Collection by Zach Edelson
Modern Homes with Rainwater Collection Systems
When it comes to designing sustainably, there might be no easier resource to harness than water. Pulled from the sky, it can be stored indefinitely and easily used in fixtures like faucets and toilets, thereby cutting back on a home's environmental footprint.
Rok Oman of OFIS Architects started the renovation of what would become Villa Criss-Cross by tackling a thorny site issue. Since it is located close to the street and perpendicular to the old Roman wall near Ljubljana's ancient fortress, zoning laws require buildings to be set four meters back from the street. By maintaining the original wall and adding steel panels, Oman grandfathered in the new structure and maintained the original orientation.
On an eight-foot-wide site in London, architect Luke Tozer cleverly squeezed in
a four-story home equipped with rain-water-harvesting and geothermal systems.
Roof Top Garden
Anne Suttles waters the bamboo muhly, palo verde, strawberry tree, and magic carpet thyme thriving in their Austin yard.
The residences are built in two blocks, seperated by a car park. Other environmental features include a rainwater collection system and the solar panel system on the roof tops, largely hidden by a parapet. Hewitt expects that the cost and energy spent installing the system will be canceled out by three-and-a-half years of generation at this site.
With a sleek prototype in Emeryville, California, under its belt, Simpatico Homes sets out to redefine prefab's cost—and footprint. Photo by Jake Stangel.