Comments on: Eco-Friendly Single Family Residence by AKA Architetti

By: Renu

Renu — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 11:20:33 +0000

Allow me a short introduction. Architecture Update, a nascent venture of Economic Research India Ltd(http://www.projectsmonitor.com), is a fortnightly newspaper enabling a mode of communication for exchange of ideas and information among the architectural community… A means to track changes and stay on track.

The March issue of the newspaper is Anniversary issue focusing on ‘Sustainable Architecture’. We would like to include the details of this Eco-friendly Pre-fab Project by AKA Architetti in our March issue.Kindly send the architectural details of this project at the earliest. We will be closing the issue on 25th February. kindly acknowledge.

Warm regards,
Renu Rajaram
Architecture Update Newspaper

Architecture Update
Economic Research India Ltd
Sterling House
5/7, Sorabji Santuk Lane
Off Dr. Cowasji Hormasji Lane
Dhobi Talao, Mumbai – 400 002
India
Phone: 022-30271756 /55 ; Fax: 022-30271733
renu.rajaram@eril.co.in

By: Oliver

Oliver — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 22:20:05 +0000

I think the important words we might be missing are ’site adaptable’. There is no cause necessarily to think that we will end up with a suburb full of things like this, as it rarely happens that way with the types of houses on offer in the current market.

The interesting point with this sort of ‘bleeding edge’ architecture is the flow on effects for the industry, and how these ideas can be copied 1) verbatim for those who want it or 2) subtly into housing styles that people perceive as normal.

Richie Says:
January 24th, 2008 at 11:27 am

Interesting. With variable louvers on the first floor glass areas, privacy could be achieved.

It doesn’t take long to find good solutions to any problems faced here.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:11:13 +0000

Along the same line as Kat’s comment, when are we going to be seeing housing that will be practical to build in a regular old neighborhood? Or housing that could integrate into a dense urban environment? Or, affordable housing?

How many people have acres of rural property that they’re going to use to build an ultra-modern manufactured home?

I understand we’re in the infancy of this mode of thinking, let alone living, but the renderings that have been espoused here (and other places) for the last couple years remind me of the renderings of homes from the 1960’s. You know, “The House of Tomorrow” and the like.

I want something realistic!

By: Fred Thompson

Fred Thompson — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 18:58:28 +0000

I hope that the architecture, engineering and actual structure are much better then these blurry, out-of-focus renderings.

By: Erik van Lennep

Erik van Lennep — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 07:16:33 +0000

Slap on a green roof, add some planter boxes or beds to grow some kitchen veggies close by, harvest the roof water, and I wouldn’t mind living in it. Plenty of space inside and out for normal living. Issues of proximity to neighbours, feelings of privacy etc are not just for the architects, but need to be considered by developers, planners, residents and others. We need to rethink how we locate and layout our housing as much as how we design the units. And don’t forget the entire discussion of “programme”. Feelings of privacy relate to sense of security, which is impacted by expectations of social or antisocial behaviour in the community, which relates to education and access, which means any structure is one statement in a much longer conversation. Personally, I like what this design is saying so far……

By: Michael Max

Michael Max — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 00:08:09 +0000

Makes me wonder how this awkward looking thing won any kind of ‘design’ award let alone an international one when so many other prettier ‘green’ micro houses are out there. I think this one might have been more believable as winner of the ‘pug ugly’ award.

Michael Max

By: jim

jim — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:13:57 +0000

Kat, we solved the vision problem with one-way glass in our urban homes. Our clients love the openness it gives them.

I like the concept and hope that Inhabitat follows up with more details and projected costs as they become available.

By: Leanne

Leanne — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:10:40 +0000

the whole idea of this design is sustainability. The reason there are so many windows is to use natural light as a light source. This may not be affordable to everyone but the design itself would be formatted induviually for each plot of land and 1400 sf is not that big. Window treatments could also solve the “pet store” feeling you would have. SUSTAINABLE is the idea.

By: karl

karl — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:31:15 +0000

I’m always fascinated by what happens when high architectural ideals are lived in for a while by actual people. They way real people change them and adapt them to their own needs. I imagine that in this case the ground floor windows would eventually get covered with curtains of various colors and patterns. That in and of itself would make for a visually interesting neighborhood. I hope it gets built so that we can see what happens.

By: Richie

Richie — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:27:12 +0000

Interesting. With variable louvers on the first floor glass areas, privacy could be achieved. Also, water catchment from the roof would be a nice design feature. i believe that the key factor is cost. There are enough costly houses out there. And now, more that ever… given the state of the US economy and it’s drag down effect on other economies… inexpensive, yet great, housing designs are very welcome. And to be clear, inexpensive means less than $100K. It’s seriously time for financial ephemeralization… or ‘the doing more with less’ approach to housing costs. It appears that this house could possibly be built for less than $100K. We’ll see.

By: Kat

Kat — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 10:02:41 +0000

apparantly not for suburbia, but for private, pristine, remote properties with a view. certainly not for your single AVERAGE family. can you imagine a neighborhood full of these? it’d be like walking through a people-sized petstore. lovely concept, for those of us with some acrage bewteen ouselves and the neighbors. i’m a little too modest to display myself in a store window, though. i do love the idea that upper-income families can opt for something smaller and incredibly stylish, rather than just plain big.