Chicago Eco-Pavilion by Zaha Hadid Unveiled

Award-winning international architects Zaha Hadid and Ben van Berkel recently unveiled their designs for two eco-pavilions that will be the centerpieces of Burnham Plan Centennial celebrations this summer in Chicago. Both pavilions emphasize the importance of boldly imagining a better future for all, as Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett did in 1909 in their Plan of Chicago. So how can something that is disposable and temporary really be sustainable? Inhabitat wondered the same thing. So we called the organizers and they were more than happy to explain.

Hadid’s curvilinear pavilion will be constructed out of fabric stretched over an aluminum frame. The tent-like form has been designed to be collapsable and easily re-installed. The goal is that after its debut in Chicago, the Hadid pavilion will travel to other locations such as a university or maybe even the Olympic Games in London. We’re not sure who will have to cover the carbon cost of the Hadid pavilion’s globe-trotting but that might be nitpicking!

As for Van Berkel’s design, it is crafted out of a variety of materials including steel and wood. Again, while the materials themselves may not be of sustainable provenance, the structure is designed to be deconstructed and recycled. According to construction partners Third Coast Construction and the Creative Collective, the materials from van Berkel’s pavilion will go to the Reuse People.

The organizers are working hard to ensure that the materials will survive as part of a public art project. When they start installing the pavilions this summer, over 3000 sf of screening fabric will go up around the site. This fabric will be recycled instead of being discarded, going on to become reusable tote bags for the citizens of Chicago. Although each architect’s use of “recyclable” but not recycled material could have been greener, we certainly approve of the thought and future-forward planning that is going into each pavilion.

+ Burnham Plan Centennial

by Haily Zaki

Wedge Home By Studio B Architects

Not everyone wants to live in a shipping container for the sake of eco-efficiency. That’s why homes such as this half-prefab, half-custom — or prefab hybrid, if you will — might just be the solution for those still on the fence about prefab and modular architecture. This home, entitled The Wedge, was designed by Studio B Architecture and constructed by BuildSense for North Carolina couple, Scott and Vikki Metheny, and their two boys. Composed of three modular parts that were fabricated off-site in a factory and a main two-story living area that was built on-site, the home is a total of 1,829 square feet.

On one side of the home, two of the three prefabricated containers are stacked — making up the children’s bedrooms on the upper level and the master bedroom on the lower level. On the other side, the third container houses the kitchen, laundry room, and bathroom. In the middle is an open and airy living area that was constructed on site. We are especially amused by the staircase in this living area– a strong diagonal form that appears as if it might retract into the second floor and take off at any moment.

From the outside, a recessed entry into the home makes the delineation between prefab and custom clear, while also providing a front porch for the family to lounge. Opposite the entry is a separated back porch with floor-to-ceiling windows, creating a space where the Metheny family can still feel outdoors during cold winter months.

According to the home’s builders, BuildSense, the structure includes siding with a rainscreen that creates a building envelope that increases the energy efficiency of the home. The home also takes advantage of natural ventilation techniques and is sited to have optimal solar orientation.

Materials used in this project exemplify the marriage between traditional home building and contemporary construction technology. The architects combined corrugated metal (for the industrial feel), cypress wood (for the secluded cabin feel), and translucent polygal (in order to see outside) into the home to create a modern, but not-to-modern aesthetic.

+ Studio B Architecture

+ BuildSense

All images courtesy of Studio B Architects

via prefabcosm and apartment therapy

by Olivia Chen

RENOVATION: A Home Built Around 3 Trees

Trees are often the victim of building construction, so we were excited when Jeremy Levine shared his design for a Eagle Rock renovation and addition — built around three existing trees — in Los Angeles with us. The project included renovating the current home while adding 400 square feet to the existing house. Jeremy’s design for addition not only preserved the existing trees on the site, it integrated them into the design of the home by creating a courtyard to help the owners appreciate the trees’ beauty. Additionally, the home features everything from passive daylighting and evaporative cooling to keep the interior comfortable and solar panels and a green roof to minimize the house’s environmental impact.

The home has an abundance of green elements, both in materials and integrated features for its residents. The home was built of re-claimed lumber and recycled fly ash concrete and was finished with low-VOC paint. Solar panels provide energy for the home while a green roof increase the literal green-ness of the home. To make the home comfortable, an evaporative cooling fountain and mobile sun screens provide relief during hot summer months. For cooler breezes and dropping tempearatures characteristic of winters in the desert, the home is equipped with a thermal chimney and rock wall.

We also love the xeriscaping we see in the courtyard, but is that a lawn we see?!? In Los Angeles? As a southern California native, I can safely say that lawns are not a smart use of water and I hope the owners are thinking of replacing it with low-growing plants that require much less water. On the up side, the landscaping, which includes the trees, are fed through a greywater recycling system and stormwater collection system.

+ Jeremy Levine Design

by Olivia Chen

A Modern LA Apartment Complex

Located next to the historic Schindler House is Habitat 825, a residential complex focused on community, light and open space. The Schindler House is recognized as the first modern house in Los Angeles; and Habitat 825 compliments it nicely with its own distinctive modern style — LA-based LOHA Architects approached it through their own eco-lens, equipping the complex with sustainable features, energy-efficient and bright. Additionally, Habitat 825 deftly maneuvers around critical issues of density, site planning and issues associated with a close proximity to a historical building.

Massed into two L-shaped buildings that surround a common courtyard, the 19-apartment complex was designed to facilitate outdoor gathering among its residents. Two entrances into the courtyard, one from the street, and another that faces the Schindler house provide excellent circulation for both people and air. The complex is set back slightly from the front sidewalk, leaving public open space and a well-defined entrance. Access to each apartment is gained through the central courtyard, which eliminates the need for climate-controlled corridors. This also encourages communication and chance meetings between the residents. A sub-grade parking deck takes care of cars and storage.

Light wells allow sunlight to filter down to each apartment, especially the first floor. All the units have windows on both sides, allowing for ample daylight as well as cross ventilation. The choice of black on the southern exposure was made as an architectural proclamation, but could potentially have some benefit with regards to solar passive design. The lime green walls were a nod to nature, while the white is used to help bounce light down to the lower units. Local managed forests produced the redwood siding, and a rainscreen helps minimize the need for repair on the complex. The rainscreen will also help cool the building by allowing air movement between the cladding and the building.

In deference to the Schindler House nearby, a number of design elements were included to be sensitive to the famous house. To avoid casting a shadow on the Schindler House, the north side of Habitat 825 was reduced to 2 stories, while the south has 3 stories. The complex also bends inwards, away from the Schindler House to “allow it more breathing room” which incidentally, also draws more attention to the open space. Habitat 825’s architectural style also compliments the Schindler House’s modern style with its own clean lines and courtyard space.

+ LOHA Architects

via NotCot

by Bridgette Steffen

PREFAB FRIDAY: European Influenced Hangar Prefabs

We love covering prefab homes here on Inhabitat because we think prefab is an amazingly efficient, promising and innovative way of building houses, and we find this especially true with these Hangar Prefabs from Hangar Design Group. The streamlined and contemporary design makes us believe that our lives could be just that simple and organized, if only we lived in one of these prefabs. Designed by Juan and Sara Matiz, who now live in New York City, but are Colombian and Italian respectively, these three stylish prefab homes can fit just about anyone’s tastes.

When it comes to designing a building the Matiz team is focused on flexibility, design, care, research materials and attention to ecology. Their three prefab designs are designed to fit in a variety of surroundings, from the mountains to the beach, suburb, or even an infill city lot. Constructed from wood and metal paneling, the houses all have various configurations with one or two bedrooms, kitchen and living space.

The Joshua Tree has a high pitched roof that can withstand snow loads in the mountains and has wood paneling for a slightly more rustic feel. Large Velux skylights on the roof allow daylight to stream into the rooms below. The Icaro Bay has a more Mediterranean feel to it and would be perfect for the Greek Islands or Italian coastline. With a flat roof and large windows, the structure has plastered white walls and a blue and white interior color scheme. And finally, the Suite House is a one-bedroom prefab with a roomy living space and floor to ceiling windows. This one would work nicely as a guest house or a private beach bungalow for someone who only needs just enough space.

As far as the sustainable elements, our Italian isn’t fluent enough to discern that from their website, but as with all prefabs, the production efficiency that stems from their controlled manufacturing makes it greener than traditional homes. Not to mention their small size, due to European influence, minimizes their environmental impact and footprint. And even if you can’t read Italian like us, we highly recommend checking out their website because design wise it is definitely worth salivating over.

+ Hangar Design Group

+ Hangar Prefab

Via Re-Nest

by Bridgette Steffen