As city dwellers, we asked ourselves, “What would make our lives more comfortable?” Almost unanimously, our response was “a stronger connection to nature.” But how do you connect to nature in the city? Our answer is that you have to invite nature in and nurture it, while maintaining some level of privacy.
To accomplish this we created one conceptual space that combines inside and out. To the north the walls are thick and massive, creating a separation from the city. To the south a vertical garden draws you outside. And in the center, a floor-to-ceiling window wall creates a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor rooms, creating the feeling of a single space bisected by glass. Outdoor and indoor rooms in tandem with passive, active, and hybrid heating, cooling, and ventilation allow for maximum comfort with minimal energy usage.
