Situated on a long, narrow, rocky hillside, near the town of Winthrop Washington, this sustainable House is designed by David Coleman Architecture. Constructed with a 20’ wide x 115’ long stepped platform, this Hill House is a shelter formed by the roof and east wall, and several gabion stone walls. The building reads and lives like a habitable landscape, adapting to the changing seasons and needs of its occupants. In short, this is a modest, sustainable building with a big presence in a big landscape.
A light-framed, wood platform steps up the hillside and floats above it. Interior and exterior functions are delineated by a glass wall that wraps three sides of the structure. Finish materials are common throughout, blurring the line between inside and out. The result is a seasonally expansive structure, generous in summer (2200 SF), modest and efficient in winter (1100 SF).
The east wall cuts into the land like a rusty blade, evoking the cultural history of the mining encampments found in the area and providing privacy from the adjacent country road. It offers a defensive backdrop when viewed from the interior and, combined with the shelter provided by the roof, and warmth provided by the wood stove/fire pit, lends a primordial feel to the building that is unexpected in this thoroughly modern structure.
Gabion stone walls bridge between building and landscape, offering retaining, context and privacy. Construction waste was dramatically reduced by incorporating these walls, which are made from the spoils of the building’s excavations.
Sustainable materials, technologies and techniques are used throughout. Recycled steel, sustainably harvested wood, BIBS insulation in oversized wall and ceiling cavities, on-demand hot water, low-flow fixtures and convection heat are all employed. Fenestration is designed to encourage passive solar radiation in winter. In summer, roofs and walls are vented to dissipate heat, and large overhangs, combined with seasonally-deployed, exterior sun shades (made from the same fabric used to shield fruit trees on nearby orchards) protect the glass from summer sun. In addition, the building’s wedge shape and site orientation result in a solar chimney effect, encouraging natural ventilation and evaporative cooling.
The Mill Valley Hillside project was completed in 2009 by McGlashan Architecture collaborated with Landscape Architect Calandra Design. This Sustainable Hillside House was designed for three generations, in two separate dwellings, under one green roof. The residences was designed into amazing arrangements, carves out spaces tailored to each generation and brings the grandparents closer to their children and grandchildren. The architects was creates an attached 3-level structure, every levels was arranged within different nuances, upstairs is formal, quiet and dramatic; Downstairs is warm and casual; and the middle level can be shared variously between the two dwellings. For the inside, the interiors are furnished within plentiful light, natural finishes, salvaged wood, and built-in elements hand-carved by the architect tie the living spaces together into an organic whole. This eco-friendly house is all covered by a green roof, as if the living surface of the hillside was peeled up to create naturally conditioned living space below. With a minimum of disturbance and energy, a steep hillside is sculpted into a thriving family compound. This home is a perfect ecological exemplar because it is Super-insulated, passively conditioned, with many energy- and water-efficiency features.
Built in 2008, the Villa Mecklin has mainly been a self-build project by Huttunen–Lipasti–Pakkanen Architects in the archipelago municipality of Velkua Naantali, Finland. In early spring 2004 they travelled over the frozen sea to the island plot of a friend of theirs to precisely determine the locations of the buildings they had sketched in the rocky island terrain. The set-up for this project differed from the norm as the buildings were built at a leisurely pace, and thus they were able to study the construction details and develop them on site. Placed amidst the shelter of the narrow zone of trees, the main building sits in a small depression in the rock, its sheltered terrace extending over the summit of the rock. One arrives from the harbour to the entrance of the main building sheltered by the trees. The fireplace has been sunk into the centre of the large terrace, accessed via a hatch in the decking. In connection with the shoreline sauna, there is also a stove-heated cabin for guests. The building materials selected for Villa Mecklin are uncontrived, basic ones suited for the archipelago. All wood surfaces have been left untreated and will turn grey naturally. The Construction of Villa Mecklin was made easier by designing all parts, from the frame to the details, to be as simple as possible to be a perfect villa on the hillside with stunning ocean views.
Wigwam. Image: JKMM Architects Helsinki’s new Kalasatama district, under re-development from a former industrial and harbour site for housing and jobs, will be home to an innovative building that houses a day care centre and comprehensive school. First prize in an invited architectural competition on the building organized by the City of Helsinki has been awarded to the Helsinki-based firm JKMM Architects for their proposal Wigwam.
According to the jury, the highly individual architecture of the winning proposal gives the building a strong identity. The proposal fits well into the overall cityscape in its location on Sörnäistenniemi in Kalasatama, and it supports the city structure of the developing district. The jury cited Wigwam as a surprising and innovative concept, saying that it creates natural, everyday meeting places at the core of the district.
The JKMM architects behind Wigwam are Juha Mäki-Jyllilä, Asmo Jaaksi, Teemu Kurkela, Samuli Miettinen and Edit Bajsz (all SAFA – Finnish Association of Architects).
The day care centre-comprehensive school complex will be built in two phases. The first phase, scheduled for completion in 2014, will comprise the day care centre and facilities for the first and second grades. The second phase will comprise the facilities for grades 3-9.
Altogether six architectural firms were invited to the competition. The jury recognized Anttinen Oiva Architects with an honorary mention.
All proposals including Wigwam are on view at Helsinki City Planning Department’s gallery and meeting place Laituri.
Kalasatama will be home to 18,000 people and up to 7,000 jobs during the mid-2030’s. The project, as well as other districts under development in Helsinki, is introduced in a new website Helsinki New Horizons.
