Living Aleutian Home

“Indigenous knowledge is as important as modern science” Since the Aleutian Islands are home to some of the world's longest continuously occupied community, new design should be a logical step forward, learning from history and taking into account new currents regarding technology, sustainability and design. Remote location and harsh weather conditions have influence to all of previously named factors. Must is to produce object with maximum level of energy efficiency and sustainability with limited choice of quantity and quality of construction materials, all that with emerging design. All these conditions influence to high construction costs. We have started this design process by learning about Aleutian islands, its climate, vegetation and previous structures built by Aleutian residents. Most fascinating was “Barbara“, a building type indigenous to the Aleutian Islands. By putting the most of structure underground, a large quantity of material is saved, and earth is preserves a most of the heat. We use those same principles to design a contemporary house. First challenge was to create a structure, with as less element as possible. Due to transport cost and lack of structural wood or any other structure material, it is essential to lighten the structure as much as possible. On the other hand, structure need to be strong enough to stand on strong winds of Aleutian Islands. First task was to reduce direct wind impact on object. We did it in a way to eliminate vertical façade walls in direct contact to wind. Instead we use ETFE foil curtains and soil to continue roof slope to the ground level. In that way wind is directed in all directions over the object without strong direct impact to object. Also, part of object is lowered below ground level, making even less surface to be impacted by wind. Such design allows to lighten structure of object. Structure itself is pretty simple and it is consisted of horizontal structure, main vertical structure of three strong beams, structure to support outer walls, simple roof structure supported by main and outer walls structure, and steel anchoring cables with foundations. Steel anchoring cables are wary important for overall object design and cost saving. They are stiffening structure in all directions without uses of extra wood stiffening elements. Due to transportation size, steel cables are less expensive to transport than timber elements. Steel cables are connected with three main beams and those beams are connected to other structure, stiffening structure as whole. Rests of structure are outer walls support wood planks, and roof planks. Outer walls wood planks are all the same size, and same simple joint details. That allows faster assembly and less labor. Another cost cutting feature is that part of object is lowered below ground level. About 35 percent of object's façade is lowered below ground level, allowing savings on façade material. In the same time ground works for excavation are only half of that size, because excavated soil is using to put on walls of façades. Material used for the rest of facades and roof are plates, smaller in size because of transportation and reuse of materials available on existing object. It is possible to install wood plates of different kinds of wood, even different materials. As thermal insulation “Barbara” uses a grass and soil which are only available materials on site. Our idea is also to use grass as thermal insulation, but in slightly different way. As thermal insulation we are planning to use drayed and pressed grass. Grass processed in that simple way is than installed in “sandwich” of thin wood boards. In that way we are able to produce some kind of insulated wood frame on site, reducing cost for thermal insulation and transport of thermal insulation. Grass is also used to fill out inner walls, providing that way thermal and sound barrier. Specific project design has affected to distribution of voids and openings. There is minimum required number of windows and doors, but enough to provide high quality of life. In that way cost is reducing for this elements and labor for detailing required for installing doors and windows. Bathroom, toilet and kitchen are all placed near one single tract of water and air ducts, so amount of pipes required for functioning is minimal. Also, water tank is placed near that ducts, minimizing even more a material used for water distribution. Electric and heating installation are also minimal, with exception of vertical wind turbine, which is provided on site, due to Living Building Challenge 2.0, petal 07 NET ZERO ENERGY. Due to design of object with natural air circulation system, there is no need for mechanical equipment for air exchange. Air is heating in lower level, heated air is streaming upwards, heating upper floor and then it is been mixed with right amount of fresh, cold air. Colder air now streaming downwards thru air duct, back to electric heater. From this point circulation is repeating. This way, cost for exploitation significantly decreases as well as also save money in first cost.lso save money in first costs. also save money in first costs. also save money in first costs. Since labor cost are highest among, main goal was to simplify process of construction as it is possible. By simplify process it's meant to standardize more elements at the same size, and same assembly process. Also standardize joints between structural elements so even half qualified labor can properly assemble large amount of parts of structure. Main load columns of structure on this design are the same and elements that is support by those column and joints between them are the same. As well, all outer walls support wood planks have same dimension and same joint details with rest of structure. All possible wood construction planks are the same, excepting those ones installed on corners of building. Our expectations are that this object is possible to build at 50 percent less time, so that labor cost is reducing by 50 percent.