San Francisco’s Solar “Mission: House” is a High-Tech Marvel

Posted By Mike Chino On September 15, 2010 @ 8:14 pm In Architecture,San Francisco,Sustainable Building | 1 Comment

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Nestled at the base of Twin Peaks ^[6], San Francisco's Mission District ^[7] sees more sunlight than most other areas of the city -- even throughout the region's notoriously foggy summers, pervasive coastal clouds spill around the sides of the peaks to afford the area a broad swath of sunlight. Interstice Architects ^[8]' Mission: House capitalizes on this available solar resource with a highly experimental design that synthesizes translucent front and back façades, smart passive solar ^[9] strategies, and a 4kW solar array ^[10] that regularly produces more energy than the home consumes. We had a chance to check out this amazing home during this year's AIASF Living: Home Tours ^[11] - read on for an exclusive look!

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Designed as a test lab for innovative building strategies, the Mission: House showcases a wide range of experimental materials ^[13], systems, and construction techniques. The home’s entrance is emblazoned with a “greenskin” made up of recycled glazed windows ^[14] assembled together into a multifaceted façade. The units were sourced from local reclamation yards and are layered to create striking visual effect.

The rear of the building is capped with a two-story translucent facade made of thermal plastics similar to those used in greenhouses. Although the translucent polycarbonate panels offer little insulation value, their south-facing orientation mitigates this heat loss while providing tons of daylighting ^[15] throughout the day.

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The interior of the home features a large multipurpose creative space that can serve equally well as an office, gallery, or play room. A series of sliding walls ^[17] provide clean and uncluttered storage space, while colorful magnetized cabinets ^[18] offer a fun multifunctional surface for work and play. A bamboo garden ^[19] in the back yard provides a place for rainwater runoff to infiltrate, and a spiraling staircase leads up to the living room.

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The home’s bathroom ^[21] is a marvel in and of itself – the cool blue space contains an airy chamber that is completely open to the sky. When the weather turns foul, a mechanical roof section ^[22] slides into place to create an enclosed skylit space.

A rooftop garden planted with tomatoes and herbs tops off the house, while a massive 4kW south-facing solar array soaks up the sun’s rays. The home’s architect and owner Andrew Dunbar told me that the project regularly feeds energy back into the grid – no doubt thanks to its luminous daylit design and efficient green building strategies.

+ Interstice Architects ^[8]

+ AIA SF Home Tours ^[11]

All photos by Mike Chino, © Inhabitat

Article printed from Inhabitat – Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building: http://inhabitat.com

URL to article: http://inhabitat.com/san-franciscos-solar-mission-house-is-a-high-tech-marvel/

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[1] Tweet: http://twitter.com/share

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[3] Email: mailto:?subject=http://inhabitat.com/san-franciscos-solar-mission-house-is-a-high-tech-marvel/

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[5]  : http://inhabitat.com/san-franciscos-solar-mission-house-is-a-high-tech-marvel/missionhouse-comp03/?extend=1

[6] Twin Peaks: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twin_Peaks,_San_Francisco,_California

[7] Mission District: http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/09/16/ames-cottage-a-small-space-marvel-with-historic-roots/

[8] Interstice Architects: http://www.intersticearchitects.com/

[9] passive solar: http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/12/japans-otake-house-showcases-sleek-passive-solar-design/

[10] solar array: http://inhabitat.com/solar-power/

[11] AIASF Living: Home Tours: http://www.aiasf.org/Programs/Public_Programs/Home_Tours/Fall_HT.htm

[12] Image: http://inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2010/09/missionhouse-comp03.jpg

[13] materials: http://inhabitat.com/materials/

[14] recycled glazed windows: http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/02/01/recycled-windshield-greenhouse-grows-more-glass/

[15] daylighting: http://inhabitat.com/daylighting/

[16] Image: http://inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2010/09/missionhouse-ed11.jpg

[17] series of sliding walls: http://inhabitat.com/?attachment_id=161103

[18] magnetized cabinets: http://inhabitat.com/?attachment_id=161109

[19] bamboo garden: http://inhabitat.com/?attachment_id=161095

[20] Image: http://inhabitat.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/2010/09/missionhouse-comp02.jpg

[21] bathroom: http://inhabitat.com/?attachment_id=161102

[22] mechanical roof section: http://inhabitat.com/?attachment_id=161098

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