Kosanovicproject
Living unit as an assemblage of light prefabricated small elements
The theme of this project is a prefabricated, ecological, passive solar house, human’s attitude toward nature, our return to the forgotten values. The project is created to satisfy the one of the basic peoples desiresfor harmony with the principles of the healthy way of life (wholesomeness) in rural and semi-urban communities. The aim was also to raise an objects that don’t disturb the global ecosystemin any way.
Building industry has seriouslydamaged the ecological balance on Earth mostly because its economical system still ignores the fact that architecture interacts with nature, as it’s part. Lack of ecological awareness through the building process creates non-ecological structures of building industry which has a permanent negative influence on ecosystem. This approach can’t contribute in resolving the present ecological problems.
People and buildings they live in are inseparably connected with nature. It’s of huge importance in searching of architectural and urban strategies that communicate with nature. Sustainable architecture involves aesthetic, social, political, moral, and environmental values.
The base of ecologically sustainable architecture is in understanding the interaction between the nature and the architecture. That is why buildings need to be observed as an ecosystem that functions by the same rules as the ecosystems in nature.
An integration of an architectural construction into natural environment, its adjustment with the principles of nature suppose to be an opportunity to recognize new environmental values, new aesthetic.
This project is about a dwelling unit where it’s possible to save the energy. It’s advantage is in using the wood as the structural material.
ECOLOGICAL HOUSE
This house is made of ecological materials such as wooden construction-glulam-GLT. The interior is treated with gypsum and wood, the façade is also treated with some natural materials and glass… the house stands on eight wooden pillars that are attached to it’s base with joints. The base is made of concrete. If the house is above water, it provides a distance between the wooden construction and water.
Construction::
•Isolation : cellulose fiber 160 mm
•Walls : threefold wooden panels( fir and spruce tree ) and panels of gypsum
•Mezzanine construction: glulam beams, wooden panels 50mm, visible
•Roof: firry tape ( ventilation space ), wooden panels, hydro isolation with roofed paper and roof covering made of reed-150 mm
•Outside walls: panels made of reed and protected with façade coverings
•Interior walls : threefold wooden panels, natural or non-treated fir tree or spruce tree
•Windows: isolating glass with IR protection layer
•The rest surfaces: treated with ecological lacquers
The elements of the wooden construction are attached with the joints in order to avoid Faraday cage. The flooring, the roofing, the façade coverings are isolated with plates consisted of plants decreasing the effect of some sorts of radiation. The dwelling place is raised over 7m height, which is important condition in order to avoid the influence of underground waters.
All the elements of the interior are carefully designed not to disturb the ecological concept.
The position of the house is determined by it’s form; a glassed façade with the balconies is located to the south to enable the accumulation of warm air in accumulators of heat.
An important element of the passive house is a ventilation system with the central device in which, beside the function of abduction and induction of air, the heat is detracted through a changer with used outcoming and in advantage of incoming fresh air. With the efficiency over 95% changers manage to save the biggest portion of heat so that a little heater is sufficient to cover the loss of energy. Heat of the additional heater in supply pipes of fresh air comes from the system for preparation of warm sanitary water. In distinction from the conventional house where the heating of sanitary water is a secondary function of the heating system, the situation with the passive house is reversed.
Because of the little loss of warmth from the house, heating of the rooms becomes a secondary function of the device for preparing hot water which is, according to an ecological principle, most often based on solar collectors.
FUNCTIONALITY
There are curved staircases at the entrance of the house that lie between eight supporting pillars.
There is a technical floor under the first floor that includes all the necessary elements of the passive house (heating accumulators, water reservoirs)
The first floor, placed towards the south, is around base of 120 m2 which includes living room, with big openings (glassed façade), kitchen, dinning room and toilette. On the opposite side is a room with the glassed roof imagined as a studio or a working place (or master bedroom).
Second floor, about 24m2, is where bathroom and bedroom are. The bedroom has a big balcony placed in the south. The roof above the bedroom makes a shade when the position of the sun is high (summer) and enables the entrance of light during the days when the position of the sun is low (winter).
This object supports the principles of the sustainable design which begins with an intimate understanding of the surrounding without possibility to devastate it. Understanding the natural surrounding helps to determine practice of a designer such as the solar orientation of a construction on terrain and protection of the natural environment. It’s also important in researching energy and constructive techniques through the usage of sustainable building materials that are lowtoxic and recyclable as well.
Arch. Rade Kosanovic