Two Unusual Partially Submerged Modern Homes Create A Green Paradise In Paraguay.

Partially underground with arching green roofs, a sharp triangular swimming pool and unusual architecture, these two homes (named Green Haven) are located in Luque and designed by Paraguay-based architects Bauen.






The below article courtesy of Bauen Architects (taken from their own translation so the content and punctuation may seem wonky):
We design in an exposed and desolate plane, no limits shown. For this reason we fold the base plane and we generate the “refuge”. We understand that the main feature of dwellings is care, and the essence of building is letting dwell*. Keeping the space from the popping of any foreign object but for the folding of the base plane, so the dwelling is prepared in is wrinkles, respecting the environment and making that the green constant, allowing the preservation of the inhabitant’s intimacy with its corrugations. Where these folds are broken, openings are generated. And they joined together with bridges wrapped in transparencies at double height, and topped by a fragment of sphere like a roof. Thus, the “Culata Yovai” is ready and disposed in his “tekoha”.








Inside: 








The interesting front door from both the exterior and interior:



In this project the search for a protected human space that suits to the topography, the vegetation, the tropical climate, and where people find comfort in the broadest sense of the word; takes us to propose a vindication of the knowledge contributed, and often forgotten, by our vernacular architecture. The “Culata Jovai” or “House of Confronted Rooms” is a real bioclimatic solution belonging to one of our traditional ways of living in harmony with the environment in Paraguay, and constitutes our base typology for a new reinterpretation according to new functional programs, needs of symbolic representation and new technologies, framed in a sustainable project.




With the inclusion of green roof, we recovers the original space of vegetation displaced by the construction, also reduces the gained heat due to the thermal inertia of the underground spaces, therefore reducing greatly the conventional energy consumption of homes.

Plans and drawings:







Architects: BAUEN Architects
Project: Green Haven – Two houses
Location: Luque, Paraguay
Design: Architect Aldo Cristaldo
Type: Single Family
Year: 2011 (Start) – 2012 (completion)
Size: 660 m2 (together)
Contributors: Jorge Ortiz, Olga Villagra, architect René Sosa, Constance Olmedo, Nathaly Cáceres, Alice Peralta, architect Marcelo Jimenez.
Construction: Mr. Peter Cataldo, architect Beatriz Heyn

all images courtesy of Bauen Architects and AEC Cafe
photos © Mónica Matiauda and © Marcelo Jiménez

Floating Wooden Sustainable Egg Pod Is Home To Artist Stephen Turner For A Year.

The Exbury Egg is a collaborative project between artist Stephen Turner, SPUD and PAD studio. After almost 3 years in development, the energy efficient, self-sustaining pod will serve as home and workspace to Stephen in the estuary of the River Beaulieu.





The Exbury Egg was built of reclaimed cedar planks by boat builder Paul Baker and has a two perspex windows, a hammock for sleeping, minimal storage,a sink and a cooker. The power needed for charging items such as a laptop, digital camera and mobile phone will be met by using solar energy.


above: Paul Baker (boatbuilder) stands in front of the first half of the Egg. The keels are clearly visible above Paul's head. These will give the Egg stability in the water and keep it upright at low tide.

The egg being inspected and then lowered into the water for the first time:



Success! It floats.


Designed to withstand the elements, it will be tethered to the shore with a floating versadock pontoon and serve as a place to study the life of the tidal creek and to experience local natural cycles of the environment as it relates to human activity.






During his 12 month journey, Stephen (shown above in his new temporary home) plans to catalogue his own visual and philosophical journey in collections of still and moving image, found objects, drawings and maps.

To quote Stephen, ‘Climate change is already creating new shorelines and habitats. Established salt marsh is being eroded by a combination of rising sea levels and falling landmass and the entire littoral environment is in a state of flux. The implications for wildlife and for the flora as well as for people are challenging. Raising awareness of the past and the unfolding present of a very special location will be the task, whist living in an ethical relationship with nature and treading as lightly as possible upon the land.’

Below is a timelapse video of the egg construction:


The architectural plans:





The beautiful images of the Exbury Egg in this post were photographed by Nigel Rigdon.



Learn more about the Exbury Egg here.

Modern Moose Road Cabin In Mendocino Costs Under $200 per Square Foot To Build.

Two couples came to architecture firm SFOSL with a shared vision of building a cabin in a remote location. They had a limited budget, but a strong passion for the site and sustainable principles in which immediately appealed to SFOSL.




At the highest point of this property in Mendocino County, views can be seen of a valley, a mountaintop and a rock formation called “Eagle Rock”. Their clients were adamant about seeing those views from their new cabin, but were also resolute about preserving the oak trees scattered throughout the site. The strategy employed by SFOSL was to capture the views while preserving the trees, and to find a way to do it for under $200 per square foot.




An additional site constraint: the roots of the oak trees were shallow and wouldn’t survive a conventional foundation. Since the trees grew on a thin layer of topsoil, they found our opportunity. By drilling precise holes between the roots to the bedrock, they were able to build the structure on stilts. With the need to access the now hovering ground floor, they poured a tiny foundation for the stair and made this the one place where the building meets the ground. This foundation also encases a concrete bathtub. The remaining three “arms“ of the building quietly hover at different heights above the ground and the raised mass. Its geometry takes full advantage of the summer breeze to keep the building cool.





Budget constraints forced SFOSL to reduce the number of window openings, and as they wanted to frame particular views, they chose to limit the use of windows to the ends of each of the “arms“. The exception came at the intersection of the views, the entry, and the communal spa.





The first arm is a living/dining/communal space. Two of the arms provide each couple with a bedroom behind a centered functional pod containing a toilet, sink and storage. In order to provide the three views at all times, they chose to center the pods and integrate the doors into the walls so that when in an open position, nothing hinders the eye.



The clerestory glass above the pods lowers the solid mass from the ceiling and allows natural light to permeate the space, even when the doors are closed. A communal spa is also seamlessly solved: the tub drops into the floor – all cast in the same concrete material. A floor to ceiling window faces the valley and you can lie in the tub and enjoy the view. The humble building interior is left simple with OSB floors and plywood walls.

Interior:







In contrast to the interior, the exterior of the project is more alien to the natural surroundings. It is clad in unfinished raw steel that changes color with the sun, due to “oil canning”, the buckling of the steel sheet material.





The interplay between the oil canning and the shadows cast by the oak canopy paint magical moving pictures year round and celebrate the trees and setting. The project is 1170 sq ft and has a total cost of $209,000 USD– That's $178 dollars per square foot. This budget made them think differently – and made them realize how much can be achieved for so little.




This project has been a sustainable journey from day one. The clients pushed SFOSL and they were happy to comply. The constraints mentioned above were some of the topics generated by this holistically sustainable approach. In most all of their projects SFOSL is first and foremost focused on how far they can question the need for each square foot. If a space has no intention – it is unnecessary and obsolete. There is no site grading. they optimized the framing. They limited windows. As mentioned above, the most sustainable square foot is the one they do not build.



all images courtesy of photographer Bruce Damonte for SFOSL

Architecture firm: SFOSL
602 Minnesota Street
San Francisco
Team: Grygoriy Ladigin, Casper Mork Ulnes, Andreas Tingulstad.
Photo credits: Bruce Damonte.