Casa López / Lujano | Oficina 3 Estudio de Arquitectura

PROJECT DESCRIPTION Site: A medium size lot with hillside slopes. The house opens to the southwest, making solar control a serious challenge for this project. Owners Request: The owners were very concerned about the environment, specifically about energy and resource efficiency. They wanted to maintain their privacy, but also directed us to provide an open, light-filled design, that responded to the hillside site. The owners also wanted a more controlled garden-type of an area and a more natural landscape on the rear of the lot. Sensible green measures were to be included, although the project budget would not allow "Grand" measures. Design Objectives on This Project: Affordability + Resource efficient + Modularity + Recycled Content + Directed Openness The design response in this built project, as stated by the owners, is to untie their co-dependence on external energy supplies, will self-provide power with solar energy, gray water will be re-used, the natural controlled garden acts as a Rainwater-Harvesting System, to be used for growing vegetables and other plants. To preserve privacy, bring in light while minimizing unwanted solar heat gain, and provide connection to nature, we oriented a large window wall north to the back yard, sloping the ceiling of the great room up to increase the light and connection to nature in that space. The sloping roof also provides a surface suitable for mounting the 13.4 kW PV system. Other building faces have smaller, punched windows that maximize light as well as privacy.