architecture 4 us

This design is very simple, created by David Coleman Architecture. It is located on a long, narrow, rocky hillside. This is a modest, sustainable building with a big presence in a big landscape. Some sustainable materials and features are also become added values.

For the platform, light-framed wood is chosen. Glass walls are used on 3 sides of the building. Finish materials are common throughout, blurring the line between inside and out. he 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.

Some Sustainable materials, technologies and techniques are used, such as :

• recycled steel
• sustainably harvested wood
• BIBS insulation in over-sized wall and ceiling cavities
• on-demand hot water
• low-flow fixtures and convection heat

Fenestration is designed to encourage passive solar radiation in winter. Roofs and walls are vented to dissipate heat in summer. 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. n addition, the building’s wedge shape and site orientation result in a solar chimney effect, encouraging natural ventilation and evaporative cooling.

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