Milli studio

12/09/2025

As we make slow but steady progress on our CLT house, it was good time to reflect on some of the lessons learnt as an architect looking to practice in a circular economy.

Pictured are some beautiful American Oak stair treads which need to routed out and the method we have devised is to use a plug cutter made by from .australia to create small Oak plugs which then can be used as a small detail to cover recessed screw holes on our CLT walls.

Was this the most efficient and necessary way of achieving this? Obviously not, but arguably the investment into learning new skills and tools to upvalue what would have ended up in the waste bin is certainly a worthwhile exercise as a designer looking to make the most out of any material we use in our work.

30/03/2025

Morning all,

It has been an eventful first year for our little design studio but we are excited to be close to the milestone of airtightness test and lockup for our first CLT Passivehaus project!

As a testing ground, prototype and ultimately our home, we are hoping this project will become a living template for how we approaching design and construction for a net zero future.

If you are interested, please join us for a site tour kindly organized by the Australian Passivhaus Association.

https://australianpassivhausassociation.glueup.com/event/events-site-tour-landy-clt-passivhaus-nsw-138788/

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

24/03/2025

Being an advocate for a circular economy sometimes means that I am super stubborn about throwing anything out.

Case in point a circa 1960s german made Kuhlmann drafting table who I obtained from a retired engineer who in decades past, produced parts drawings on it for an international manufacturer. Despite its age and a few knocks from transporting it to our home is still beautifully functional apart from a shattered roller and guide rail stop.

If there's anyone out there who has had experience with these machines and can offer some advice on where I can source parts for it I'd be very grateful.

01/06/2024

It was a privilege to invite members of the Blacktown City Council design and planning team for tour of our CLT Passivehaus project at Lalor Park. We hope that everyone enjoyed the quality of space and speed of construction made possible by the approach to the project. We can't wait to invite them back to celebrate the completion for this project!

14/05/2024

04/05/2024

Honored to be a guest critic at the UNSW design studio!
Blown away by the inspiring presentations from these future architects, showcasing their passive and sustainable house design projects. Amazing work!

Having been a tutor for the same studio two years ago, we deeply value the continuous education of passive design for the next generation. Let's keep nurturing awareness and importance in sustainable practices!

18/04/2024

Site updates 19th April 2024

After a flurry of activity the foundations and slab are now complete for our first project, now awaiting the next milestone of CLT and window installation.

Designing and building a project demands early involvement and input from multiple sources including truck towing, crane operators and a keen understanding of existing features like surrounding power lines, trees and width of roads. Briefly hindered by the heavy rainfall on CLT delivery date but resolved thanks to the skillful tow truck drivers, who had to somehow maneuver two 20m semi trailers around a Sydney suburban street.

However with all the momentary pressures the calmness of the site where trades come and go in an orderly sequence is one of the benefits we appreciate running this project. As most issues are resolved on paper there have not been much in way of unresolvable delays and obstacles.

The CLT panels supplied and installed by RAICO Pacific Pty Ltd, precisely made and transported from Teufenbach-Katsch, Austria will serve both as primary structure and internal finished surface are as tactile and appealing as we had hoped for and we are thrilled to see this humble and environmentally ambitious dwelling start to emerge from the ground.

07/04/2024

Evoking the visual excitement of autumn colours and a sense of tranquility through gentle textures and material transitions our pallette for an onsen themed ensuite aims to transport its user to the forests of Hokkaido

春有百花 ; 秋有紅葉 ; 夏有涼風 ; 冬有雪 。若無閑事掛心頭 , 便是人間好時節 。
休閑是繁忙生活中最簡單的知足和快樂。一點安然 , 一點寧靜 , 一點感悟 。