Minimumhouse: Energy Efficient Vacation Home Blends Into the Forest

Deep in the woods outside of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/peaceful-german-kindergarten-has-a-green-roof-with-a-hole-for-a-tree-to-grow-through/" target="_blank">Berlin</a>, German architects Scheidt Kasprusch have built a spectacular rectangular retreat. Called Minimumhouse, the project features open glass facades joined with raw <a href="http://inhabitat.com/dreamy-timber-pavilions-stacked-high-atop-one-another-coming-to-paris-largest-urban-park/" target="_blank">timber</a> planking. The airy structure was designed to be a prototype vacation home, and it comes complete with furnishings.

The Minimum house is clad with <a href="http://inhabitat.com/copper-louvered-provins-police-station-sits-lightly-on-unesco-world-heritage-site/" target="_blank">floor-to-ceiling windows</a> on three sides. A thick timber roof and back side make the glassed-in portion appear to be outside. The fully glazed windows reduce solar gain while flooding the interior with light.

From the outside, the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/plan-b-arquitectos-casa-en-rio-cedro-is-an-open-air-delight-in-colombia/" target="_blank">surrounding forest</a> is reflected in the glass facades, and on the inside residents feel like they are sitting amongst the trees while reclining on the couch. Strategic timber panels block direct sunlight while allowing it to filter it into the interior.

The model home is divided by a central staircase, and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/diamond-shaped-hightseat-pavilion-is-a-tree-topped-concert-venue-in-romania/" target="_blank">terraces</a> cap the ends of the residence. The Minimumhouse is heated passively, with ceiling-mounted radiant heating.

The house was designed with active and passive solar energy in mind. Solar panels set atop the house help provide it with power.

The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/lichtaktiv-haus-is-the-energy-efficient-home-of-the-future/" target="_blank">green roof</a> is planted with dense vegetation to reduce solar gain while serving a natural rain water filter.

The building has been constructed of sustainable materials, like locally sourced <a href="http://inhabitat.com/cork-clad-treehouse-grows-roots-intermingles-with-the-branches/" target="_blank">timber</a>, which is highly insulated. The picture-perfect model home blends in with the surrounding landscape, making it an alluring eco escape.