is also French. “I spotted it years ago and adored it immediately,” she says. “We had it rewired to Australian standards and then kept it in a box until we had the right house for it. It suits this place perfectly.”
The couple loves the home’s warm, casual vibe. “Entertaining here is easy and fun. There are always people coming and going,” says Atiwill. “When we lived in the city we used to eat out or get takeaway frequently. Here, we’re forced to cook more often, but it’s been a good thing – with good local produce and wonderful local wine, you can’t go wrong.”
“We’re definitely a house of animal lovers. We have Henry the old black lab, Hudson the rescue cat and a very recent addition is Horatio the kookaburra, who now likes to be fed fresh meat morning and night.”
“I find painting quite therapeutic and am always amazed at the transformation a lick of paint can make to a room,” says Atiwill. “We have several fireplaces in the house and all the brick surrounds were painted a dreadful beige when we moved in. We painted the one in the lounge room dark blue, which looks fabulous with Sebastien the taxidermy deer.
“The kitchen is a crazy old lean-to with probably the worst appliances we’ve ever had, but somehow it works,” says Atiwill. “Having said that, we would quite like to even up the kitchen floor so that it’s less of a downhill run to the stove.”
Kitchen storage consists of open shelving, which the couple transformed from a closed cupboard. “We got rid of the doors and painted it matt black, and it looks gorgeous,” says Atiwill. “Jars of mustards and an old French egg basket can look pretty wonderful if you have the right setting. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to closed cupboards, even when we renovate.” The couple has put their unique stamp on the kitchen too; lamps made from birdcages hang from the ceiling, alongside old tomato cans.
“I love bringing in various bits from the garden to create an informal flower arrangement. The bigger the better!” says Atiwill.
The property includes space for a generous workshop-cum-storage area, where the couple keeps the French cards and vintage posters they sell, and where Learmonth restores original images for their own range of wall prints.
“Soon after we moved in we decided that we would like a pool. I didn’t want a massive in-ground pool as our two [then} teenage daughters just wanted a place to chat to friends and sloth around rather than doing laps, and so we decided on a circular, concrete plunge pool from Australian Plunge Pools,” says Atiwill. “It’s been absolutely fantastic. With its view of Port Philip Bay, it’s a pretty nice place to relax with a glass of local chardonnay.”
“There are still some very basic things that need doing around the place,” says Atiwill. “Where do I start? Only half the house is insulated, so we need to do that before summer, but Matt can’t even fit his shoulders through the tiny manhole, so that needs fixing first. “Then I would love to replace the carpet and incorporate a really dark flooring element. Then there’s the kitchen, the bathroom, adding another loo, the garden… the list goes on. But I absolutely love living here. I feel like I belong here and can’t ever imagine leaving.”
Outdoor areasDesigner: Wall St DesignsAdding an outdoor space designed to suit all seasons is a lifestyle-enhancing move.
Designer: Ainsworth + Collinson Built-in seating and a cleverly designed pool make the most of the views over Tuki Tuki Valley near Havelock North.
Designer: Landscaping New ZealandOutdoor entertaining becomes a whole lot easier with a set-up like this, and it works like a magnet the minute a guest steps outside.
Designer: jessop architectsWho needs a TV when you have the flames of an outdoor fire to lose yourself in, and the warmth of overhead heaters? A curving sofa, meanwhile, breaks from tradition.
The exterior of the same home also proved one of the year’s most-saved photos on Houzz – for obvious reasons! We love that the house has a low profile that allows it to nestle into the hills, and that its timber tones blend so effortlessly with its rural surrounds.See more of this house
Designer: In Residence Natural timber paired with black and white is a combination that will never go out of style, and this one is made all the more lovely with lashings of natural light. The pendants hung at different heights add a thoughtful detail, giving this kitchen some swagger.
The state of the world’s forestsTropical deforestation emerged as a global concern in the 1980s, as environmentalists gained greater prominence with their action to protect forests. In 2016, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ State of the World’s Forests 2016, global forest area has declined by 3.1 per cent (129 million hectares) between 1990 and 2015. Although the rate of global net forest loss has slowed, deforestation is still a matter of deep concern.
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