TCE Housing and Design Practice Questions

Orientation. I would run the long 12.0 m axis east–west so that the longest wall and most of the glazing face true north. In Hobart the winter noon sun is only 24° above the northern horizon (Information Sheet), so a long north face collects the most winter sun, while the 71° summer sun is easily excluded by a modest north eave.

Clearing the hedge. The hedge is 3.0 m tall. At 24° its winter noon shadow is 3.0 ÷ tan 24° ≈ 6.7 m long. I would set the north wall at least 7 m south of the northern boundary, so the shadow ends before the house and winter sun reaches the north glazing down to floor level. With a 35 m deep block this still leaves the dwelling well clear of the 4.5 m front setback (35 − 7 − 5 = 23 m spare to the street), so I could place it about 8–10 m from the hedge to allow for the hedge growing and for low-angle morning and afternoon winter sun.

Side setbacks and width. The 12.0 m length fits easily inside the 17.0 m available between the 1.5 m side setbacks (20 − 3.0), so I would centre it or shift it slightly east, keeping the larger side yard on the west for a sheltered north-west outdoor area.

Zoning. The living, kitchen and dining space would take the northern side and the eastern end (morning sun), the bedroom the north-east or north-west corner, and the bathroom, laundry and storage would form a buffer along the south wall facing the cold south-westerlies, with small windows only.

Wind and outdoor living. I would place the entry on the south-east, away from the south-westerly wind, with an airlock-style entry, and a north-facing deck under a deciduous pergola. Planting along the south-west boundary would act as a windbreak without shading the north.

Annotations to include: north point; the 6.7 m shadow calculation; setbacks dimensioned; arrows for winter sun and south-westerly winds; "service rooms on south as a thermal buffer".