PANORAMA HOUSE - 2nd place
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July 2015 - International competition
Summary
Healthy House Award Honorable Mention Issued by Universidad de Alicante & Fundación Marjal.
Our PANORAMA HOUSE is a proposition for the international HHA design competition for a healthy, sustainable house in Alicante, Spain.
Information
Credits
Year
2015
Main program
Residential
Location
Spain, Alicante
Status
2nd place
Client
Fundacion de Marjal
Gross Area
140m2
Team
Marijn Luijmes
Celine Hendriks
Mentor
René Leene
Abram de Boer
Press
Links
Context & challenge
For the competition ‘Healthy Housing Award 9th edition 2015’ we have been asked to design a healthy house in Alicante-province, Spain. The plot location is sited on a slope with a great panorama over gentle hills and a luxurious golfclub. Here, summers are known to be hot and vicious, making water a scarce resource, characterizing the area as a dry and slightly desertificating landscape with few trees and short supply of wood. Building in this context means that a sustainable approach is required, with significant attention to the thermal comfort of users. However hot, the near presence of the sea generates above-average windspeeds, presenting a design chance. On the downside however, it affects the relative humidity, increasing it up to 75%. The humid air makes it harder for people to lose heat through transpiration. The slope, descending to the southeast presents a chance to add value to the house. It offers a great view and by digging out parts of the slope, the thermal mass of the earth can be used to cool down the house.
Our definition
So what exactly is a healthy house? What should it look like? How can design optimize the human ability to adapt? How can users control the indoor-climate?
If you ask any person in North-Europe what would make them feel happy in a house they are likely to answer:“A beautiful home with a beautiful view and a pool”. We defined that a healthy house is a residential building that boosts people’s body and spirit. This means that apart from obvious needs such as thermal comfort and daylight, it should trigger happiness and reduce stress above all. Because happiness is the key resource to health - one that architects can greatly influence. Next to the inhabitants, a healthy house should also be healthy for the environment. A house that is sustainable. That means that a healthy house should maintain a low ecologic footprint and have a long life. However, the paradox is that most installations that make a building inhabitable often come on the expense of the environment. This is where the challenge arises: How do we design a healthy, sustainable house that includes great living qualities such as comfort, panorama and choice where to reside?
Sunlight control
A key principle to achieve great cooling performance without installations is to never even let the sun directly touch the facades. First reduce the heating, then cooling (preventing is better then curing!). The diagrams below summarize all techniques that are integrated in the design of Panorama House.
Air movement direction
The wind - ventilation - obviously the most effective way to achieve cool performance in building history. But this natural cooling system can be directed and even controlled. The diagrams below summarize all techniques that are integrated in the design of Panorama House.
A basic strategy to keep out direct sunlight is an overhanging roof. Ideal to protect glass facades or openings.
To keep out the sun, but to let the desired daylight illuminate into the house a white wall can be applied in front of the northfacade.
Before the air enters the house it can be guided above the pool. The evaporating water will cool down the air greatly.
The more obstacles and faces wind passes, the more movement will occur. Walls or other elements can be used to increase wind movement and speed.
A basic but effective principal is the presence of vegetation: not only does it increase emotional value but it provides shape and keeps the soil fertile.
Windowblinds diffuse desired daylight in, but keeps the sun out. It’s a realistic userfriendly solution, but doesn’t prevent the construction from heating up.
The second skinfacade provides a sheltered space in which the house is be placed. This way the facades of the actual house aren’t heated by the sun.
Apart from providing shade, trees cool down surrounding air up to a few degrees. By placing trees and vegetation around the house, the incoming air cools down.
Thick construction parts such as walls and roofs take longer to warm up. This way the cool temperature from overnight can be preserved longer during the day.
The shape greatly affects the thermal performance of a building. The area that is exposed to the sun can be minimized in relation to the orientation.
Air always rises up when it increases in temperature. By giving rooms half a meter of additional hight, most of the warm air will stay under the ceiling.
Utilising the cool thermal mass of the earth is a smart way to cool down the house - by partially burying the volume.
Concept
By shaping the house as a longhouse facing downhill south, the view is maximized. At the same time the facade surface on the most intensive sunsides east and west is minimized, keeping the heat out. By bending the shape of the longhouse each zone will have a slightly different panorama, giving space for a scenistic and diverse lifestyle. By creating a setback, the more private zone becomes partially disconnected, at the same time providing for new outdoor spaces. To create more indirect daylight, the northern terrace is concluded with a white wall which diffuses the light into the house. The space underneath the house is used as a shaded parking space an entrance and a guest room. To cool down incoming air a pool is placed partially underneath the house, cooling down incoming air from all wind directions. The pool ends in an infinity pool. This way the panorama can be enjoyed again. To protect the house from the sun, a cantilevering outer ‘shelter’ is placed. This way the facades are protected from the sun. The cantilevering shelter emphasizes the panoramic gesture of the house from which the house inherits its name:
Panorama House.
Drawings
Please contact me for drawings, details and more.
