AltHouse. Modular single-family home

Dobrawa Bies

23 of November '21

AltHouse

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+21

Technical data

Name:	"AltHouse"
Category:	Single-family house
Authors:	Hanna Seredyńska, Magdalena Strauchmann
Presenter:	Dr. Jerzy Łątka
University:	Faculty of Architecture, Wroclaw University of Technology

Work submitted to the Halina Skibniewskaya student competition - HEALTHY HOUSE

The main idea behind AltHouse was the idea of a core house. We wanted to create a design for a single-family house that would grow with the needs of its occupants. We distinguished five stages of human life, depending on the number of family members. The starting module is designed for people interested in buying their first home. It is compact and simple to build. As the family grows, it is possible to add more elements.

AltHouse, view from the street

The entire development does not impose a specific use of space on residents. We want to allow users to create their own asylum and tailor it to their needs. Importantly, AltHouse is also a home for the elderly. The final phase involves moving the bedrooms to the first floor to facilitate daily living. Our study focuses mainly on the third phase - as the most optimal and representative.

The plot is located in Sobótka

Simplicity, minimalism and nature are the three points on which we placed particular emphasis. The starting plot is located in Sobótka, opposite the Slezanski Landscape Park. The design is a continuation of the existing landscape and in its concept does not destroy the harmony of nature. The external space of the garden was as important to us as the one inside the building. On the plot there are elements of small architecture - gazebos, which organize the garden space and at the same time form a whole with the building. There is a pergola, a playground in the form of universal platforms, a workshop and a summer studio.

first floor plan and scheme of the house expansion

We took advantage of the natural slope of the plot to sink the house into the landscape and provide privacy for the householders. In the garden, stone slabs make it easier to move around the grounds, between gazebos placed at different heights. In addition, we use environmentally friendly materials to build the house. We used CLT - glulam construction for environmental reasons, but also to reduce costs, ease of installation and disposal of this material.

floor plan and sections

On the first floor we planned the living - common area, and on the first floor - the night - private area. The previously mentioned slope can also be felt in the interior. The minimal difference in levels creates more privacy for the residents and opens up to the nature around. The stairs can also be used as seating.

There are two entrances to the house, one from the street and the other from the garden. This facilitates communication between outdoor and indoor spaces. On the first floor, a compact kitchen connects to an open living room and dining room. From the living area, the view spills out onto a
private terrace and garden. The first floor is a private zone - it is designed for children's and parents' rooms, a bathroom. The corridor space also includes a work area.

AltHouse, view from the gazebo

At AltHouse, we also tried to provide comfortable lighting and warmth. The interior spaces were thought out in accordance with the diurnal cycle of the sun. This helps to level out energy losses, facilitates ventilation of the rooms and thus has a positive effect on comfort.

The interior is intended to be a friendly place. We opted for the use of subdued colors for the interior furnishings, and finished the floor with wooden panels, while the utility, circulation and bathroom areas in aesthetically pleasing concrete tiles.

The facade was made of three materials - wood, seam metal panels and white plaster

The facade was made of three materials - wood, seamed metal panels and white plaster. The east and west elevations were cut with wood cladding to break up the massing and give coherence to the gazebos. The project aims to combine traditional forms with modern
technologies. Hence we also introduced wooden shutters or a gutter hidden behind the facade.

In addition to the design of the single-family house, our goal was to design an estate. Here we used an existing estate plan from the investor. The center of our premise was designated as a green park for residents. There is a place for relaxation in the form of universal wooden platforms. The whole is complemented by a water stream, interspersed between the paths.