Transformers: Eco House by Studio Dror For Indecisive Modernists
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 11.10.08
Architects and designers love flat roofs; they not only look cool but if you design them properly they can permit high-level ventilation and keep the house cool. This one, designed by Studio Dror, "creates a wind tunnel circulating breezes in the summer heat."
Indeed, but who wants all that ventilation in winter and what about snow loads?
voila. Put it on a hinge and tilt it up, and in winter the pitched roof sheds the snow and "assists in the conservation of heat."
We have admired Dror Benshetrit's transformer furniture before, so why not a transformer house? Makes perfect sense. Watch the animation of the eco house at Studio Dror
. via Dwell
More shape-shifters on TreeHugger:
Transformer Furniture: Dror Benshetrit
Transformer Furniture: 7 Objects That Aren't What They Seem ...
Transformer Furniture Goes Mainstream : TreeHugger
I want one!! Looks a very ingenious idea. However I fear that with the winds I experience around me the roof may actually blow away!
Not for me. I'd rather have that peaked roof up all the time and be able to put the space under it to some use.
Flat roof /w no access port + 15 years = funky fermenting leaf litter + ponding + leaks
Flat roofs are great on commercial buildings where HVAC can be hidden from passers by and where access ports are available for easy clean off and maintenance.
But on residences on tree filled lots, there better be a safe stair up for clean off and fixups or you are creating a serious hazard and expense.
I love this concept! I always thought that houses need to be readily altered with the seasons to optimize energy--the most conventional are with shading (awnings or partitions), color changes (white/cool to dark/warming) or altering the functional room use (e.g. bedroom in the summer, living room in the winter) but, this looks really fun. I'd love to see a ranking of ideas to see which would provide the most benefit by climate zone. Thanks for the article!