Each issue of green (published six times a year) showcases the most interesting and creative sustainable designs from architects and landscapers around Australia and internationally. 

In the sample issue #30 you will find projects by some of the most innovative architects from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane plus the story of a renovation on a tire factory in Montreal. We give you the lowdown on efficient heating options and we check out some inspirational garden projects.

Having now lived in a prefabricated house for a couple of years I feel qualified enough to have an opinion. First of all, not all prefabs are alike but if certain criteria are met they can be comfortable, solidly built and characterful – so often the missing factor. In this issue’s feature we highlight these criteria via four examples that are a far cry from the roll-them-out school of the past. 

Elsewhere, we look at four renovations. In Sydney a downtrodden terrace is revived, ridding itself of its rotting timber deck in favour of a far more durable and striking galvanised steel terrace. And not far away, two architecture practices have joined forces – and funds – to turn a corner shop into an office for one, a home for the other and an additional apartment on top of the office. 

Meanwhile in Melbourne another terrace thinks to the future, making spaces and green zones while connecting to its back lane. Finally, a small timber cottage works within its footprint to add comfort and style whilst pushing thermal efficiency to the fore and retaining a much-loved yellow gum. 

In Sydney’s north the architects have prioritised nature by designing a home and garden that allows for a corridor for bandicoots and other wildlife, and in the city of Mantua in Italy a very small part of a larger plan sees a street transformed into a public space. Bravo.