Standing Architecture » Large Work, Housing

Passive Solar

Alastair — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:54:11 +0000

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Density is established simply by limiting building mass to prevent sun shadows being cast over any window facing south in mid winter to maximize passive solar heat gain.All daytime living spaces are placed on the south side of the buildings. Using techniques of sustainable living, the suns heat is stored in concrete floors and block walls in winter, shaded from them in summer and cooled using air flow from prevailing summer breezes.The sloped lawn meets the building at the south elevation where summer sun requires shading. A frame supports a Vine that shades all the living spaces during the summer months and because it is deciduous, allows the sun to warm the interiors in the winter.

The shadow plan established the distribution and height of buildings on the site. Each building which contains from 3 to 5 units has its own lawn for its residents. To differentiate it from the surrounding street it slopes up gently to the building.

Rainwater is collected from each roof in 25,000 gallon tanks. The water is used to irrigate the landscape especially the Vine, since its well being is critical to control the temperature of the unit interiors during the summer.

Affordable

Alastair — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:50:37 +0000

The buildings are thought of as a technology to harvest the heat of the sun. The scheme extends passive solar techniques to an urban organization.

All living/bedroom spaces are placed on the south side of the buildings. Each room has a sliding glass door to a balcony (solar shade). The area of the glass is sized to be 20% of the area of the room. The interior walls of these rooms have high thermal mass to store the suns heat in the winter. These walls are made of concrete which could possibly come from a local concrete facility. The height of the primary buildings and the distance between them is carefully controlled to limit the mid-winter shadows that would be cast over any of the living or bedroom spaces.

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Therefore the effects of passive solar heating are maximized for every residential unit for the heating season from October to May.Ivy is used during the rest of the year in combination with the balconies to shade the south facing windows from the heating affects of the sun. As a naturally deciduous plant it sheds its leaves in the winter and will grow to provide shade to the room in the summer.The space between the buildings is matched with the required distances for 30, 60 and 90 degree parking. Entrances to the units are on the North side and floor levels aligned with the street for accessibility. This side contains the non-habitable and service spaces such as stairs, bathrooms and kitchens Construction on this side uses a wood frame to maximize insulation.

Prototype

Alastair — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:44:02 +0000

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The neighborhood needs a community to thrive. Community is the mutual flow of information. Information needs a voice to be heard. Voices need spaces to speak. Since the lot is the site, at least two units are needed per site for a local community to exist.The front porch and rear yard, as local community spaces are connected via a slot which bisects the site and doubles as a light well for the interior service spaces. The rear set back will initially be a semi-public yard for use by the block and later, could be vehicular access to the units. The front porch is raised one level above grade to establish a semi-private status for the local community space. This event is articulated on the front and side elevations with panels of brick.

The curved roof forms protect the porches, reduce the street walling effect and celebrate the connection between the front and back community spaces. The standing seam metal roof signifies strength and permanence .