Work submitted to the Halina Skibniewskaya student competition - HEALTHY HOUSE
The goal of the team of architecture students from Wroclaw University of Technology, consisting of: Artur Jőrgen, Alicja Lorenc and Paula Misiak was to create an environmentally friendly housing estate consisting of various types of houses. The students also included spaces for a residential community and special houses for rent. The project was carried out under the direction of Dr. Ewa Cisek as part of the Environmental Friendly Residential Architecture course.
The designed estate is located in Canada
© Artur Jőrgen, Alicja Lorenc, Paula Misiak
The designed estate is located on a southern slope in a meadow area. The authors' goal was to preserve the original natural climate, where new developments will not disturb the natural circulation of nature. Educational paths run through the estate area, branching off into the surrounding forest.
Educational paths run through the estate area,
which diverge into the surrounding forest.
© Artur Jőrgen, Alicja Lorenc, Paula Misiak
The complex, built of four clusters, includes three types of houses. They are separated by areas set aside for new plantings and water reservoirs. The spaces left for new green areas provide opportunities to maintain biodiversity and their own food production.
Some of the houses are made of wood
© Artur Jőrgen, Alicja Lorenc, Paula Misiak
The design of the residential buildings is optimized for energy efficiency. The buildings are arranged so that none shades the other, and are oriented with respect to the world's sides in such a way that the buildings reap the greatest possible solar gains - the largest glazing is on the southern elevations.
The design of the residential buildings is optimized for energy efficiency
© Artur Jőrgen, Alicja Lorenc, Paula Misiak
In addition, rooms with high internal heat gains are located in the northern part of the houses, which do not require much access to light and provide a thermal buffer. Smaller windows on the north side prevent excessive heat loss. This also ensures an even distribution of temperatures inside the buildings.
The largest glazings are on the south facades
© Artur Jőrgen, Alicja Lorenc, Paula Misiak
The heating systems used, such as a heat pump with a water or ground exchanger, or biomass heating, fit into the cycle of a closed-loop economy. Photovoltaic panels placed on buildings and parking shelters provide clean electricity for residential purposes and for charging electric cars.
Each building type is designed in a different construction - wood, brick or mixed
© Artur Jőrgen, Alicja Lorenc, Paula Misiak
Entrances to the buildings are preceded by greenhouses, which serve as windbreaks. Growing boxes are also located in the greenhouses. Plant waste is composted. Each type of building was designed with a different structure - wooden, brick or mixed. A century-old barn in wooden construction was also rebuilt. The priority was to use materials with a low carbon footprint.
The pedestrian and roadways are also nature trails. Visitors to the estate can watch and experience the above-mentioned environmentally friendly solutions.
Artur Jőrgen, Alicja Lorenc, Paula Misiak
Illustrations: © Authors
