House Design

My house design consisted in building a house for a single mother and her
child. I wanted to create a house that deals with the use of passive
technologies that shapes the house and provides the good living
environment.
Orientation: So, first the design process consisted in making research on
the orientation of the house which relates the building to its environment to
make use of passive technologies such as the prevailing wind coming mostly
from northwest and west and the path of the sun. hence the longer axis of
the house are placed perpendicular to the prevailing wind and to the north
direction while the vast majority of windows are placed on the north faade
to make best use of the north light and the prevailing wind coming from this
direction.
Massing:
Secondly the massing of the house is organized in two
interlocking L-shapes volumes, one to deal with privacy issues and the other
to deal with the public space which consists of an open plan kitchen living
and dining, connected with a central circulation space. The height of the
house is a one storey level to blend the house with the topography of the
site. The change in level of the two volumes is made to allow light into the
building from the clerestory windows, the entrance is recessed inwards to
indicate the axis of the house and the washroom is added to the west to be
used as a buffer zone for heat due to the setting sun.
Passive Technologies Thirdly The south faade is designed in such a way
that makes use of the low sun in winter to heat the interiors of the house and
this heat is then stored in the thermal mass of the floors and walls which is
then released into the house when the house starts to cool and the
projecting eave shades the interior spaces from the high summer sun and so
the floors radiate heat to the ground only. Secondly the ventilated roof
allows the lower part of the roof to be cooled by the incoming air and the
upper part of the roof takes the heat of the sun and protects the interior
spaces. Thirdly a set of functional windows are used. The double glazed
wall on the south facade provides a view of the rubble wall which also sets
the atmosphere of the building while opposite to it a panoramic window in
the kitchen provides light and a view of the distant landscape. High ceiling
windows are used to provide light in the rooms, and the other windows
provide ventilation and task lightning for the working spaces in the kitchen,
and study desks. Operable clerestory windows on the corridor provide light

and also ventilation by the updrafts they cause since the corridor is a narrow
space and makes use of the venturi effect which requires large openings at
the entry point and small opening from where the wind is to leave the
building.
The windows are positioned to make use of cross and side
ventilation.

House planning layout: For the house planning the room relationships
consists of the living room dining space and kitchen which are connected
together and the while the two bedrooms and located close the bathroom
and a screen wall is used to separate the public spaces from the private
spaces and allows light to pass through. And a study desk is placed in the
corridor to be used by the mother to facility supervising of the child and
make the child feel closer to his parent. A service stairs which placed
outside the house to save space is used to access the roof to clean the
windows.
Materials: And finally for the materials of the building it will consists of
exposed concrete cast into wooden formwork to obtain the texture of the
grains of the wood which when viewed in perspective the texture gives the
idea of depth while its roughness complements with that of the rubble wall
but contrasts with the smoothness of the polished concrete tiles and the
ceiling is rendered in order to allow the installation of lightning fixtures and
other services.

Intro:

single mother and child,

a house that deals with the use of passive technologies

Orientation of the house:

1. to relate building to environment,
2. use passive technologies: prevailing wind and sun path and positioning
of windows
Massing:
1.
2.
3.
4.

two interlocking l-shaped

height of house is done so to blend with the topography
the change in level to allow light into the building
recessed entrance to mark the axis of the house
5. the washroom is added to the west to act as a buffer zone
Passive technologies:
1. South faade glazing: to shade in summer and heat in winter stored
in the thermal mass of the walls and floors
2. Ventilated roof cools lower part of building and the upper part takes
the heat
3. A set of functional windows: double glazed on south faade to show
the rubble wall which sets the atmosphere to the building, panoramic
window to allow landscape view and light into the kitchen, clerestory
windows, and windows to provide light for task lightning
4. Windows are positioned to allow cross and side ventilation, high
level windows on the corridor provide an updraft for the ventilation
due to the venturi effect which require large openings

House planning and layout:

1. The room relationship consists of the living, dining, and kitchen
connected together while the 2 bedrooms and bathroom are placed
closed to each other
2. The public and private spaces are separated by means of a screen
wall which allows light to pass to light the corridor.
3. A study desk is placed at the end of the corridor to facility the
supervision of the child and make him feel more closer to his parent
4. Service stairs to access roof and save space inside.
5.
Materials:
1. Finally the materials consists of exposed concrete cast into wooden
formwork to obtain the texture of the grains which adds depth to the
building and complements with the rubble wall
2. while the polished concrete tiles are used for the floors which contrast
with it and
3. the ceiling is rendered to allow some fittings

To make use of the views of the site with the rubble wall which sets the
atmosphere of the building and the view of the landscape on the opposite
side of it, a number of clerestory windows to make use of the natural
lightning and ventilation and windows to provide task lightning for the study
area in the corridor and the study desk in the childs room. The windows are
positioned to make use of cross and side ventilation and to create an updraft
generated by the small corridor space.