Located on a hillside in a lake, this cabin special seeks to improve the surrounding landscape through the integration of the capital built with the natural ground. This property emerges from the rocky outcrop on the cliff, using the same local granite to form its foundation. A central core acts as an anchor that makes circular movements, lighting and air inside the living spaces that turn and fly toward the landscape. Despite its modest scale, housing easily accommodate a family of four members, providing a pleasant space for eating, cooking, living, reading and sleeping, which are carefully aligned to a single view, light and the breeze of the cliff. To balance the heavy mass derived from the fireplace, cantilevered volumes were used, awnings and windows from floor to ceiling to achieve a lightness of form, bringing the lake within the living spaces.
Living lightly on the land was important to owners because of their strong relationship to sustainability. As a retreat from urban life, the desire to become completely self-sufficient and independent of external infrastructure becomes critical in the design of a house completely off the grid. Two related approaches were implemented to take advantage of passive strategies that work to reduce energy loads and increase comfort, so that active strategies are sufficient to deliver what is necessary to meet the remaining needs. The energy efficient design in this case is not separate from the experimental qualities of the home but are used to enhance the unification of the building with the landscape for the enjoyment of their owners.
This system implements a strategy of passive solar gain takes the daily passage of the sun and air movement in different seasons for each space. In summer, are used to limit warming and shaded by the sun, while operable windows are oriented to take advantage of natural ventilation. Operable windows in the central circulation space are designed to make the stack effect and direct the air. Green roofs are designed to mediate temperatures and runoff control by connecting the building with the distant landscape. In winter, solar orientation is enhanced by the windows in conjunction with thermal mass in the form of concrete slabs and stone walls and two interior chimneys to collect solar radiation to form the basis of the heating system. A design of high performance surround also works by limiting heat loss.
A flue is used to collect solar energy and heat the water that is stored in 10 tanks of thermal mass. The hot water is collected through panels then feed the radiant slab system to ensure highly efficient use of technology. A series of photovoltaic panels were used to deliver electricity to the building. To ensure the success of the project, the electrical charges are carefully managed and minimized by selecting LED lighting equipment.
