House for an Ecologist

Designing an ecologically sustainable house for an ecologist not only involves the utilization of simple passive strategies to take advantage of the site and local climate, but also requires creating an unobtrusive, symbiotic relationship between house and place; allowing the ecologist an unfettered, informed perspective of his habitat. The formal expression of this relationship begins with the sighting of an elongated volume along an east-west axis to maximize the effectiveness of solar heating and cooling principles. On the east end, the building is submerged below grade using rammed earth retaining walls made from material excavated from the site. This takes advantage of the earth’s constant temperature, and provides a private setting for the bedroom and study. This wall serves a dual purpose; it becomes a spatial organizing element on the site as well as providing thermal insulation and retention, much like a vernacular “root cellar”. The cooling tower draws heated air out of the structure and marks the entry. It also allows access to the top of the structure, permitting the ecologist to have a voyeuristic relationship with the surrounding habitat in order to observe and take note unseen. The mechanical systems and cistern are in this central area to minimize service loads. The south facing glazing allows for passive heating of the floor slab and is protected overhead by a large overhang made of solar water tubes used to heat the building and its water supply. As the building progresses westward, the roof peels up and the existing landscape slopes downward. This gesture, in conjunction with the south facing glazing, opens up the public living and dining areas to the dominant views of the forest and river habitats, blurring the line between inside and outside and allowing the ecologist to publicly interact with the habitat from within.

PROJECT CREDITS:

Kevin Walker, Nathan Webb, Joel Richardson, Zac Ray

AWARDS + PUBLICATIONS:

Award of Merit - Kitten Herlong Memorial Award from the Northern Virginia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects