It's amazing how we can get to see the play of natural light being emphasised in the design of homes. I think this whole project is beautiful and importantly, doable. Government policies need to be strengthened to pursue such plans.
Back in the day people used factors like natural light or cross breeze to make their home more comfortable before AC people strategically placed windows in kitchens bathrooms to bring more air flow
My home has 5 large Velux skylights. The 2 highest skylights are left open most days for natural ventilation. The natural light they bring into the home is priceless.
I’ve been living with Velux skylights for almost 40 years, they’ve never leaked and have afforded me such joy in those years of sun, moon, blue sky, clouds, and even rain. In my next home, I’m planning on several! I love them!
I had them put on my place in 2013, they were nice. Energy star certified and glazed to repel the sun's rays. Cranked open and one had remote control blackout blind.
A wise person said , with declining population old homes will be the homes of the 21st century. Remodeling, and improving what has been built is the way forward. Old lumber , and materials won’t be replaced, saving on sustainable resources, the foot prints on Earth 🌎.
Yes. Knocking down perfectly good old houses to build 'sustainable' new ones is a contradiction. Old houses can be remodeled to be warmer and lighter, and many have good outdoor areas for growing. My house was built in 1880 from the original forest trees on the land - why destroy such a gift?
Exactly, but there also are still many countries that continue to grow and have plenty of space still, like Australia. Better be done sustainably if possible💚
Sera ese "sabio", Bill Gates, que sigue trabajando para asesinar a 500 millones de personas que según el su fundación y sus socios "sobran", en la tierra...
I designed a passive home 16 years ago. It doesn't freeze with no heat on even in WI winters and the whole house can be cooled with a small bedroom AC unit. Homes in full sun.
I think the key to success for projects like this is efficiency, like will it keep me warm during the winter and chilled during summer, will it have enough outdoorsy feeling to not feel choked up but also closed enough to feel cozy and not feel as if I had the whole outside world with me in my bedroom, will it be durable and handle bugs and just other problems…etc
Very much agree. Nothing at all was said about heating, and only a single sentence about cooling - the idea of opening a window at the top to let out the warm air. It all sounds very nice, but the whole thing seems more like an advertisement than an explanation of what they've achieved. OK, so they've reduced the carbon footprint - by how much? Are these houses as durable as conventional ones? How do they compare with other designs for insulation?
Every architectural project needs to follow what we call "needs plan", and it covers everything that you said. Pretty much one of the first lessons we learn when studying architecture. A good project will always think about all these things. I believe they didn't cover it in the video because it is seen as the basic. The goal of this kind of video is to show the concept only
as an architect i loved the idea of thoughtful material design, the sunlight travelling across the walls, and the veggie gardens. as an introvert i felt that the lack of privacy, my own outdoor space [outside my own house] that i need for recharging, and constant presence of people right outside of my ground floor windows was giving me a panic attack. some people will thrive in this environment, but this "intensity" of community isn't for everyone.
One test is better than a thousand expert assumptions- why aren't there people living in these model homes, trying them out? Real families, with kids and dogs and patio furniture, experience four seasons, finding out that the deck is way too hot in the summer and too cold and windy in the winter. Watching the sunlight move across the walls is a romantic architectural favorite, but has little to do with livability.
You realise a majority of people living in tropical climates prefer decks/verandahs/porches? The trick is to not be there in the height of the afternoon/install sunshades if needed. You're there in the late afternoons and evenings - and depending on the area, people from these areas do sleep outside if safety isn't a concern - not spend your entire day out there.
How is the decking here for this project much hotter than the average wooden deck in a US backyard in the summer? And in our live/work place we have 5 skylights and we watch the sunlight move across walls and it seems livable to us...our skylights in the main floor (one 20 foot long and one 25 foot long) eliminate the need for power to supply lighting for the daylight hours. I'm not saying this reduced our carbon footprint since of course we have to pay for the manufacturing and transportation and installation of these skylights but for as long as our building is standing it will reduce the power consumption. Nothing is perfect of course but I applaud these people at least for trying to re-think industry norms.
What an amazing project. Love the interplay between light, heat and glass, and the consideration of community and buildings. Great observations and learnings, and plenty more to discover yet!
I would like to inspect the floorplans for better analysis and here are my considerations: 1) How much time do typical Danish people spend inside their home? This affects the need of space. 2) How social are they? How much do they value private space? How soundproof are the houses? If I play guitar in my room, does it disturb family members? Do Danish really communicate closely with their neighbours? 3) Open plan. How loud is the dish washer? Does the noisepollution affect my playing? 4) Kids playing around. Kids make too much noise. Home is the place for quiet and relaxation. How can this be acquired? 5) Rain. It rains a lot in Danmark. How can one access transportation without getting soaked? 6) Green spaces. Is there any possibility to increase the grassed areas without compromising the terrace path?
These houses are full of natural light reflecting in a living space that is so inviting..clean lines that are uncluttered..the grouping together of this project connected with decking and garden spaces is so very attractive for anyone wanting a complex of two or three providing for an extended family or a small business..they are a beautifully designed construction….well ✅ done
Designing for disassembly is so important, glad there are people designing with that in mind! Also likely makes maintenance easier for occupants in many cases
So great. I visited Denmark and would gladly go back. Good voices, tasteful, efficient, comfy, etc. It goes back to about 1,700 BCE and onwards from then, mostly U106/R-L48 and I1 groups...
I love the approach you have to this. It's rare to find an environmentalist cause that doesn't feel like it is coming at the viewer from an ivory tower. The designs are executed with the mental health of the dweller in mind, and I love the attention paid to the quality of light inside the house, and the blurring of indoors and outdoors by bringing that light in, and that garden-to-table aspect, which a lot of people seem to ignore these days. I'm nowhere remotely nearby, but one day I would love to call a house like the one in this project home.
I agree, would love to see this in my country as well. It matches my philosophy, already was into gardening/sustainable living and green houses. Would love to see even more outdoor/indoor integrated houses with a greenhouse included in the living space. Love how thoughtful this is designed.
Really curious what the footprint is going to be when you use hemp instead of wood and plastics for boards and planks and cork for insulation or as a structural component. I see nothing to harvest sun/wind energy in these buildings which is kind of strange. You would think that a company like Velux invests heavily in harvesting solar energy with their windows and other glass systems.
@@Stumpybear7640 the tall and narrow design of the roof makes the heat go up and escape from the skylights windows. My brother implemented kind of the same principle in his house and it works quite well, the house stays livrable when it's 35°C outside
@@RickieBeubieWhat about when it’s 48º? This is becoming a reality in the American Southwest. I’d love to see these styles outside of Scandanavia, but are they deployable in varied climates?
@@RubyRedDances it may not be enough for such extreme temperatures. Maybe additional systems could make it liveable (like canadian wells, buried walls, etc.). It could be interesting to study traditional building methods in hot countries. I know Iran also used windcatchers to cool down their buildings
Healthy housing is simple just build out of pumicecrete Pumicecrete is by far the best building material on the planet Pumicecrete is a mixture of pumice cement and water mixed and poured into a set of reusable forms walls are poured from 12"to 24" thick pumicecrete is fireproof termite proof rust rot and mold proof non toxic and has a high R value and good sound attenuation solid poured walls means no critters can live in your walls Pumicecrete can be built for a fraction of the cost and time and pumice is one of the few building materials that can go directly from the mine to the job site ready to use without any additional possessing and zero waste Google all the walls of my house are made of pumicecrete Take care Ray
Beautiful aesthetics, especially the interplay of sunlight and air movement. Great to see sustainable practices integrated in design and built. Inspirational. Sincere regards
Great video and attractive design. I have many questions: 1. how does snow not collect on the upper windows and flat part of the roof? Clearing it would be huge hassle. 2. In our climate the sun is over head in the summer which would give strong direct summer sun in the middle of summer. Do the sky lights vent to remove heat build up? 3. I've done some porches. That porch is as expensive as one of the houses. Why so much porch? It looks nice, but I would be curious about how cost, maintenance, and livability would be practical in the long run.
The quintessential sustainable endeavor, capable of leaving an indelible mark on our planet, lies far beyond the confines of the modern developed world. Picture this: even if, by some miraculous overnight transformation, both Canada and the United States were to wholeheartedly embrace a 100 percent green, zero-carbon lifestyle, the unfortunate truth remains that their efforts would hardly make a dent in stemming the tides of environmental damage. The grandeur of the best course of action, the one capable of revolutionizing our planet's trajectory, lies in a seemingly unrelated corner: ensuring equitable access to pristine, flowing water for every individual across the vast African continent. Consider the transformative power of this initiative, both immediate and far-reaching. As the life-giving streams of clean water cascade into the lives of those who have long been deprived, the repercussions ripple across the globe. It is an extraordinary phenomenon to behold, as the provision of this fundamental resource, so often taken for granted in developed nations, ignites a profound change in the mindset and behavior of the recipients. Suddenly, a once unimaginable wellspring of opportunities emerges. Intriguingly, this intervention not only addresses the immediate challenge of water scarcity but also begets a far more consequential outcome-the birth of a greener, more sustainable future. It is a testament to the interconnectedness of our world. As the African population gains access to clean water, their newfound security and abundance motivate them to make increasingly environmentally conscious choices. Witnessing the transformative power of clean water, they begin to cultivate an innate desire to preserve and protect their surroundings. Gradually, their actions cascade into a cascading wave of positive change, echoing throughout the continent. However, it is crucial to acknowledge that the issue at hand extends beyond the boundaries of Africa. The underdeveloped regions scattered across the globe collectively contribute a staggering amount of greenhouse gases, dwarfing the emissions of any single developed nation. By embracing the challenge of water accessibility and sustainability, we confront the root cause of these ecological imbalances. In essence, we embark upon a holistic endeavor to diminish the immense carbon footprint stemming from these underdeveloped areas, transcending the borders of Africa itself. In this remarkable pursuit, a harmonious symphony of environmental, societal, and economic benefits emerges. The provision of clean water not only safeguards the health and well-being of individuals but also lays the groundwork for resilient communities, equipped to weather the storms of a changing world. It fosters education, as children no longer bear the burdensome task of water collection, allowing them to embrace the transformative power of knowledge. Moreover, it empowers women, who are often disproportionately affected by water scarcity, liberating them to pursue their aspirations and contribute meaningfully to their societies. So, let us envision a future where the seemingly humble act of providing clean running water to every person in Africa becomes the catalyst for a global paradigm shift. As this noble mission gains momentum, resonating with the hearts and minds of individuals worldwide, we unleash the boundless potential of human compassion and innovation. Together, we can forge a greener, more enlightened path-one where the transformative power of water becomes a beacon of hope for a planet on the precipice of transformation.
I love the interplay on light and the seemingly simple designs. I agree that materials are key to more sustainable building practices, whether or not we use wood, or pumice, sheep's woool or hay bales to insulate to create better buildings. For my fine art masters degree I researched alternative materials for casting pieces of sculpture. So instead of contrete I used slaked lime (NHL 3.5 and 5), which is traditionally also used on old buildings as mortar and lime wash. Despite be told many times that I could not cast using this material (I mixed sand and sometimes pumice in with it). It did work but it needs to cure for much longer. I hope I can continue my making and research one day-I have had to go back to work as I need to find a secure home. Here in the UK despite many houses being built the fiscal cost is so high to have a roof over your head, let alone an environmentally friendly one! 14:43
I appreciate these designs and the thinking that goes into them. This seems to be something that is applicable to a specific type of climate. I can't see how this would work in areas that are extremely hot or humid. I wonder how these ideas could be altered to create spaces for different regions.
I think what can be done is to have professionals from respective climatic regions studying their surroundings so as to conceive climate responsive and site specific projects.
@@kudzaishemakweta211 Yes - you already see a lot of these specific touches in play in various regions, e.g. some places will have white roofs, and completely white buildings, or build with a certain material. Imagine bringing it all together.
I was thinking the same thing. I love the ergonomics and design of it but I don’t think it’s practical for where I live in Florida as it is too hot and humid. I also wonder about how it would hold up against a hurricane
Exactly. I’m in the gulf coast of Texas, there’s no way this would work. In Canada, where I grew up it would be perfect, or Seattle maybe, anything north of Wyoming. Still love the idea.
This is such a fantastic showcase of how sustainable design can really change the way we live! On my Building Green podcast, we often talk about the importance of using natural materials and designing for adaptability, and this project is a great example... Excited to see projects like this scaling up and leading the way!
This feels very greenwashed and full of buzzwords. The design seems to be more concerned with sunlight on a wall than the utilisation of green solutions for actual benefits. Why build a house to be easily dismantled, if you can just build it long lasting, multipurpose and beautiful, so people want to use it at its present location for a long time? But for that the design would have to be practical which it isn't: - the flat rooftop is prone to leakage and accumulates snow in the winter - the double hight space above the kitchen is wasted space that makes the lower floor difficult to heat in winter and the cooling updraft in summer can just as easily be achieved with a window in the stairwell - the window placement has no pleasing order on the outside and does not seem to take the passive heating possibility of the sun into account - if you only allow for communal outdoor space the main benefit of a detached single family house (a private garden all around your house) is negated and a terraced house or even a low density apartment block would surely be more eco friendly.
I love how they talk about the play of light as if they invented windows, or invented sun coming in a window. LOL I do like some of the goals they are pursuing, but it feels like they are just beginning the journey to an effective end, not that they have achieved the goals. I do like venting hot air from top of building, however I hate that sound follows this. We have two shifts in the house due to night shift job of one, and everybody must be ultra quiet so as to allow them to sleep. So I am biased, but I cant be the only person who want to vacuum, or use the blender or watch TV while someone else sleeps, or is sick and wants quiet. I think communal space is valuable, but again will kids be told they can play on the decking as someone is sick, or sleeps late, or retires early etc. I also agree that better land use would be to have apartments with communal space out doors. There are some very good iterations of this … some even in Copenhagen.
We want numbers, materials and detailing. How much concrete has there been used ? …At this point the project looks more like a velux ad than anything else.
So amazing and Beautiful! I am bioclimatic Architect, I Just made a trip to visit green architecture and I have to say that there are very few places like this to visit. I visited the city some weeks ago and I am sad that I didn't know they existed😅 I hope to see them one day. That would be also interesting to see how they perform in winter! Thanks for the video!
Beautiful project, thank you so much for your efforts to create this project, I hope it will inspire builders around the world to focus more on sustainability, integration with nature, and community centered living. Video looks great, well done! INSPIRING!!
While I like the light in the interiors, it would be really difficult to open that skylight. I have single-story velux windows that I never open as they are so difficult with the pole. Also risky with the showery weather we typically have in Summer. We cannot get hold of the electronic openers here as there as there has been global shortage. The outside of the houses is likely to cause neighbourhood disputes due to the shared responsibility and lack of privacy. The only way I could envisage that working is if it's an extended, multigenerational family that owns all the houses in the block.
I love how they are thinking in two different levels of architecture, the architectural building but also urbanism, because they are thinking how to build a sustainable community in a city. That is very important. Some of my professors say that one of the most important things when you are planning an architectural project is to analyse the context. Very well done.
It would be great to see initiatives focused on creating massive, vertical, affordable, and sustainable housing, with cleverly designed small living spaces and rich communal areas. Additionally, increasing the number of green areas full of trees within cities to cool them down. Giving back big areas to nature is the path to sustainability
Looks nice, but with the community setup they forgot about privacy. You don't want to buy a house where the neighbors can look into all sides and not have a private outside area.
Multiple stories and people with accessibility problems don't mix. I'm not one of these people, but I think this is a major oversight, unless stairs are replaced by elevators. Also, ergonomically, raised garden beds are much better.
It would be interesting to add to these the need for aging populations: no stairs, accesible showers, sinks, closets, etc. Combined with perhaps shared living spaces available in combination to manage all stages of life in one home or setting.
I really like what you have done in terms of environmentally sensitive and sustainable building. I would be interested to go further though and understand how, if one is building a community project, and I do appreciate that this is not necessarily a final layout - you noted that too - you envisage things like privacy, individual expression, and conflict resolution be handled in an environment like this. And there are more questions that I have such as maximum potential population density, etc. It's a great idea, and I like it very much, however, it does trigger a host of questions that I think need to be answered as well. The good thing is that the ideas that you are sharing here are attractive, thought-provoking, and frankly, disruptive, which is great. Thanks for sharing,
on the one side: awesome! but ... there are some parts i don't get: - a kitchen as a center piece is great, but what about smells going everywhere. not always good. - the "chimney"-effect allows for fresh air... rly, how? how can cold/fresh air come down if the room is ventilating upwards (aka chimney effect)? - the playful sunlight on the walls are nice, ... in winter. but during summer this is a heat source cooking everybody sitting in such spot - how to avoid that? the design is nice, i like the wooden walls a lot - not so much the external (water and electric) pipework - this could be inside the walls and still disassembled, i guess.
I visited the place last friday. It turns out it was the day the project team was celebrating the publication of the "Living Places" book. The Hygge House that you see in the video here is just unbelievable. You feel well the moment you enter the house. i would buy it right away 🙂If you happen to be in Copenhagen it's definitely worth a visit.
Great concept, I love the idea about any building is an ecosystem, start from there, we are understand how to development an Architecture projects in all cases
Good luck maintaing those exterior wood walls? No overhangs and very tall. Have we got some new magic wood preservative or do need some time for this thing to rot first.
I love all the concepts used here. The light, the possibility to disassembly, bringing the outdoor inside... Is there hemp used in this project ? with thanks.
It would be interesting to see the concept adapted to a model suitable for living conditions in the hot summers of Australia. What is the plan to manage energy supply , water and effluent sustainably in these buildings ?
Beautiful concept, one question though, how do take care of security issues, imagining that you are building in the village, especially on the wide open windows with no any burglar proof,
This was so wonderful to watch. Thank you for this. I love the consciousness of the materials - from sourcing to what happens after its initial use. My favourite feature of the whole house is the sundial on the wall concept. It's SO lovely
Interesting project. The designs certainly are beautiful. Like other commenters, I was surprised at the omission of solar panels. I know the house interior was kept minimal, but the one glaring omission for me was the lack of any stair railing.Was this intentional so as to not interrupt visual continuum of the wood walls? The young, old, and the weary need a safe place to grab onto when going up/down stairways.
The success of this model depends upon all members of the community sharing a mindset. It wouldn't work otherwise, as the spaces are too close together. Introverts like me would feel trapped, confined, and resistant to the notion of "community" as depicted in this model. Need to consider the human elements and the variety of personalities and mindsets. I do like the idea but know I couldn't really live in such close quarters to others.
I LOVE the smaller, communal-based design. Another major contributor to building emissions is that the size of the average home has dramatically increased. People who live in single family dwellings want all the amenities for "entertaining" friends and family, while catering to a host of personal needs and desires under one roof: sleeping, cooking, eating, leisure, cleaning, working, exercising, and more. With that larger footprint comes a huge carbon price, in addition to the massive utility bills that it takes to run and power a house of 2000+ sq feet, especially on heating and cooling the space. What's nice about this design is that the footprints are much smaller, while not compromising on the feeling of space, light, and privacy. But the idea of placing a central multi-purpose structure in between the houses is genius. You could work from home, or create a satellite office that gets you out of your personal home for a few hours. You can entertain, but your guests stay in a room that is just adjacent to your home. You have a built-in community of neighbors who share in the landscaping and use of the property, instead of trying to maintain a sprawling lawn and outdoor gardens. There's no fences separating you from the people around you, but you still have a comfortable space to retreat to. And the last major selling feature for me is the impermanence of the design - the ability to build, deconstruct, and rebuild again like Lego bricks to suit the needs of whoever moves in. We have built edifices that are institutional, immoveable, and permanent, which demands conformity and prohibits the free movement of people throughout the area. This can open up so many more possibilities to home owners, and create some really exciting opportunities for urban and suburban areas.
I really love the big roofs they had gambrel here in the states that when you go up into them seem like standard 4 wall rooms it allows for more square foot and usage and I was surprised when they said they had two living spaces in their roof area it sounds wonderful.
I always find it strange that architects seem to have an aversion to fitting handrails to stair cases. Why? They are an essential safety feature, particularly for older people.
Beautiful home on its own. I hope it's sound proof if kids are going to be running on those outside decks all day or the clanking of footsteps as people walk about. In the US most people don't know their neighbors and would rather keep it that way.
I love this style and design for certain climates. But what if the outside isn’t great? what if the air isn’t “fresh?” What if you need filtration and protection from the environment? I see that the area around the houses is built purely as decking with some focused garden space, but don’t you feel that there needs to be more green space to allow the ground to absorb and hold water? On either side of these homes is asphalt roads. This is concerning. Also, in regards to rain water, do you incorporate water capture technologies that would allow people to capture rain-water for house-hold use?
This is an appealing philosophy. I wish I shared your optimism about people's desire to live in community and share outdoor space. When I dream of building a home distance from others is at the heart of my desire. I grew up on a rural island in the American Pacific Northwest with a lot of community sentiment because people had space to choose when they participate. My grandparents farmed there but as time as passed only the very wealthy can afford to stay. I've lived in Seattle where 200 units in a downtown condominium were filled with people who loathed hearing each other through the walls. (Here the drug users steal the copper pipe off the exterior walls and break into cars in the garage repeatedly. The homeless sneak in to sleep in the stairwells in the cold months or on the roof when it's warm.) I've lived in Barcelona where a dozen or a few dozen families shared a building but still don't mix and everyone feels a target for robbery, even in their homes, which isn't paranoia because it does happen so often. The robbers are let in when they say they are the mailman, that they've come to fix the elevator, that they're delivering for Amazon to a neighbor who doesn't answer...Thieves boldly knock on doors and pretend they are cold-calling because they want to buy your unit if you are home. Also, tenants move out of their units with the light fixtures, appliances and anything else not nailed down. It seems you'd need to choose the people as carefully as you choose the materials.
Carbon foot print is much more than just the materials that go into a project: heating and cooling; electricity and water usage. You can have a bright and airy home without direct heat gains beaming down through the skylight. I like the look of the project and the idea about material reuse but I feel like they are missing the mark.
What an incredible company. The core principles are exactly that of the business of the future. Vertical integration of material and maintenance of the home over the duration of its lifetime. And what it will do for people returning to a more social domestic space and one where people can learn to and take advantage of the ability to grow food which upon mass adoption would reduce strain on the main food supply chain. I could go on and on, these folks have obviously put in an incredible amount of thought and effort behind this and have good core values to see it though. Best of luck to them, may i one day have the opportunity to stay in a community more like the one this is trying to be.
I love the idea and the spaces created were novel. Much better than a concrete jungle. However, the focus was on building, rather than the connecting spaces. Maybe a good landscape designer with knowledge in managing natural resources, would be the icing on this impressive cake. As having grass and rain gardens to manage the water run-off, would use less building resources required for a patio, while enhancing the natural space embracing the buildings, more. The gardening spaces were a good starting place, but without proper water management, the wooden patio will rot because of those beautiful spaces that require watering. Still maintain that central walkway as the main access footpath between buildings, but allow a rainwater garden (usually built with rocks that won't rot) to manage water on the site - and have grass for kids to run on too. The only other thing I would add is how to build accessibility into the design for the mobility challenged? Have the storey's for those able to use them, but where is the design to incorporate the mobility challenged into the same community?
Interesting, so how energy efficient are these homes? Are they built using geo thermal , solar, wind to heat, and cool? One of they biggest challenges for future designing to meet the climate extremes coming our way globally. We have essentially passed the tipping point. We are going to have to re think how everything is designed, not just housing but infrastructure as well. Point of use energy production will have to be on the table. Material performance in temperature extremes will have to be considered. Also there is not enough green space, you designed a house for "nature", humans well being is better served by the feeling of a "wilderness ". I absolutely love the cradle to crave materials concept, that is how it should be. I do like the house design, good for both solar and low profile turbines..Thank you for sharing your concepts
If new build developments looked like this instead of the horrid faux-old or uPVC windowed estates they keep building in the U.K. then people would be happy to have them in their towns and villages. Houses should be functional, beautiful and sustainable. Like these
This is very much oriented to northern latitudes. Nothing wrong with that, but it needs to be noted that sustainability is a regional target. For example, windows like that and zero roof overhands would BAKE the house in southern latitudes. "Being outside on a summer day" cracked me up.
Gorgeous design. The use of plywood is lovely, and is also a sustainable, low carbon footprint material, and one that serves to connect the interior with nature. How can these concepts be expanded to service low income, dense communities that don't have access to such things as natural light and open space? How do you build community and draw people to engage together in the outdoors in spaces such as that?
A very interesting concept. Maybe the most important aspect is the design for disassmebly. I think they showed perfectly, that this doesn´t contradict a good looking interior design. There is no need for perfekt plain white walls in every room. In fact, I would prefer the wood-look of these houses over every standard architecture. But I think this concept misses another big possibility to lower the carbon footprint, that is inevitable for the future: Make the houses smaller (and even more affordable)! Because I think, it is essential to show, how worth living smaller spaces can be, if they are designed intelligent. In the last 70 years the square meters per person increased from something between 10-15 m² to over 40 m² (data for Germany). That is a trend, we should invert somehow. I can understand the need for wide and bright rooms. But the Tiny-House-Movement shows, how this can also be realized with less square meters. This doesn´t mean, we should all live in 12 m² Boxes. But what about a happy medium between both? These ideas combined with the design shown here could be the key. And imagine, how wide spread suburban areas would have to be, if the houses and open areas outside would be as big as shown in the film, if they should offer enough space for millions of people in the big metropolitan areas worldwide. Every year more and more people move to the cities. We need a concept like shown in the film, but fitting to big urban agglomerations with a working public transportation system.
Yes and considering the need of privacy while attaining small impact. Also, architecture could aim to blend humans in with nature. There are different viewpoints in the way of achieving and they are e.g. digging into ground, raising into air, and growing nature on top of buildings. And I would like to accentuate what I sometimes forget that nature is more than just forest. For example, meadows are important ecosystems that are kept alive by traditional agriculture. These ways together may accomplish the target.
Hi, its an awesome design specially when I see the harmony with nature between in side and outside, its great! and how using the openings to increase the light and warm to home. I have one adding only which is the material color of the stairs because the same color or texture with walls that first make me I could not able to differentiate between them and if there is a different color or material will be more safe for people usage.
ok...what is the carbon footprint of fabricating polycarbonate ? ore regular glass ?...those products involve both big scale mining and petrol-industry .
It's amazing how we can get to see the play of natural light being emphasised in the design of homes. I think this whole project is beautiful and importantly, doable. Government policies need to be strengthened to pursue such plans.
JFC, there's nothing wrong with our building you green idiots.
Back in the day people used factors like natural light or cross breeze to make their home more comfortable before AC people strategically placed windows in kitchens bathrooms to bring more air flow
You’re right. It’s super refreshing to see poetic design in parallel with sustainable goals. We can and should do both in parallel!
My home has 5 large Velux skylights. The 2 highest skylights are left open most days for natural ventilation. The natural light they bring into the home is priceless.
I’ve been living with Velux skylights for almost 40 years, they’ve never leaked and have afforded me such joy in those years of sun, moon, blue sky, clouds, and even rain. In my next home, I’m planning on several! I love them!
I had them put on my place in 2013, they were nice. Energy star certified and glazed to repel the sun's rays. Cranked open and one had remote control blackout blind.
@@markhirstwood4190 , next ones will have those, and the remote close too!😉
A wise person said , with declining population old homes will be the homes of the 21st century. Remodeling, and improving what has been built is the way forward. Old lumber , and materials won’t be replaced, saving on sustainable resources, the foot prints on Earth 🌎.
Yes. Knocking down perfectly good old houses to build 'sustainable' new ones is a contradiction. Old houses can be remodeled to be warmer and lighter, and many have good outdoor areas for growing. My house was built in 1880 from the original forest trees on the land - why destroy such a gift?
The most sustainable way to build is to not to
Exactly, but there also are still many countries that continue to grow and have plenty of space still, like Australia. Better be done sustainably if possible💚
In the US we have a home shortage. Some estimate around 5-6 million homes.
Sera ese "sabio", Bill Gates, que sigue trabajando para asesinar a 500 millones de personas que según el su fundación y sus socios "sobran", en la tierra...
I designed a passive home 16 years ago. It doesn't freeze with no heat on even in WI winters and the whole house can be cooled with a small bedroom AC unit. Homes in full sun.
do share how
I think the key to success for projects like this is efficiency, like will it keep me warm during the winter and chilled during summer, will it have enough outdoorsy feeling to not feel choked up but also closed enough to feel cozy and not feel as if I had the whole outside world with me in my bedroom, will it be durable and handle bugs and just other problems…etc
Earthship style
Very much agree. Nothing at all was said about heating, and only a single sentence about cooling - the idea of opening a window at the top to let out the warm air. It all sounds very nice, but the whole thing seems more like an advertisement than an explanation of what they've achieved. OK, so they've reduced the carbon footprint - by how much? Are these houses as durable as conventional ones? How do they compare with other designs for insulation?
Every architectural project needs to follow what we call "needs plan", and it covers everything that you said. Pretty much one of the first lessons we learn when studying architecture. A good project will always think about all these things. I believe they didn't cover it in the video because it is seen as the basic. The goal of this kind of video is to show the concept only
1:44 the flower pot in the background looks fantastic. I’ve never seen a plant pot with wheels. I would love to get one of those.
as an architect i loved the idea of thoughtful material design, the sunlight travelling across the walls, and the veggie gardens.
as an introvert i felt that the lack of privacy, my own outdoor space [outside my own house] that i need for recharging, and constant presence of people right outside of my ground floor windows was giving me a panic attack.
some people will thrive in this environment, but this "intensity" of community isn't for everyone.
One test is better than a thousand expert assumptions- why aren't there people living in these model homes, trying them out? Real families, with kids and dogs and patio furniture, experience four seasons, finding out that the deck is way too hot in the summer and too cold and windy in the winter. Watching the sunlight move across the walls is a romantic architectural favorite, but has little to do with livability.
Because then they will find out it's not working and won't be able to make money on it anymore
Agree, but keep in mind this is copenhagen… most likely you’re not in the risk of getting a heat stroke :P
You realise a majority of people living in tropical climates prefer decks/verandahs/porches? The trick is to not be there in the height of the afternoon/install sunshades if needed. You're there in the late afternoons and evenings - and depending on the area, people from these areas do sleep outside if safety isn't a concern - not spend your entire day out there.
How is the decking here for this project much hotter than the average wooden deck in a US backyard in the summer? And in our live/work place we have 5 skylights and we watch the sunlight move across walls and it seems livable to us...our skylights in the main floor (one 20 foot long and one 25 foot long) eliminate the need for power to supply lighting for the daylight hours. I'm not saying this reduced our carbon footprint since of course we have to pay for the manufacturing and transportation and installation of these skylights but for as long as our building is standing it will reduce the power consumption. Nothing is perfect of course but I applaud these people at least for trying to re-think industry norms.
@@mizulon5413sure, but this is Denmark. So is it indoors as warm as in tropical climate but being far further North?
What an amazing project. Love the interplay between light, heat and glass, and the consideration of community and buildings. Great observations and learnings, and plenty more to discover yet!
That's good idea
I would like to inspect the floorplans for better analysis and here are my considerations:
1) How much time do typical Danish people spend inside their home? This affects the need of space.
2) How social are they? How much do they value private space? How soundproof are the houses? If I play guitar in my room, does it disturb family members? Do Danish really communicate closely with their neighbours?
3) Open plan. How loud is the dish washer? Does the noisepollution affect my playing?
4) Kids playing around. Kids make too much noise. Home is the place for quiet and relaxation. How can this be acquired?
5) Rain. It rains a lot in Danmark. How can one access transportation without getting soaked?
6) Green spaces. Is there any possibility to increase the grassed areas without compromising the terrace path?
I'd rather have grass than a deck...
These houses are full of natural light reflecting in a living space that is so inviting..clean lines that are uncluttered..the grouping together of this project connected with decking and garden spaces is so very attractive for anyone wanting a complex of two or three providing for an extended family or a small business..they are a beautifully designed construction….well ✅ done
Designing for disassembly is so important, glad there are people designing with that in mind! Also likely makes maintenance easier for occupants in many cases
Very nice. As an architect/designer also, I too believe in the concept of bringing the outdoors inside and vice versa. Thanks for sharing. God bless🙏🏼
So great. I visited Denmark and would gladly go back. Good voices, tasteful, efficient, comfy, etc. It goes back to about 1,700 BCE and onwards from then, mostly U106/R-L48 and I1 groups...
I love the approach you have to this. It's rare to find an environmentalist cause that doesn't feel like it is coming at the viewer from an ivory tower. The designs are executed with the mental health of the dweller in mind, and I love the attention paid to the quality of light inside the house, and the blurring of indoors and outdoors by bringing that light in, and that garden-to-table aspect, which a lot of people seem to ignore these days. I'm nowhere remotely nearby, but one day I would love to call a house like the one in this project home.
I agree, would love to see this in my country as well. It matches my philosophy, already was into gardening/sustainable living and green houses. Would love to see even more outdoor/indoor integrated houses with a greenhouse included in the living space. Love how thoughtful this is designed.
Love this project. Really nice to meet the people making it happen. Thanks for sharing this one!
Really curious what the footprint is going to be when you use hemp instead of wood and plastics for boards and planks and cork for insulation or as a structural component. I see nothing to harvest sun/wind energy in these buildings which is kind of strange. You would think that a company like Velux invests heavily in harvesting solar energy with their windows and other glass systems.
first thing i thought when i saw the big roofs.. and no solar power, wtf? this is medieval architectural understanding!
Also no attempt to harness the heat when the house is overheating? I dont understand.
@@Stumpybear7640 the tall and narrow design of the roof makes the heat go up and escape from the skylights windows. My brother implemented kind of the same principle in his house and it works quite well, the house stays livrable when it's 35°C outside
@@RickieBeubieWhat about when it’s 48º? This is becoming a reality in the American Southwest. I’d love to see these styles outside of Scandanavia, but are they deployable in varied climates?
@@RubyRedDances it may not be enough for such extreme temperatures. Maybe additional systems could make it liveable (like canadian wells, buried walls, etc.). It could be interesting to study traditional building methods in hot countries. I know Iran also used windcatchers to cool down their buildings
Healthy housing is simple just build out of pumicecrete
Pumicecrete is by far the best building material on the planet Pumicecrete is a mixture of pumice cement and water mixed and poured into a set of reusable forms walls are poured from 12"to 24" thick pumicecrete is fireproof termite proof rust rot and mold proof non toxic and has a high R value and good sound attenuation solid poured walls means no critters can live in your walls Pumicecrete can be built for a fraction of the cost and time and pumice is one of the few building materials that can go directly from the mine to the job site ready to use without any additional possessing and zero waste Google all the walls of my house are made of pumicecrete Take care Ray
Clay hollow Ziegel are much, much better than any crete. They also regulate moisture.
Beautiful aesthetics, especially the interplay of sunlight and air movement. Great to see sustainable practices integrated in design and built. Inspirational. Sincere regards
Looks nice. But can you carry big furniture up the stairs?
Great video and attractive design. I have many questions: 1. how does snow not collect on the upper windows and flat part of the roof? Clearing it would be huge hassle. 2. In our climate the sun is over head in the summer which would give strong direct summer sun in the middle of summer. Do the sky lights vent to remove heat build up? 3. I've done some porches. That porch is as expensive as one of the houses. Why so much porch? It looks nice, but I would be curious about how cost, maintenance, and livability would be practical in the long run.
The quintessential sustainable endeavor, capable of leaving an indelible mark on our planet, lies far beyond the confines of the modern developed world. Picture this: even if, by some miraculous overnight transformation, both Canada and the United States were to wholeheartedly embrace a 100 percent green, zero-carbon lifestyle, the unfortunate truth remains that their efforts would hardly make a dent in stemming the tides of environmental damage. The grandeur of the best course of action, the one capable of revolutionizing our planet's trajectory, lies in a seemingly unrelated corner: ensuring equitable access to pristine, flowing water for every individual across the vast African continent.
Consider the transformative power of this initiative, both immediate and far-reaching. As the life-giving streams of clean water cascade into the lives of those who have long been deprived, the repercussions ripple across the globe. It is an extraordinary phenomenon to behold, as the provision of this fundamental resource, so often taken for granted in developed nations, ignites a profound change in the mindset and behavior of the recipients. Suddenly, a once unimaginable wellspring of opportunities emerges.
Intriguingly, this intervention not only addresses the immediate challenge of water scarcity but also begets a far more consequential outcome-the birth of a greener, more sustainable future. It is a testament to the interconnectedness of our world. As the African population gains access to clean water, their newfound security and abundance motivate them to make increasingly environmentally conscious choices. Witnessing the transformative power of clean water, they begin to cultivate an innate desire to preserve and protect their surroundings. Gradually, their actions cascade into a cascading wave of positive change, echoing throughout the continent.
However, it is crucial to acknowledge that the issue at hand extends beyond the boundaries of Africa. The underdeveloped regions scattered across the globe collectively contribute a staggering amount of greenhouse gases, dwarfing the emissions of any single developed nation. By embracing the challenge of water accessibility and sustainability, we confront the root cause of these ecological imbalances. In essence, we embark upon a holistic endeavor to diminish the immense carbon footprint stemming from these underdeveloped areas, transcending the borders of Africa itself.
In this remarkable pursuit, a harmonious symphony of environmental, societal, and economic benefits emerges. The provision of clean water not only safeguards the health and well-being of individuals but also lays the groundwork for resilient communities, equipped to weather the storms of a changing world. It fosters education, as children no longer bear the burdensome task of water collection, allowing them to embrace the transformative power of knowledge. Moreover, it empowers women, who are often disproportionately affected by water scarcity, liberating them to pursue their aspirations and contribute meaningfully to their societies.
So, let us envision a future where the seemingly humble act of providing clean running water to every person in Africa becomes the catalyst for a global paradigm shift. As this noble mission gains momentum, resonating with the hearts and minds of individuals worldwide, we unleash the boundless potential of human compassion and innovation. Together, we can forge a greener, more enlightened path-one where the transformative power of water becomes a beacon of hope for a planet on the precipice of transformation.
Why such massive decking instead of permeable, cooling, productive, greenspace?
I love the interplay on light and the seemingly simple designs. I agree that materials are key to more sustainable building practices, whether or not we use wood, or pumice, sheep's woool or hay bales to insulate to create better buildings. For my fine art masters degree I researched alternative materials for casting pieces of sculpture. So instead of contrete I used slaked lime (NHL 3.5 and 5), which is traditionally also used on old buildings as mortar and lime wash. Despite be told many times that I could not cast using this material (I mixed sand and sometimes pumice in with it). It did work but it needs to cure for much longer. I hope I can continue my making and research one day-I have had to go back to work as I need to find a secure home. Here in the UK despite many houses being built the fiscal cost is so high to have a roof over your head, let alone an environmentally friendly one! 14:43
I appreciate these designs and the thinking that goes into them. This seems to be something that is applicable to a specific type of climate. I can't see how this would work in areas that are extremely hot or humid. I wonder how these ideas could be altered to create spaces for different regions.
I think what can be done is to have professionals from respective climatic regions studying their surroundings so as to conceive climate responsive and site specific projects.
@@kudzaishemakweta211 Yes - you already see a lot of these specific touches in play in various regions, e.g. some places will have white roofs, and completely white buildings, or build with a certain material. Imagine bringing it all together.
These ideas cannot be transferred to hot and humid places…. The approach for hot and humid climate is totally different!
I was thinking the same thing. I love the ergonomics and design of it but I don’t think it’s practical for where I live in Florida as it is too hot and humid. I also wonder about how it would hold up against a hurricane
Exactly. I’m in the gulf coast of Texas, there’s no way this would work. In Canada, where I grew up it would be perfect, or Seattle maybe, anything north of Wyoming. Still love the idea.
This is such a fantastic showcase of how sustainable design can really change the way we live! On my Building Green podcast, we often talk about the importance of using natural materials and designing for adaptability, and this project is a great example...
Excited to see projects like this scaling up and leading the way!
This feels very greenwashed and full of buzzwords. The design seems to be more concerned with sunlight on a wall than the utilisation of green solutions for actual benefits. Why build a house to be easily dismantled, if you can just build it long lasting, multipurpose and beautiful, so people want to use it at its present location for a long time?
But for that the design would have to be practical which it isn't:
- the flat rooftop is prone to leakage and accumulates snow in the winter
- the double hight space above the kitchen is wasted space that makes the lower floor difficult to heat in winter and the cooling updraft in summer can just as easily be achieved with a window in the stairwell
- the window placement has no pleasing order on the outside and does not seem to take the passive heating possibility of the sun into account
- if you only allow for communal outdoor space the main benefit of a detached single family house (a private garden all around your house) is negated and a terraced house or even a low density apartment block would surely be more eco friendly.
I love how they talk about the play of light as if they invented windows, or invented sun coming in a window. LOL
I do like some of the goals they are pursuing, but it feels like they are just beginning the journey to an effective end, not that they have achieved the goals.
I do like venting hot air from top of building, however I hate that sound follows this. We have two shifts in the house due to night shift job of one, and everybody must be ultra quiet so as to allow them to sleep. So I am biased, but I cant be the only person who want to vacuum, or use the blender or watch TV while someone else sleeps, or is sick and wants quiet. I think communal space is valuable, but again will kids be told they can play on the decking as someone is sick, or sleeps late, or retires early etc.
I also agree that better land use would be to have apartments with communal space out doors. There are some very good iterations of this … some even in Copenhagen.
I had the same thoughts as you.
We want numbers, materials and detailing. How much concrete has there been used ? …At this point the project looks more like a velux ad than anything else.
So amazing and Beautiful!
I am bioclimatic Architect, I Just made a trip to visit green architecture and I have to say that there are very few places like this to visit. I visited the city some weeks ago and I am sad that I didn't know they existed😅 I hope to see them one day. That would be also interesting to see how they perform in winter!
Thanks for the video!
My question is how the heck are you going to get a bed frame through the stairs? Maybe opening a window and pulling parts of it through it?
Most bed frames don't come pre-built, you pit it together in the room
Great but not sure of the Wood Decking in Northern wet climates?? Will it also not need replacing after 4/5 years?? Solar Panels for energy??
no, it's fine
Beautiful project, thank you so much for your efforts to create this project, I hope it will inspire builders around the world to focus more on sustainability, integration with nature, and community centered living. Video looks great, well done! INSPIRING!!
While I like the light in the interiors, it would be really difficult to open that skylight. I have single-story velux windows that I never open as they are so difficult with the pole. Also risky with the showery weather we typically have in Summer. We cannot get hold of the electronic openers here as there as there has been global shortage. The outside of the houses is likely to cause neighbourhood disputes due to the shared responsibility and lack of privacy. The only way I could envisage that working is if it's an extended, multigenerational family that owns all the houses in the block.
I love how they are thinking in two different levels of architecture, the architectural building but also urbanism, because they are thinking how to build a sustainable community in a city. That is very important. Some of my professors say that one of the most important things when you are planning an architectural project is to analyse the context. Very well done.
It would be great to see initiatives focused on creating massive, vertical, affordable, and sustainable housing, with cleverly designed small living spaces and rich communal areas. Additionally, increasing the number of green areas full of trees within cities to cool them down. Giving back big areas to nature is the path to sustainability
Looks nice, but with the community setup they forgot about privacy. You don't want to buy a house where the neighbors can look into all sides and not have a private outside area.
Multiple stories and people with accessibility problems don't mix. I'm not one of these people, but I think this is a major oversight, unless stairs are replaced by elevators. Also, ergonomically, raised garden beds are much better.
I don’t understand, a 1 story building or multiple-dwelling unit is an incredibly simple solution you this problem?
The stairs were devoid of any railing to hold onto for stability!
It would be interesting to add to these the need for aging populations: no stairs, accesible showers, sinks, closets, etc. Combined with perhaps shared living spaces available in combination to manage all stages of life in one home or setting.
Especially like the community aspect, the wood and the beautiful lighting!
I really like what you have done in terms of environmentally sensitive and sustainable building. I would be interested to go further though and understand how, if one is building a community project, and I do appreciate that this is not necessarily a final layout - you noted that too - you envisage things like privacy, individual expression, and conflict resolution be handled in an environment like this. And there are more questions that I have such as maximum potential population density, etc. It's a great idea, and I like it very much, however, it does trigger a host of questions that I think need to be answered as well. The good thing is that the ideas that you are sharing here are attractive, thought-provoking, and frankly, disruptive, which is great. Thanks for sharing,
Design homes that can withstand tornados and hurricanes as well and you'll *Really* be on to something.
One thing I'd like to hear about is how they're managing the off gassing from so much exposed plywood.
on the one side: awesome!
but ... there are some parts i don't get:
- a kitchen as a center piece is great, but what about smells going everywhere. not always good.
- the "chimney"-effect allows for fresh air... rly, how? how can cold/fresh air come down if the room is ventilating upwards (aka chimney effect)?
- the playful sunlight on the walls are nice, ... in winter. but during summer this is a heat source cooking everybody sitting in such spot - how to avoid that?
the design is nice, i like the wooden walls a lot - not so much the external (water and electric) pipework - this could be inside the walls and still disassembled, i guess.
I visited the place last friday. It turns out it was the day the project team was celebrating the publication of the "Living Places" book. The Hygge House that you see in the video here is just unbelievable. You feel well the moment you enter the house. i would buy it right away 🙂If you happen to be in Copenhagen it's definitely worth a visit.
Great concept, I love the idea about any building is an ecosystem, start from there, we are understand how to development an Architecture projects in all cases
But it needs more trees/green.
Thank you for embedding subtitles in this video .
I would love to live in a house like this. I sit in my little greenhouse, and wish it was big enough to create a home inside.
Good luck maintaing those exterior wood walls? No overhangs and very tall. Have we got some new magic wood preservative or do need some time for this thing to rot first.
yea takes awile esp if pine
Those buildings are so beautiful. Plain wood is so clean and utterly gorgeous.
Among the different ideas one stood out the "materials bank " . Brilliant
I love all the concepts used here. The light, the possibility to disassembly, bringing the outdoor inside...
Is there hemp used in this project ?
with thanks.
It would be interesting to see the concept adapted to a model suitable for living conditions in the hot summers of Australia. What is the plan to manage energy supply , water and effluent sustainably in these buildings ?
Beautiful concept, one question though, how do take care of security issues, imagining that you are building in the village, especially on the wide open windows with no any burglar proof,
How do these compare to the passive House standard?
I live in the Philippines. Looks nice. However, they look like a termite feast. And, we want to keep the outdoors out. Especially the sun
I feel like the scope of this project was very narrow. Imagine someone in a wheelchair climbing those stairs.
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are these homes for buyers or renters? How affordable are they to build?
Will it be possible to license these designs for use in the UK? Do you have an idea of how much it costs to build with materials/labour split? Thanks
What is the name of the song that’s playing around 8 mins? Very beautiful
This was so wonderful to watch. Thank you for this. I love the consciousness of the materials - from sourcing to what happens after its initial use. My favourite feature of the whole house is the sundial on the wall concept. It's SO lovely
y de donde proviene la madera?
it's a lovely concept, harks back to what villages once were. but the real question is what happens when it coms up hard against reality.
Interesting project. The designs certainly are beautiful. Like other commenters, I was surprised at the omission of solar panels. I know the house interior was kept minimal, but the one glaring omission for me was the lack of any stair railing.Was this intentional so as to not interrupt visual continuum of the wood walls? The young, old, and the weary need a safe place to grab onto when going up/down stairways.
The success of this model depends upon all members of the community sharing a mindset. It wouldn't work otherwise, as the spaces are too close together. Introverts like me would feel trapped, confined, and resistant to the notion of "community" as depicted in this model. Need to consider the human elements and the variety of personalities and mindsets. I do like the idea but know I couldn't really live in such close quarters to others.
I LOVE the smaller, communal-based design. Another major contributor to building emissions is that the size of the average home has dramatically increased. People who live in single family dwellings want all the amenities for "entertaining" friends and family, while catering to a host of personal needs and desires under one roof: sleeping, cooking, eating, leisure, cleaning, working, exercising, and more. With that larger footprint comes a huge carbon price, in addition to the massive utility bills that it takes to run and power a house of 2000+ sq feet, especially on heating and cooling the space.
What's nice about this design is that the footprints are much smaller, while not compromising on the feeling of space, light, and privacy. But the idea of placing a central multi-purpose structure in between the houses is genius. You could work from home, or create a satellite office that gets you out of your personal home for a few hours. You can entertain, but your guests stay in a room that is just adjacent to your home. You have a built-in community of neighbors who share in the landscaping and use of the property, instead of trying to maintain a sprawling lawn and outdoor gardens. There's no fences separating you from the people around you, but you still have a comfortable space to retreat to.
And the last major selling feature for me is the impermanence of the design - the ability to build, deconstruct, and rebuild again like Lego bricks to suit the needs of whoever moves in. We have built edifices that are institutional, immoveable, and permanent, which demands conformity and prohibits the free movement of people throughout the area. This can open up so many more possibilities to home owners, and create some really exciting opportunities for urban and suburban areas.
I really love the big roofs they had gambrel here in the states that when you go up into them seem like standard 4 wall rooms it allows for more square foot and usage and I was surprised when they said they had two living spaces in their roof area it sounds wonderful.
What an amazing project !
I always find it strange that architects seem to have an aversion to fitting handrails to stair cases. Why? They are an essential safety feature, particularly for older people.
Beautiful home on its own. I hope it's sound proof if kids are going to be running on those outside decks all day or the clanking of footsteps as people walk about. In the US most people don't know their neighbors and would rather keep it that way.
I love this style and design for certain climates. But what if the outside isn’t great? what if the air isn’t “fresh?” What if you need filtration and protection from the environment?
I see that the area around the houses is built purely as decking with some focused garden space, but don’t you feel that there needs to be more green space to allow the ground to absorb and hold water? On either side of these homes is asphalt roads. This is concerning.
Also, in regards to rain water, do you incorporate water capture technologies that would allow people to capture rain-water for house-hold use?
This is an appealing philosophy. I wish I shared your optimism about people's desire to live in community and share outdoor space. When I dream of building a home distance from others is at the heart of my desire.
I grew up on a rural island in the American Pacific Northwest with a lot of community sentiment because people had space to choose when they participate. My grandparents farmed there but as time as passed only the very wealthy can afford to stay.
I've lived in Seattle where 200 units in a downtown condominium were filled with people who loathed hearing each other through the walls. (Here the drug users steal the copper pipe off the exterior walls and break into cars in the garage repeatedly. The homeless sneak in to sleep in the stairwells in the cold months or on the roof when it's warm.)
I've lived in Barcelona where a dozen or a few dozen families shared a building but still don't mix and everyone feels a target for robbery, even in their homes, which isn't paranoia because it does happen so often. The robbers are let in when they say they are the mailman, that they've come to fix the elevator, that they're delivering for Amazon to a neighbor who doesn't answer...Thieves boldly knock on doors and pretend they are cold-calling because they want to buy your unit if you are home. Also, tenants move out of their units with the light fixtures, appliances and anything else not nailed down.
It seems you'd need to choose the people as carefully as you choose the materials.
That's truly inspiring and award winning. More power for that kind of projects. 😌✨
Carbon foot print is much more than just the materials that go into a project: heating and cooling; electricity and water usage. You can have a bright and airy home without direct heat gains beaming down through the skylight. I like the look of the project and the idea about material reuse but I feel like they are missing the mark.
It's a wonderful project. Now tackle existing buildings. Make those sustainable to reappoint in a sustainable way instead of tear down.
I love this home and the concept. But will it work in hurricane central in Florida? Also, there is a huge termite problem here.
The window shape of the vertical model produces a nicer facade - than a square or horizontal one.
This is so inspiring! 🤩
What an incredible company. The core principles are exactly that of the business of the future. Vertical integration of material and maintenance of the home over the duration of its lifetime. And what it will do for people returning to a more social domestic space and one where people can learn to and take advantage of the ability to grow food which upon mass adoption would reduce strain on the main food supply chain. I could go on and on, these folks have obviously put in an incredible amount of thought and effort behind this and have good core values to see it though. Best of luck to them, may i one day have the opportunity to stay in a community more like the one this is trying to be.
I love the idea and the spaces created were novel. Much better than a concrete jungle. However, the focus was on building, rather than the connecting spaces. Maybe a good landscape designer with knowledge in managing natural resources, would be the icing on this impressive cake. As having grass and rain gardens to manage the water run-off, would use less building resources required for a patio, while enhancing the natural space embracing the buildings, more.
The gardening spaces were a good starting place, but without proper water management, the wooden patio will rot because of those beautiful spaces that require watering. Still maintain that central walkway as the main access footpath between buildings, but allow a rainwater garden (usually built with rocks that won't rot) to manage water on the site - and have grass for kids to run on too.
The only other thing I would add is how to build accessibility into the design for the mobility challenged? Have the storey's for those able to use them, but where is the design to incorporate the mobility challenged into the same community?
Interesting, so how energy efficient are these homes? Are they built using geo thermal , solar, wind to heat, and cool?
One of they biggest challenges for future designing to meet the climate extremes coming our way globally. We have essentially passed the tipping point. We are going to have to re think how everything is designed, not just housing but infrastructure as well. Point of use energy production will have to be on the table. Material performance in temperature extremes will have to be considered. Also there is not enough green space, you designed a house for "nature", humans well being is better served by the feeling of a "wilderness ". I absolutely love the cradle to crave materials concept, that is how it should be. I do like the house design, good for both solar and low profile turbines..Thank you for sharing your concepts
If new build developments looked like this instead of the horrid faux-old or uPVC windowed estates they keep building in the U.K. then people would be happy to have them in their towns and villages. Houses should be functional, beautiful and sustainable. Like these
is there a better alternative to using woods and bricks in order to make houses and buildings?
This is very much oriented to northern latitudes. Nothing wrong with that, but it needs to be noted that sustainability is a regional target. For example, windows like that and zero roof overhands would BAKE the house in southern latitudes. "Being outside on a summer day" cracked me up.
i would love to study and work on this kind of thing. does anyone know if this is a stressful job? what does your day look like?
These are stunning. Do you do international collaborations? I’d be very interested
can this work for tropical areas?
also concerned about cleaning too. especially the light pass-throughs for the roofing.
Gorgeous design. The use of plywood is lovely, and is also a sustainable, low carbon footprint material, and one that serves to connect the interior with nature. How can these concepts be expanded to service low income, dense communities that don't have access to such things as natural light and open space? How do you build community and draw people to engage together in the outdoors in spaces such as that?
What if you have crappy, noisy neighbors?
A very interesting concept. Maybe the most important aspect is the design for disassmebly. I think they showed perfectly, that this doesn´t contradict a good looking interior design. There is no need for perfekt plain white walls in every room. In fact, I would prefer the wood-look of these houses over every standard architecture.
But I think this concept misses another big possibility to lower the carbon footprint, that is inevitable for the future:
Make the houses smaller (and even more affordable)! Because I think, it is essential to show, how worth living smaller spaces can be, if they are designed intelligent. In the last 70 years the square meters per person increased from something between 10-15 m² to over 40 m² (data for Germany). That is a trend, we should invert somehow. I can understand the need for wide and bright rooms. But the Tiny-House-Movement shows, how this can also be realized with less square meters. This doesn´t mean, we should all live in 12 m² Boxes. But what about a happy medium between both? These ideas combined with the design shown here could be the key.
And imagine, how wide spread suburban areas would have to be, if the houses and open areas outside would be as big as shown in the film, if they should offer enough space for millions of people in the big metropolitan areas worldwide. Every year more and more people move to the cities. We need a concept like shown in the film, but fitting to big urban agglomerations with a working public transportation system.
Yes and considering the need of privacy while attaining small impact.
Also, architecture could aim to blend humans in with nature. There are different viewpoints in the way of achieving and they are e.g. digging into ground, raising into air, and growing nature on top of buildings.
And I would like to accentuate what I sometimes forget that nature is more than just forest. For example, meadows are important ecosystems that are kept alive by traditional agriculture.
These ways together may accomplish the target.
Did I miss something? or you did not talk about the price.
Love it! Wish I could live this way!
You can, buy yourself a tent.
Awesome YOU GUYS ARE ON IT, Do you design and sell the complete package
Hi, its an awesome design specially when I see the harmony with nature between in side and outside, its great! and how using the openings to increase the light and warm to home. I have one adding only which is the material color of the stairs because the same color or texture with walls that first make me I could not able to differentiate between them and if there is a different color or material will be more safe for people usage.
Pretty ...vacant! Why are not the south facing roofs made with see-thru PV modules?? How much are Utility Bills?
We need this in Canada yesterday
Dream home here, the community aspect might be nice also.
Not enough vegetation. Vegetation helps to temperature, biodiversity and sustainability in a wider perspective.
how much the price?
Thank you amazing.
ok...what is the carbon footprint of fabricating polycarbonate ? ore regular glass ?...those products involve both big scale mining and petrol-industry .
great job! however in my village the ants would have a feast on all that wood.