Greenhouse, or greenhouse, a place that provides the right conditions for plant growth, is the name of a new project by architects from the NA NO WO studio in Wroclaw. However, it is not a fully transparent pavilion, with which we traditionally associate a greenhouse, but a modern single-family house, which will be partially covered with a variety of greenery.
visualization, view from the side of the garage
© NA NO WO Architects
The two-story house near Wroclaw is formed by two cuboid blocks united by aone-story, double-glazed connector. The larger of the two houses contains a garage for two cars, two rooms, a small bathroom and communication in the lower floor. Higher up, on the other hand, householders' bedrooms and bathrooms are planned. The second part is a spacious, two-story high living area with an open kitchen, dining room and living room.
The minimalist body does not lack large glazing, so characteristic of modern architecture. They allow not only access to the interior daylight, but also to admire the planned greenery - from the bedroom on the first floor you can see the vegetation-covered ceiling above the first floor, and from the bathroom window - providing intimacy and light-filtering climbing plants.
Greenhouse house terrace
© NA NO WO Architects
Rafal Tamowicz of {tag:pracownie} talks about the project and its challenges.
Ola Kloc: What was the priority for the investors?
Rafał Tamowicz: We always start the design of houses with an interview and a thorough analysis of the needs of future residents. We exchange inspirations and ideas with investors at this stage, thus clarifying the stylistic and functional guidelines for the future conceptual design. In this case, among the inspirations presented by the clients, simple houses, economical in expression, with flat roofs, brick on the facades and a two-story high living room space, prevailed.
Despite a plot of small size, investors dreamed of a modern house with lots of glazing and view openings to the garden, while maintaining a sense of privacy both inside the house and in the garden.
Ola: What constraints did you face in this project and how did you manage to overcome them?
Rafal: The plot on which Greenhouse will be built has a nice, unobstructed view opening on the west side. However, along the other three borders there are single-family houses in fairly close proximity. In addition, access to the plot is via a long internal road, and the entrance to the plot is at the southeast corner, which is where the recreational part of the garden is usually planned. Therefore, the biggest challenge turned out to be shaping the block in such a way as to shorten the driveway zone in front of the garage as much as possible, while still allowing comfortable maneuvering when turning, and to reclaim as much space as possible for the garden in the sunny southwestern part.
site development plan
© NA NO WO Architects
The solution turned out to be to design the block into an "L" shape, with one of its sides shielding and separating the terraced part of the house and limiting the view of the large glazed dining and living room.
At the end of this part of the building, closest to the entrance to the plot, a garage and utility rooms were designed. The paved driveway area in front of the garage has been separated and separated from the private green garden area by an openwork screen made of brick and overgrown with plant climbers. It will provide future users of the garden with privacy and act as a barrier to the headlights of car headlights of commuting residents and neighbors.
axonometry
© NA NO WO Architects
A similar vertical "wall" of plant v ines was designed on the first floor above the garage. It will protect the children's rooms and the associated terrace from overheating in summer. It will also increase the sense of privacy in those sleeping quarters located closest to the neighboring houses.
Also designed on the first floor is a master bedroom with an associated dressing room and a bathroom opening with a large glass window to the greenery covering the ceiling above the first floor. Opening the view of the bathroom to the vegetation and providing it with plenty of light while maintaining a sense of intimacy for the users was made possible by adding a lump at the end of the building hiding a two-story high living room. This lump obscures the view of the private bedroom and bathroom from the neighboring lots. Windows arranged in its walls on the second story will provide additional access to sunlight, making it present in the living room space at all times of the day.
left: first floor plan; right: first floor plan
© NA NO WO Architects
Ola: You have created a disjointed, minimalist block - Greenhouse, in which many elements - both horizontal and vertical - are covered with greenery. In addition to these visible accents, will the house be equipped with eco-friendly solutions? Are investors eager to use them?
Rafal: Greenhouse will be equipped with a heat pump, mechanical ventilation with a recuperator and photovoltaic cells on the roof. However, these solutions, due to the reduction in the limit of energy consumption of the building introduced in the new technical conditions, are already becoming standard equipment in newly designed houses, and most investors readily accept them.
cross section
© NA NO WO Architects
Reducing the house's energy demand will be further aided by the shape of the body and elevation, which will minimize the need to cool the interior with an air-conditioning system. Larger glazing on the south side will be protected from excessive heat in the summer thanks to a shading plate of the terrace canopy or a second "skin" of the facade made of steel cables overgrown with plant vines. All windows will additionally be equipped with external blinds.
The microclimate inside and around the house will be positively influenced by extensive greenery overgrowing the ce ilings above the first floor, which lowers the temperature of the roof, helps level air pollution and additionally allows retention of rainwater. Fighting nuisance insects in summer will be helped by swifts, for which nesting boxes have been provided on the north elevation.
Rainwater tanks will allow to use it for watering the garden.
Ola: Thank you for the interview.
