Collection by Richie Pergolizzi
Project Olympus
According to the architects, the screened porch panels (on the left) were site-built by the contractor to have similar dimensions as the Marvin windows (to the right). Dramatic black sashes unite the facade. Thin mull covers between window units blend with the exterior siding, "which afforded a consistency that we were after," said Wiedemann. Native stone on the foundation is similar to old Virginia farmhouses.
The exterior form and materials of the house echo historic farmhouses in the area, while the garage, clad in red board and batten, evokes old barns. Wiedemann reinterprets the function of a traditional cupola here, which was typically used to aid interior ventilation, by inserting a whole-house fan in this one.
The Khamsa home in Senegal, built with earth bricks and energy independent due to solar panels and a wind turbine, was actually 15 percent cheaper to build than a traditional home. The walls, which are thicker than those used in standard concrete construction, help moderate the interior temperature in a region where the climate swings from dry to humid throughout the year, absorbing humidity and cooling the home during warm weather while moderating temperature and improving indoor air quality.
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