Final+Project-+The+Glidehouse


 * GlideHouse. Novato, California. U.S. **

 The Glidehouse as we see in these pictures is a prefabricated house, modular and mobile. This is done following some of the basic concept of sustainable design and using the most modern and evionmentally friendly building methods and materials having as a resolt construction wasted minimized. It can be built in as little as 10 to 14 months at a cost comparable to or below traditional site-built homes.

The concept of this design is based on a small house, modern and sustainable, this idea born when Michelle Kaufmann, the designer, moved with her husband to the Bay Area, and become quickly frustrated when they try to find a home that they could afford and was eco friendly, time later she gets tired of keep looking and take the problem by her hands and start thinking on how she could do her new and affordable ecological house.

Michelle designs are nationally recognized as a contemporary, sustainable and represent prefabricated architecture, and the Glidehouse isn’t an exception. This home has been create and designed to harmonize and get involved with the nature and promote a healthy living. Employing sustainable materials and techniques, using advanced assembly techniques.

Among the advantages of this modus operandi are: significant reduction in construction waste, long lasting structures, use of renewable energy (active solar systems), and the ability to achieve a healthy atmosphere for each design building.

This high performance home is insulated with an air-barrier, energy efficient, dual-pane glass windows and doors are placed throughout the home to maximize cross-ventilation and natural lighting, minimizing the need for artificial lighting and climate control. The main living space features a long, sliding glass door wall, allowing for natural light and air flow. Kitchen windows wash the surfaces with natural light. Each bathroom has a skylight and window. Bedrooms have clerestory windows and sliding glass doors to promote natural lighting and ventilation.

The structure and finishes of this dwelling incorporate wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) containing 30 percent recycled ingredients. It features surfaces treated with non toxic substances, bamboo flooring, recycled glass bathrooms tiles, and a special attention has been given to using non toxic paints.

Also, this house provides a special material called Icynene, that serves as the insulation, a mechanical system works to ensures comfortable temperature indoors, circulating outside air through a heat exchanger, then distributing it at high speed and pressure inside to cool or heat the house, getting with this less use of energy, about 30% that conventional methods.

Designed to maximize organized storage, the configuration of the Glidehouse reduces clutter and increases the feeling of living “clean and light,” through the simple construction of a bar on one side for flexible storage of media, literature, clothing and cooking objects, whatever you will like, this storage bar allow you to have clear and uncluttered spaces and living areas.

The design of the house supports alternatives proposed by the customer, always respecting the maxims of the basic module; it can take different forms depending on how we place the modules. It can also have similar forms but by changing the layout of internal divisions we can have different houses for different clients. The important thing is as we saw on the floor plans is that we part from a prismatic volume maintaining the dimensions and the benefit of scale production.

As a conclusion we can say that by using the best available technology creating prefabricated components and assembled on-site we have much less waste and some of this will be reused in the construction cycle of new buildings. All materials and systems not only create a healthy environment, but also significantly reduce costs for heating, cooling and water bills. This house is an example that homes could be high quality, low maintenance, well designed, sustainable and with cost effective.

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