Korie Edises Residence
Hillsborough, California
INTRODUCTION:
Ms. Korie Edises, owner of the house at
45 Berryessa Way, wishes to build a second unit residence on her property.
The existing house contains 3600 square feet of space. The second unit
contains 1200 square feet of space. Ms. Edises plans to rent her existing
house and live permanently in the second unit residence. The existing
house is of unusual design and the second unit residence design is fully
in keeping with the unusual nature of the existing house as required
by the City of Hillsborough Planning regulations.
The second unit residence has many structural
and ecological features developed to accommodate the climatic, environmental
and programmatic needs of its owner. It is a model of self sustainability
and indigenous materials applied in uncommon but highly functional ways
creating a self-sustaining design that is a fine work of art as required
by the owner.
Poetically speaking, the unit is like a
swirling cloud formation soaring over the hillside with areas that create
a peek-a-boo experience of light and shadow. Circling tubes of copper
spin below the windows to relate the unit to its golden grassy surroundings.
The house sits lightly on the earth. The north patio leads the onlooker
to the groves of trees beyond and beside the house—nature and
humanity together as mutual partners in a living environment full of
change and wonder, mystery and exuberance.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE SECOND UNIT
LOCATION: The 1200 square foot unit is
located approximately half way down the hill from the existing house.
It cannot be seen from Berryessa Way and is situated among the large
oak tree groves to the south of the existing house.
ENTRANCE: The house features two entrances
at the north side; a private entrance, over a walkway bridge, directly
to the second level bedroom area; and the main entrance, through a metal
gate flanked by 4 foot high stone planters leading to an open patio
area bordered by a waterfall and water catch pond. Ground level living
and kitchen areas are accessed from this entrance patio.
CELLAR/COLD AIR SINK: This underground
level acts as the structural base of the unit from which the ground
and second levels are rooted. It also acts as the fundamental cooling
system for the unit. The cylindrical structure of the ground and second
levels sit firmly on the support walls of the cellar creating a hollow
pad which provides stability in an earthquake. This pad is connected
to the outdoor patio above, at ground level, which adds to the stability
of the overall structure by gripping the ground surface.
LEVEL ONE: This is the living and kitchen
area with a fireplace and spiral stair leading down to the cold air
sink/cellar, and up to the bedroom and bathroom level. 8 foot high triangular
windows open out onto the south east, south and west hillside and panoramic
views beyond. Floors are made of quartzite flagstone over radiant heated
concrete. Total square footage: 800 square feet.
LEVEL TWO: Contains the master bedroom
and bathroom with three closets. 8 foot high glass doors open onto an
outdoor patio which contains a fireplace and seating around the patio
parapets. Total square footage: 400 square feet.
STRUCTURE: The cellar acts as a stable
platform from which sits the upper levels giving it a stable base able
to resist overturn by earthquake forces. The round level patio, cellar
structure and upper floors are unified structurally to act in unison
during an earthquake. There are no points or joints to break apart—the
structure is connected as one continuous unit. The ground level support
cylinder forms a dendriform column at its base attached to the south
end of the cellar structure to minimize the footprint of the building.
EXTERIOR FINISHES: The main house structure
walls are glass tiles over spray-on concrete monolithic walls. The sun
visor/wind cowl is galvanized sheet metal with an iron oxide finish
protected with a clear UV protectant guaranteed for 20 years. All exterior
patio floors are quartzite flagstone acquired locally. The entire unit
is made from indigenous materials found within the immediate area. The
areas below the windows are wrapped in circular layers of treated copper
tubing ¼ inch in diameter creating swirls of light that visually
connect with the golden grassy earth just below.
EARTHQUAKE AND FIRE SAFETY
The house will be constructed of “Insteel”
prefabricated spray-on concrete panels, a monolithic concrete panel
system that has proven itself undamaged in 7.0+ Richter scale earthquakes,
extreme fire conditions, major flooding and hurricane level wind conditions
throughout the USA and in other countries. It is 10% less expensive
than wood frame construction and extremely energy efficient in insulation
and labor saving value. This concrete system is also in-keeping with
the concrete structure of the existing house. The cylindrical geometry
of the second unit allows for great aerodynamic characteristics which
support ease of cooling the house and make the house much less prone
to fire. It is also a geometry that is very stable in resisting earthquake
stresses and strains.
CLIMATE CONTROL AND WATER RECYCLING
The second unit’s geometry allows
for the easy flow of uphill and lateral wind currents that that are
constantly active on the site. Breezes flow around the circular geometry
and accelerate in smaller, more confined spots such as through the windows
and curving sun visor cowls, letting the house cool itself by natural
breeze and plentiful sun awnings. The house is surrounded by a swirling,
heaving metal sun visor that also acts as a wind cowl to direct breezes
through openings that contain small windmills for electricity production.
The climate is breezy and hot during the spring, summer and fall months
and breezy and cool during the winter. Natural breezes are maximized
for cooling during most of the year.
The unit also contains a cellar which acts
as a cold air source (59 to 61 F degrees constant year round) from which
cool air travels upwards through vents in the floors and within the
spiral stair cylinder. The cold air naturally rises and helps to cool
the entire house. Most of the windows of the unit open and close and
act as cross ventilation louvers.
A waterfall under the foot bridge at the
north side of the unit acts as a natural outdoor air conditioning system
by providing active, cool, moist air over the north patio end of the
house creating a comfortable envelop of moving air—a very desirable
condition to have in this hot, dry climate. This allows the outdoor
patio/sitting area and the main entrance of the house to be cool, inviting
and pleasant. The waterfall flows down into a long, outdoor catch pond
which recycles gray water from the unit and oxygenates the water as
it falls into the pond, cleaning the water in the process. The sweeping
sun visors of the unit and the house itself keep the north patio in
shade and protect from rain in the winter months.
ELECTRICITY GENERATED BY WINDMILLS AND PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS
The second unit features the placement
of four windmills located within the curving forms of the sun visor/wind
cowl structure. Natural breeze is funneled and accelerated through the
cowls and directed past the windmill arms causing them to spin and creating
electricity to the house. The undulating, swirling wind cowl forms are
crucial to the dependable functioning of the windmills, to sun control
and to the general cooling effect in and around the unit.
A cantilevered metal pipe at the west side
of the unit contains a series of suspended 2 foot by 4 foot photovoltaic
panels that are naturally inclined at 45 degrees to maximize solar exposure
to them. These panels produce electricity from sunlight which is then
used within the residence unit. The combined electrical output of the
windmills and photovoltaic panels are more than sufficient to power
the entire unit. Storage batteries are contained in the cellar area.
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