The site

Thanks for doing the model Elena. About the site, there is a large ridge that covers the entire east side of the site and it doesn't go down at all on the east side... maybe we have a different site or something again. As far as the rise of the roof, the idea wasn't particularly an aesthetic one from the outside. The idea I think, was for the effect of seeing the peak of the mountain through the extra high window. Therefore I think the angle of the roof should still point directly toward the peak as we discussed.


When are we all free?

East elevation
North elevation
South elevation
West Elevation

HI!

This version as rough as it can be I tried to and as little from my imagination as possible. Quite clearly our design has got a number of issues especially at the points of joining different spaces. I was not sure what we do with western part of the house so I left it blank.

P.S. Jason I did a site plan and there are two things one good and one bed. Bad thing is there is no mountain at the East and the Eastern hills are too low to copy the angle of the roof from them. The good thing that we apparently have a marvellous vista on the valleys below on the east (the land falls 30 meters lower than the site level and then rises up to a hill range). So, we do have a view but don’t have an angle to copy…

Hey guys, is it ok if I start doing a site plan? I think it may help us to visualise the land profile and to design the envelope of the building. I was thinking of doing it on an A2 1:500 scale just to show the context of the building.

P.P.S Thanks for the Friday. it was enjoyable.:)

Unusual shape & planning.

The house, as recently constructed, measures 35.25 feet (10.74 meters) on each side. It has three main floors, with a terrace level above and a water storage tank at the apex, plus a large basement for office and storage space. The skin is glass framed with aluminum, which also serves to accentuate the shape.

Fitting a family residence into such a form was no easy feat. The architect took six months to convert the form into practical spaces and another three months to get the plans approved by local building authorities who had serious concerns about the unusual design's feasibility.

Ganapathy placed the circulation core at the center and made it the primary support structure. This stair core is triangular in plan and has reinforced concrete walls. The ground floor, the entrance lobby, is nothing but this core. Upper stories have larger floor areas. The relatively small ground floor also leaves room for another essential client requirement, on-site parking.

The differing perimeter shapes of the upper floors were determined by their level and the outer shell of the cube. The architect's original intention was that the floor slabs would cantilever from the central core, but this ultimately proved impractical. Seismic resistance required tie-beams from floor to floor at the perimeter to reduce deflection of the slabs at their farthest edges. The basement walls provided additional stability.

In Gurgaon, India, a fast-growing suburb of Delhi, an unusual house has just been erected. Designed by architect Ganesh Ganapathy, the building is a glass cube seemingly balanced on one vertex. Its uniqueness is admired by neighbors and passers-by, but working out the details of fitting a functional, stable house into such a form proved a formidable challenge.
LINK

WE ONLY HAVE 3 1/2 WEEKS LEFT!!

waste management

http://www.logan.qld.gov.au/LCC/residents/wastecollection/education/community/sustainable_waste_management.htm
so i remember to read it

Perhaps good for the climate.

Cost Effective, Environmentally Friendly Micro Hydro Power


A water turbine is a device to get power from moving water. There are many types of water turbine but only a few are suitable for home use.

The local generation of electricity by these turbines, if suitable sites are available, gives the cheapest electricity possible in areas beyond the mains grid. It is about 50% to 70% the cost of an equivalent photovoltaic system and roughly equals the cost of a petrol or diesel genset system. However unlike petrol or diesel engines a turbine produces little noise, no CO2 emissions and needs minimal maintenance.

A turbine will generate power 24 hours a day and will easily generate sufficient electricity for an energy efficient household. It can also be used to pump water. The output of the turbine can be shared between pumping water and electricity generation, with the share of power to each easily tailored to best meet the customer's needs.

environment

http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/kakadu/visitorinfo/climate.html