Hay Is for Horses, Straw Is for Houses
-
The blurring of boundaries between outside and inside encourages the Siegel/Subbotin family to enjoy the temperate climate year-round. “My favorite thing to do at the house is to sit in the dogtrot and read,” Kyra Subbotin says.Photo by: JD Peterson -
Though visible elements of green design are found throughout the residence—from the recycled-glass and concrete countertops to the energy-efficient appliances—the straw bale that’s cleverly packed to make two-foot-thick walls is perhaps Siegel’s favored sustainable solution. A waste product that’s typically burned in the fields after the harvest, straw both acts as an excellent insulator and reduces the amount of wood used in construction. For Siegel and Subbotin, the act of packing the straw into the walls was the perfect excuse for a party. “After the house was framed, it came time to put the straw bales between the framing,” Subbotin says. “So we invited a bunch of friends, brought food and coffee, and everyone got to work and did it.” Over 90 percent of the baling (described by Siegel as “the modern-day experience of a barn raising”) was done in that one day. Easily inserted into the post-and-beam frame, the bales were cut to size, tied, and literally stacked within the walls of the house.Photo by: JD Peterson -
Ever aware of context, architect Henry Siegel says of his house, “A lot of architects’ buildings look better on a pedestal than in context. Our design would look out of place on a pedestal—we placed it so it really fits its specific site.”Photo by: JD Peterson -
With temperatures exceeding 100 degrees in the summer, energy-efficient climate control was central to the design.Photo by: JD Peterson -
In the winter, radiant heating keeps the house cozy while reducing the costs and the pollutants associated with traditional forced air.Photo by: JD Peterson
Categories:
More
Creative Re-Use in Oakland
Stephen Shoup is the kind of person to see potential in things that others might miss.
Green Beret
Were “EcoHat” to come up in passing,you would most likely think of something chunky, organic, and woolen–—perhaps a beanie with earflaps to keep you toasty while chained to a logger’s truck.
Long Division
The dark, primeval mountains and jagged ravines of New Zealand are free of rampaging Orcs, but Middle-earth, 2007, has another nuisance on the loose.
Taking His Own Advice
When Greg Reitz was ten years old, he was already so worried about the state of the planet that, without prompting from his parents, he spent his allowance to join Greenpeace.
Add comment