Modern Homes Designed with Passive Cooling

Mies van der Rohe once said, "We must remember that everything depends on how we use a material." In this Palo Alto, CA, residence constructed from rammed earth, steel, and glass, and finished in white oak, ipe, and American walnut, architect Cass Calder Smith of CCS Architecture holds true to Mies' dictum.

The large windows shown here open up allowing hot air to escape during the summer months, a passive cooling technique that helps the residents stay comfortable without an air conditioner.The house boasts a number of green features, which begun with the demolition of the pre-existing residence that dated from the 1930s. Over a five-week period, the old house was carefully deconstructed and its materials were either reused in the new house, donated to the local ReUse, or taken to recycling centers.

The large windows shown here open up allowing hot air to escape during the summer months, a passive cooling technique that helps the residents stay comfortable without an air conditioner.

The house boasts a number of green features, which begun with the demolition of the pre-existing residence that dated from the 1930s. Over a five-week period, the old house was carefully deconstructed and its materials were either reused in the new house, donated to the local ReUse, or taken to recycling centers.