This clustered, multi-unit building is both literally and metaphorically green. Constructed with prefabricated modules that come in various hues of green, the building and each housing unit include a myriad of different eco features that make this visionary design, by MarioCucinella Architects, an example of affordable and efficient construction and design techniques. On the exterior, the building is equipped with photovoltaic panels and a rainwater harvesting system, while the interior takes advantage of passive heating and cooling techniques to lower energy use during extreme weather. And best of all, the building is designed so that each home would cost just over $100,000 US dollars.
The modern and minimalist architecture that characterizes the building is smartly disguised by the bright nature of the prefabricated modules. The renderings show that the colored, opaque panels are interspersed with transparent ones to give residents a view out — a framed view that could change with a simple slide of a panel. The moving panels also allow some flexibility in the shape and size of each housing unit.
The homes aim to to “repay the original investment with self-produced energy.” Accordingly, the homes include prominent photovoltaic panels, geothermal pumps, and wind turbines to harvest energy. Integrated passive energy strategies that capture solar heat during the winter and allow circulation during the summer also lower the building’s use of energy.
Typical of European homes, each unit is small — a mere 100 square meters. However, the building’s design includes multiple outdoor bridges and terraces that cross near each other. This design decision certainly offers the opportunity for neighborly interaction and a heightened sense of community that will make residents feel like their living quarters extend beyond the four panels of their home.
+ MarioCucinella Architects
+ Casa 100k
via JetsonGreen
In the state of Colorado, USA it is ILLEGAL to ‘harvest rainwater”. You may not entrap water in any manner.
It is also ILLEGAL to use water more than once. This makes gray-water recycling against the law.