Looking through a cluster of homes of future, I recognized a few from past features on Trend Hunter, such as the Cardboard House. I was left mesmerized by the Concrete House, a curvy home with rounded lines and a green roof covered in grass. The house is environmentally friendly and provides comfort year round; it remains cool in the hot summer, and stays warm in the winter.
"The design utilises readily-available components to create a solid mass of curvilinear concrete shells on the south side of the house and curtain-like enclosures to the north side that open up for ventilation and light," HousesoftheFuture.com.au explains.
My initial reaction was that the house must be terrify cold and dark with its lack of windows. The designs don't show the house as it would look with furniture or design incorporated, but after reading the description, I was thoroughly intrigued by the possibility of the architecture.
The pavilion style of the homes allows for a close connection with nature; those who love the outdoors, sunlight and fresh air will love that they can slide the curved screens aside to open up their living space to the outside, allowing the yard to blend directly with the living room. When closed, these screens contain the heat produced within the thick concrete walls incredibly well.
Its green properties are also good at this time where there is a growing awareness of the need to protect the global environment.
"The Concrete House challenges us to consider the use of pre-existing concrete components as an innovative and environmentally appropriate material."
But why would you use concrete?
"Concrete's inherent thermal mass and its ability to be cast into curvilinear forms is incorporated to provide appropriate comfort conditions and a series of enclosed spaces in the house," the site explains.
It was designed by Peter Poulet and Michael Harvey of the NSW Government Architect's Office (GAO).
Check out the Cardboard House:
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Green Roofs
- Opportunities for designing environmentally friendly houses that incorporate green roofs.
- Curvilinear Forms
- Creative use of pre-existing concrete components to provide appropriate comfort conditions and a series of enclosed spaces in building design.
- Pavilion Style Homes
- Incorporating pavilion-style designs to create homes that allow for a close connection with nature by opening up living spaces to the outdoors.
Where This Applies
- Architecture
- Opportunities for architects to explore designing environmentally conscious, innovative and unique designs using pre-existing components and technologies.
- Construction
- Potential for construction companies to leverage pre-existing concrete components to create low-cost, energy-efficient housing solutions, such as the Concrete House.
- Real Estate
- Opportunities for real estate professionals to market green and energy-efficient homes, such as the Concrete House, to a growing market of environmentally conscious consumers.
