THE VENUE

 CONSTRUCTION FOR THIS HOUSE WAS BEGUN IN EARLY 1977 AND FINISHED BY JUNE 1988. IT IS ABOUT 550 METRES ABOVE SEA LEVEL AND THUS THE CLIMATE IS SIMILAR TO THE LOWER SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS. IT HAS BEEN CALLED A VILLA, AS IT IS A DWELLING, WHICH CAN BE SEEN AS A MODERN DESCENDANT OF THE VILLAS OF THE VENETO IN ITALY.

 IT WAS NEVER DESIGNED FOR PUBLIC CONCERTS AND THESE CAME ABOUT BY CHANCE. IN 1999 THE AUSTRALIAN TRIO WAS COMMISSIONED TO PLAY AFTER A PRIVATE LUNCHEON. THE REMARKABLE ACOUSTICS RECEIVED MUCH COMMENT AND THE IDEA OF PUBLIC PERFORMANCES GREW FROM THIS TIME. IT IS POSSIBLE TO COMFORTABLY SEAT 100 TO 110 PERSONS IN THE GALLERY.

 WITH THE CURRENT INTEREST IN ENERGY CONSERVATION ETC., IT MAY BE OF INTEREST TO POINT OUT FEATURES OF THE BUILDING DESIGN.

THE VILLA IS ESSENTIALLY A ‘SOLAR’ BUILDING, BOTH PASSIVE AND ACTIVE.

IT IS BUILT OF DOUBLE BRICK WITH EXTRA INSULATION IN THE CAVITIES AND IN THE CEILING. ALL FLOORS ARE TILES OVER CONCRETE THUS EMPHASISING THE ‘MASONRY’ HEAT RETAINING FEATURE. THE SOUTH FACE IS ESSENTIALLY A ‘WALL’ TO KEEP OUT THE COLD WINDS ETC. THE NORTHERN FACE HAS A GLASS GALLERY ABOUT 60 FEET LONG WHICH IS A SUN TRAP. HEATED AIR CAN BE DIRECTED INTO THE REST OF THE HOUSE BY NATURAL VENTILATION FOR FIVE TO SEVEN MONTHS OF THE YEAR WHEN HEAT IS REQUIRED. THE SOUTH ROOF OF THE GALLERY IS GLASS PROVIDING WONDERFUL LIGHT BUT PROTECTED FROM THE SUMMER SUN BY ELECTRICALLY OPERATED EXTERNAL BLINDS.

THE NORTHERN GLASS FACE IS PROTECTED BY CANVAS BLINDS IN SUMMER WHICH DO NOT OBSTRUCT THE VIEW.

THE ‘ACTIVE’ PART OF THE SOLAR DESIGN IS AS FOLLOWS – THE NORTHERN ROOF OF THE GALLERY IS A SOLAR COLLECTOR  - QUITE LOW TECH, BEING COPPER PIPES OVER DARK COLOUR-BOND ROOFING UNDER GLASS. THIS COLLECTS HOT WATER, WHICH IS STORED IN A 6000-GALLON TANK. THE FLOOR TEMPERATURE CAN BE REGULATED BY THERMOSTAT AND WARM TO HOT WATER IS PUMPED THROUGH COPPER PIPES IN THE SCREED UNDER THE TILES.

ADDITIONALLY THERE IS A BOILER IN THE KITCHEN WOOD FIRED STOVE AND ANOTHER IN THE OPEN FIREPLACE IN THE SITTING ROOM. IN WINTER THIS SERVES TO BOOST THE HOT WATER IN STORAGE. THERE IS HEAT EXCHANGE IN THE HOT WATER STORAGE WHICH HEATS THE DOMESTIC WATER USED FOR THE KITCHEN/SHOWERING ETC.

THE WATER FOR DOMESTIC USE AND THE WATER CIRCULATING UNDER THE FLOOR CAN BE FURTHER HEATED BY SEPARATE LPG GAS HEATERS IF NECESSARY. IN SUMMER, THE DOMESTIC WATER DOES NOT NEED THIS GAS BOOST FOR 5/6 MONTHS. A TANKER FILLS THE LPG TANKS WHEN REQUIRED.

THE SYSTEM OVER MANY YEARS HAS BEEN FOUND TO WORK REMARKABLY WELL, PROVIDING A VERY STABLE TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 18 AND 22 DEGREES IN THE MAIN PARTS OF THE BUILDING WITH SMALL ENERGY COSTS.