The Kitchen Pavilion, SF Bay Area,CA
A small scale project that will serve as a kitchen pavilion/ guest house, while incorporating as many sustainable features as possible.
Some passive energy design strategies
involve using a stack effect to ventilate and cool the structure during the summer months. This is achieved by popping up the
lobby area, effectively creating an atrium with operable clerestorey windows. This serves two purposes, it allows for hot air
in the summer months to rise to the top of the atrium and be drawn away by prevailing winds. The clerestorey windows also function
as solar collectors in the winter. The low winter sun is invited into the structure to warm up the 12" insulated concrete slab. When night comes the heat built up
though the course of the day is slowly released.
The walls will be an ISI patented straw bale construction with a layer of concrete on either side. All concrete
within the structure will have flyash as an admixture. A good way of recycling what is technically an industrial waste byproduct.
Other strategies which make the building more site specific involve; locating the structure to maximize views and
natural light. Technology, building science and consumer demand have brought
most "green" building techniques and materials within reach. The cost savings and the positive effects for the
environment make it a clear choice for most home owners.
As part of this project, we are designing a stand alone restroom facility with straw bale walls. This building will be buried against an earth berm to help moderate its temperature throughout the year.
In addition to help it blend with the surrounding environment, we will be utilizing a "green" roof. In other words, a roof capable of supporting the growth of certain types of plants.
For a brief sypnoses of "green" or sustainable and environmentally friendly design, please refer to our sustainability FAQ or guides.
This is a © Gerard Lee Architects project.
