A Contemporary Water-Collecting Home

comments (2) July 25th, 2012 in Project Gallery, 2013 HOUSES Awards Gallery Pin It

GHAdesign, member

9 users recommend

Courtyard seen from the rainwater storage room

Courtyard view

Photo: Muffy Kibbey

Add Comment
Print

In addition to a commitment to building green, our clients for this project shared with us three particular goals: to connect to a courtyard or garden; to take advantage of a spectacular Bay view; and to harvest rainfall as a precious resource. These simple ideas became the main formgivers for the house.

We kept in mind the Roman impluvium, an ancient courtyard building type whose roofs flow to a central cistern. In our case, the site suggested an open courtyard. The impluvium unfolded to the view, optimizing solar orientation while loosely embracing a sunny outdoor room. The roof became a simple shed, flipped up at the southeast end to introduce daylight and direct water to a single downspout feeding an 8,500 gallon cistern.

A kitchen/dining/sitting area reaches to the distant view, while a central two-story living room links daily life to the more immediate sensory delights of a fully restored native plant garden and courtyard.

posted in: Project Gallery, 2013 HOUSES Awards Gallery, Energy-Smart, New Construction, 2013, Small Home

Add Comment Print

Haugerud Home

Back to List

Waterfront Retreat

Comments (2)

bayou66 writes: Should have said some say
Posted: 3:38 am on February 19th

bayou66 writes: I would like to learn about the cistern system and if the pumps work efficiently enough or you to recommend this way of doing rainwater collection. I am learning about the concepts but have not done a project with it yet. The project I have in mind is very small and one say I should have the water collect above my highest usage point.
Posted: 3:37 am on February 19th

You must be logged in to post comments. Log in.