The Pinnacle Residence
/2025
Perched on a steep south-facing slope, this net-zero residence orchestrates sweeping valley panoramas with rigorous environmental performance. Cross-laminated timber walls and triple-glazed curtain-wall ribbons wrap spacious, age-inclusive living zones, while locally quarried schist anchors the structure and moderates temperature swings through dependable thermal inertia.
Project Gallery
Timescales
Delivery followed a comprehensive 26-month programme from initial concept sketches through detailed design, construction, commissioning, and final client hand-over.
Concept design, feasibility studies, and all statutory permitting filled the first nine months, while off-site CLT fabrication progressed in parallel with groundwork operations.
Rapid on-site erection sealed the envelope before the wet season, and a five-month fit-out and commissioning window delivered verified net-zero performance ahead of schedule.
Objectives
Achieve operational net-zero carbon emissions, give every primary room an uninterrupted valley vista, and apply universal-design principles so the owner can age in place without future retrofits.
Source at least 90% of labour and materials locally, restore pollinator habitat across the terraced landscape, and integrate smart-home energy monitoring for real-time feedback.
Include a flexible studio wing that can convert between guest suite, office, or hobby space without structural alterations or invasive construction downtime.
Materials
A CLT spruce core sequesters roughly 380 tonnes of CO₂, backed by north-side schist rubble walls for thermal mass and copper rainscreens on wind-exposed corners.
High-performance triple-glazed low-E windows keep U-values below 0.8 W/m²K, while interiors feature breathable lime plasters, reclaimed oak floorboards, and sustainably harvested bamboo cabinetry.
Rainwater is collected through standing-seam copper gutters and stored in an underground cistern, supplying filtered grey-water for landscape irrigation and toilet flushing.
Challenges
A 26-degree hillside, strict tree-root protection zones, and a single-lane access road created tight logistics and precision earthwork constraints.
Ridge-top winds required custom concealed CLT tie-downs that complicated airtightness detailing, while wildlife ordinances banned night-time lighting and restricted working hours.
Unexpected timber price spikes triggered a value-engineering effort to optimise secondary framing members without compromising the original design vision.