Designed by Steffen Welsch Architects, Hemp House is a dual occupancy home for three generations to explore co-housing. It was built in a combination of rammed earth, timber and Hempcrete walls. It created a very beautiful and healthy environment.

This project is the first hemp house to be built on the Australian mainland. Hempcrete is made from a bio-composite material, which is a mixture of hemp hurds and lime and can be used as a material for construction and insulation.
Photography: Rhiannon Slatter
The use of rammed earth and Hempcrete allowed the architects to get adventurous with sculptural curves. The curving walls show off the unique materials’ natural beauty and feel more like natural rock formations than your average suburban home. The use of natural, high-quality materials has created a family home tough enough to endure the rigours of family life, but with a warmth and richness that feels homely and inviting. Photography: Rhiannon Slatter
The architect’s view has always been that when building sustainably you need to look beyond the hard and cold facts and provide an environment that has other qualities in addition to being environmentally sensitive, using fewer resources and energy. In other words, if it is not beautiful, functional and affordable, people won?t do it.

The term ?environment? also includes qualities like aesthetics, acoustics and air quality among other things. Hemp seemed suitable as a building material. In addition to its environ...