Sustainable House

Competition

Eco-Modern House:  Grant Park
Atlanta, Georgia


Our solution began with preserving the existing curb cut and driveway and preserving to two large Magnolia trees on site.  We placed the public portion of the house in a long bar along the north/south axis.  This allowed for maximum day lighting potential and for the creation of a large southern porch facing toward the street. Louvers shade the west facing glass, which can also be made of Hardee-plank siding depending on the client desires. The wooden bar runs east/west and is sheathed in Georgia cypress.  This contains the private portion of the house and is placed above the more public bars and above, so as to face onto the trees.


A grid, of steel columns, is used as an ordering system to organize the site and act as a sculptural field, which is inspired by artist such as Sol Lewitt and Walter de Maria.  This field acts as structure for the house and allows for utility feeds and created distinct and usable outdoor spaces.  This field blurs the boundary between architecture and landscape architecture. Now the element above the parking area is optional and contains a guesthouse and home office.

Sustainable Systems: Exterior; Low VOC paints, partial succulent/green roof, passive solar windows, recycled metal stud and floor framing (some prefabricated) bamboo floors, concrete is fly ash type.  Interiors contain no paint and all natural surfaces such as waxed plywood walls.  HVAC is high efficiency 16 SEER units.  Cisterns for landscape watering achieve maximum rainwater collection