Carol and Ken’s home in Leura takes advantage of, and protects, the natural landscape. (Photo: Brett Boardman)
Story by Linda Moon
Ken and Carol’s home in Leura offers insights into sustainable building design we can all take inspiration from.
Key Points:
Most Blue Mountains homes aren’t built for the local environment.
Sustainable housing is more than solar panels and water tanks.
By understanding and working with nature we can reduce energy costs and help the environment.
Perched on the hillside, a slate-coloured building blends into the landscape. There are no signs of a concrete drive, garage or fencing: those Aussie architectural mainstays. Instead, a mulched path meanders through conifer trees.
This isn’t your average property. Designed by architects Ken Yeh and Carol Marra (the multi-awarded Marra + Yeh), it has a lot to teach us about how to design alongside nature, for the planet and ourselves. It’s a journey so many of us are interested in.
Building with the environment in mind
The duo studied architecture at the University of Texas (where they met).
Ken:
Ken grew up around the tropical jungles of Malaysia and is both tutor and guest critic at the University of Sydney and UNSW. “I have a benchmark in my head of how things should be in a mature and stable eco-system. It’s a feeling. You go into a pristine place; all your senses can tell you. You can hear it; you can feel it.” His goal in designing is to try to discover what a place was originally like, then how to enhance it.
Carol:
Carol, who is originally from Argentina, also has a deep understanding of place. She also tutors and is a guest critic at the University of Sydney and UNSW. Carol says sustainable, ecological design (which the pair specialise in) starts with considering everything outside your piece of land and thinking holistically. “Across the street from us is a creek. We understand what happens here affects the waterway and the animals that drink it. So, it’s big picture thinking,” she says.
It’s also about making buildings that can survive the changing climate conditions, plus respond to the energy crisis.
Two windows promote cross ventilation and natural sunlight while storage is a must. (Photo: Brett Boardman)
The house that Ken and Carol built
Elevated above a hanging swamp, the home’s design allows water to seep unimpeded down into the creek.
Caring for the land flows both ways. By not blocking the water’s path they avoid flooding and dampness, Carol says. Another perk: the relaxing sound of running water.
Inside, things are equally interesting. In the ‘mud-room’, as they call their entry, there’s a bench, washing machine, clothing rack and fridge. Here, dirty and wet clothing are discarded and shoes exchanged for slippers. It turns out the freezer is located here to reduce energy use: it’s the coldest zone of the house.
Sustainable architects Ken Yeh and Carol Marra at home. (Photo: Linda Moon)
Beyond solar panels and tanks
“Sustainable design is not just about adding on; it’s not just about buying solar panels,” Carol emphasises.
Our starting point should be to make use of everything nature gives us for free, Ken says. This includes sunshine (warmth), breezes (which cool), soil (for creating gardens) and water.
Every part of the building is planned consciously. Bedrooms are located on the south (least sunny side) of the building. “Sleeping in a cold room is better for you,” Carol says. And, being further from the road, it’s also quieter.
The bathroom is designed for multiple use with separate compartments for hand-basin, toilet and showering. The latter includes an adjustable-size wooden Japanese bathtub (designed by the pair) and an expansive window that looks out onto 3D art courtesy of nature: trees, occasional wallabies and birds.
Bathing with the window open allows airflow to remove humidity and condensation.
“You need to identify the gifts [of nature] and accept them humbly.” – Ken Yeh.
Large north-facing, double-glazed windows harness the sun’s heat and light. (Photo: Brett Boardman)
Passive design
Designing with your local climate in mind is known as ‘passive design’. Some understanding around science, like wind direction and the sun’s angle, helps here, Carol adds.
To capture free heat from the sun, the main living zones are situated in the north. Large, double-glazed, north facing windows allow sunlight to penetrate deep into the rooms. On sunny days these don’t require artificial heating, which equals lower energy costs and CO2 emissions.
When it’s hot they open the windows to the breeze or use blinds to block the sun. “It’s a way of calibrating your building to what’s happening outside,” Ken says.
The rooms are also designed to be compartmentalised to keep the heat in. “In winter you create smaller spaces; in summer bigger spaces,” Carol says. “You live in nature.”
The living area opens up to an outdoor space with a kitchen and insect-proof screens that allow them to take advantage of any cooling breezes on hot summer nights.
In the mountains most winds come from the west. Thus, the house has few windows facing west.
“Look at nature first. The water flows under, the wind flows over.” – Ken Yeh.
Space for a wok BBQ. The indoors and outdoors blend seamlessly thanks to clever use of glass and almost invisible insect screens. (Photo: Brett Boardman)
Designing for flexibility and change
Other important features of the home include built-in storage cupboards and enormous doors between several rooms. This allows for flexibility. Rooms can be opened up to become bigger or used for a different purpose.
It’s about designing alongside time, Ken says. How we work and study, for instance, has changed; the composition of families changes, Carol says. The ability to enable change without too much pain adds value to a building.
Large doors allow spaces to be merged, enlarged and compartmentalised. (Photo: Brett Boardman)
Challenges for mountains homes
Unfortunately, few buildings in the Blue Mountains (or beyond) are designed sustainably.
“It’s a very extreme climate and we don’t make people design for this in our policies,” Carol says. The result is that many of us suffer in cold homes inappropriate for the climate with the knock-on of high heating bills. It’s a housing legacy we continue to pass onto the next generation, Carol says.
Other big challenges facing our housing (and thus our wellbeing) are affordability and lack of suitability. “The marketplace tends to cater for two types of homes: low-density, single-family dwellings and high-density apartments,” Carol says.
Housing, like nature, needs to be biodiverse. This means having housing styles that cater to extended families, older people and others.
Retrofitting your home
Integrating where we live with nature is something we can all do, Carol says. “We have a lot of opportunities to change things and do things better.”
As a starting point, they recommend focusing on the skin of your building with insulation, sealing and draught proofing. Improve the performance of any poor-quality windows. If you can, create an enlarged, double-glazed window in the north of your home.
This way you won’t need as many solar panels. “It’s like putting a jacket on before you blast the heater,” Carol says.
“You can do something at any scale that’s positive and impactful” – Carol Marra.
Harmonious exterior of the home office. Minimal impact upon and maximum gain from the environment. (Photo: Brett Boardman)
This story has been produced as part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
Our video on Falling In Love With Glossy Black Cockatoos is now up on our Planetary Health YouTube channel (sorry, it`s too big to share here but there`s a link in our profile).
Jayden Gunn finishes his presentation by saying:
"Care is like a snowball. The more people you tell the bigger the snowball gets, and the further it goes. And the more we know, the more we care. And the more we know, the more we`re able to help."
The video is of our fabulous Forum on Growing Connected Landscapes for the Glossy Black Cockatoo, and includes presentations by Jayden Gunn, BirdLife Australia, Amanda Foxon-Hill from Mid Lachlan Landcare, and STEM teacher Samantha Bowden from Glenbrook Public School. There`s a link with the video on how to register for the Community Tree Planting Day in Goologong on 5 July (and it`s also in our profile). Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCERdF21Ud0&t=13s
Today we`re enjoying eating ripe medlars! Medlars are attractive cold climate fruit trees that were popular in Medieval gardens. They`re one of the few fruits that can be harvested in late Autumn and eaten in early Winter when they`re fully ripe. This is a great time of year to plant them for a future harvest. Check out our short video on how to eat them! #coldclimategardens #ediblegardens #medlars #growyourown #planetaryhealth #bluemountains...
We`re thrilled to share that last night @BlueMountainsCityCouncil`s Planetary Health Centre won the Innovative Leadership Award (Population Under 150K) in the 2025 NSW Local Government Excellence Awards. What a great end to World Environment Day! 🌏 This award celebrates how local government can lead transformative change for a more sustainable future. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard with us to make our vision a reality. You can read more about what we`re doing at our website (link in profile): http://www.bluemountainsplanetaryhealth.com.au/ @ph_alliance #planetaryhealth #worldenvironmentday #localgovernmentleadership #nswlocalgovernmentexcellenceawards...
Blocking out a couple of hours a week to step off the treadmill and give ourselves time to nurture our relationship with the earth and ourselves, is one way to keep our creative spirit and ‘lust for life’ alive. If you haven’t done so yet, one opportunity over the next week is to spend some ‘slow’ time in the 2024 Wynne Prize exhibition at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre before it closes on 15 June. Read more in Katoomba Area Local News here (link in profile): https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/the-2024-wynne-prize/ @bluemountainsculturalcentre @artgalleryofnsw #wynneprize #landscapes #bluemountains #katoomba #artexhibition #planetaryhealth...
Recognising how violence and war impact the health of the planet, the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative has become a member of the Blue Mountains Peace Collective. On Sunday 25th May, we attended a presentation by Dr Keith Suter on Making Peace in the World Today at the Leura Uniting Church. In this powerful presentation Dr Suter questions why we learn about war rather than successful peace negotiations! View the video of his presentation below and read our full story in Katoomba Area Local News here: https://bit.ly/3Fl4WgQ (link in profile)
With an extra day up your sleeve this long weekend, it`s a great opportunity to give nature a hand to regenerate and provide more habitat for our fellow species! Join our fabulous all ages Planetary Health Bushcare Group from 1.30pm and then participate in the Forum on Growing Connected Landscapes for the Glossy Black Cockatoo at 4pm, followed by drinks and nibblies! You can also start the day with a fabulous Tai Chi session at 8am. Visit our Planetary Health Pluriversity website to book in and learn more (link in profile): https://bmpluriversity.org/program/
Or ring 0407 437 553 for more information. #planetaryhealth #bushcare #katoomba #bluemountains #glossyblackcockatoos #landcare #biodiversity #habitat #wearenature #togetherwecan...
In this inspiring interview with Medlow Bath resident Amanda Foxon-Hill she talks about her work with Mid Lachlan Landcare, why Growing Connected Landscapes for the Glossy Black Cockatoo is so important, and why she loves her work so much! Read the full story in Blackheath Area Local News here: https://blackheathnews.com/connecting-landscapes-for-glossy-black-cockatoos/
Book in for the Growing Connected Landscapes Forum at 4pm this Saturday 7 June here: https://events.humanitix.com/growing-connected-landscapes-for-the-glossy-black-cockatoo Register your interest for the Community Tree Planting Day in Goologong here: https://events.humanitix.com/glossy-black-cockatoo-community-tree-planting-5
In a world that increasingly feels out of balance, we’re thrilled to be offering Saturday morning Tai Chi and Qigong at 8am this Saturday 7 June (and the first Saturday of every month on our Skill Share Saturdays). Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art and moving meditation for body, mind and spirit. It is ideal for learning to keep calm amidst chaos but also has health benefits to increase longevity. Harvard Medical School has reported that this gentle form of exercise can help maintain strength, flexibility, and balance, and could be the perfect activity for the rest of your life. It`s particularly popular in Hong Kong, where residents have one of the highest life expectancies in the world! T`ai-Chi has also been found to improve brain function (like memory and mental flexibility) faster than other exercise and, in a recent study, comparing T`aiChi to brisk walking, the martial art was found to be significantly better at reducing blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease, like blood sugar levels and cholesterol. If you’d like to try it out, you can reserve your spot here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/3FxWPgR
Learn how to Grow Connected Landscapes for the magnificent Glossy Black Cockatoo at 4pm on Saturday 7th June. In our first Planetary Health Forum we’ll be hearing from Amanda Foxon-Hill from Mid Lachlan Landcare, Jayden Gunn from Birdlife Australia and Samantha (Pongi) Bowden from Glenbrook Public School, to learn more about the Glossy and how we can all help improve its habit from the Lower Mountains to Central NSW. We’re also launching a Community Tree Planting Day on 5 July in Goologong (near Cowra) to which we’re hoping we’ll get a large group of volunteers to help make a difference for this beautiful bird (and lots of other species as well!)
Habitat connectivity is essential if species are to adapt and overcome the challenges posed by our changing climate.
Join us as we imagine life as a Glossy Black Cockatoo. We`ll make our way through the temperate eucalypt forests of Dharug & Gundungurra land here in the Blue Mountains before leaving the Great Dividing Range for the Wheat & Sheep belt of the Central Tablelands. Our journey ends on Wiradjuri Land, North West of Cowra in the dry scleropyhyll forests of the Conimbla & Nangar National Parks, the start of the Western Woodland Way
Jayden Gunn is an adept wildlife photographer, ecologist, and environmental educator, with a deep passion for Australian birdlife. Through his lens, he captures Australia`s unique wildlife, using digital storytelling to connect people with nature in meaningful ways.
Links in profile to book in.
Book for the Forum here: https://bit.ly/43FzamP
Register your interest for the Community Tree Planting Day here: https://bit.ly/3HwYHa5
Watch an interview with Amanda here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77y2jrCzINo&t=52s
Read more about Glenbrook Public Schools work for the Glossy Black here: https://lowermtnslocalnews.com/glossy-black-cockatoos/
Our newsletter is now out! View our video of Dr Keith Suter on "Making Peace in the World Today” and read about Growing Connected Landscapes for the Glossy Black Cockatoo and the 2024 Wynne Prize exhibition at the Cultural Centre. You can also book in for our Mushroom Cultivation and Tai Chi workshops, and our Planetary Health Bushcare on Skill Share Saturday, 7 June. And PS. We’re a finalist in the NSW Local Government Excellence Awards. Read the newsletter here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4dEFL5u
Yesterday a delegation from the University of Sydney and the Razak School of Government in Malaysia visited the Planetary Health Centre to exchange experiences on the challenges all our local governments are facing, including adapting to climate change, managing ageing populations, and finding economic opportunities for small councils to support their community`s needs. @rsog_insta #localgovernment #planetaryhealth #disasterriskreduction #systemicchange #councils #malaysia #exchange...
As part of an international project to advance science communication for Planetary Health (SciCoPH), Indonesian science journalists, science communication experts and bioscientists visited the Blue Mountains Planetary Health Centre to learn more about what we`re doing last month. Read our story in Katoomba Area Local News here: https://bit.ly/43MFUjM (link in profile)
Linda Moon has lived in the upper Blue Mountains since childhood and is a freelance writer for Australian media. A qualified naturopath, permaculture designer, mother and former student of social work, her passion is building local community, gardening, mental, emotional, social, housing and environmental health – all of which are linked!
Last week around 160 first year medical students were introduced to Planetary Health and Dharug culture at the Planetary Health Centre, with presentations by Professor Lynne Madden from Notre Dame, Lis Bastian from the Planetary Health Centre and Dharug man Chris Tobin.
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