Zero Mile House | Yianna Bouyioukou

The Zero Mile House is located on an urban corner lot in the City of Vancouver. We propose an architectural strategy where most of the house’s construction materials are produced literally on the specific lot. This way, land is not only the physical support for the human habitat but also the provider. Wood is the main construction material, with the condition that it comes from trees planted on the lot itself. Thus, a relationship is established between the size of the lot and the size of the construction it supports. In our proposal, a forest is first planted on the lot. After the trees reach maturity, they are selectively harvested and dried to provide 10x10cm tights that are assembled in a double layer ring that defines the typical section of house. The house will grow as big as the raw materials last. Waterproofing, thermal insulation, cabinetry, doors and windows are also provided by the processing of the wood. The trees left on the site will provide for landscaping, and will be adjusted to each future lot for wind and sun protection. This posture could lead to a new urban growth paradigm, where land developers will not only have to do the subdivision and provide the infrastructure, but will have to afforest a lot in order to be able to offer it for construction. Multiple lots can be planted, where the partially forested landscape will create green corridors through the city. Land, nature, and the resources and energy devoted to build the human environment will be locally equilibrated, regaining a harmonic balance between them.