Conservatory House

The Conservatory House is a place for relaxation through enjoyment of natural serenity and arts. The brief called for a custom, green, accessible for the disabled residence with large flower conservatory suitable for hosting music performances. Inspired by local trees the new structure fills a void from an old sand quarry pit, reinforces the terrain around it and branches out to accommodate the program. Conservatory music room is placed on top of the residence for catching maximum sunlight and views, becoming its most prominent feature. It welcomes family and guests and provides handicapped access to all levels. Carbon footprint is minimized by utilizing an advanced geothermal system that covers all heating and cooling needs of the house and benefits from the insulating effect of the conservatory. The system cleanly and quietly exchanges thermal energy with earth via six 100-meters-deep closed-loop probes paired with a heat pump requiring minimal power to run. Hot water is supplied by a 500 liter boiler coupled with the heating system and an array of solar vacuum tubes integrated into the glazed roof. Rain water is collected for irrigation and waste water is treated on-site by a bio-active purification unit. Reinforced concrete structure is chosen because of its thermal mass and sculptural presence. Facade diagonals follow the shortest stress lines and reveal the structural tectonics. Set in this way, the house works like a tree with a green crown conservatory, trunk elevator core, branches structure and roots geothermal probes, with the residential pockets nested in symbiosis with it. The performance results for the past seasons prove that the Conservatory House consumes very little external power. Its design actively promotes environmental awareness in both engineering solutions and architectural symbolic.