GREENHOUSE
Project by Superuse on site
Photography © Denis Guzzo | Digital 5500px available
CONTEXT
GREENHOUSE embodies the classic look of a wooden barn and the typical structure of Dutch greenhouses: reused materials combined with DIY community-based building for a low-impact and comfortable living environment.
In the heart of the Dutch countryside of Drenthe, Superuse on Site designed and developed an exceptional living unit for the “Foundation for The New World.” Formed in 1969, this international community is one of the oldest in the Netherlands. The collective owns 10 hectares of land, where they live following a sustainable and self-sufficient lifestyle, ecological thinking, and spiritual awareness.
ASSIGNMENT
Superuse on site has been asked to design a flexible house for two families in the community that can be transformed, if needed, into a home for four families in the future. The house must represent an example of a living unit that utilizes as little energy as possible for heating and ventilation and be built with as little impact as possible during construction and once in use. There was a budget of €250,000; exceeding this would be at the expense of the social sustainability of the community. It is preferably built from bio-based materials and reused components, with a natural look.
APPROACH & PROCESS
In addition, a workshop, a canteen with a cafeteria, and several tiny houses were built across the plot of land. The facilities created to support the building process resulted in a relevant upgrade that has strengthened local food production and economy. They remain in use for communal dinners, bartering, trading food with neighbours and friends, and hosting visitors.
By choice, most of the design was created on-site, allowing for direct dialogue and decision-making with the community and for making the most of direct observations of the flows of materials, functions, and the climate study across the seasons. An initial concept of a mud house in a glasshouse was further developed into a mud coated and wooden cladding strawbale house merged with a glasshouse. S.os then worked closely with SUS ateliers, whose teachers and students developed climate models and calculations.
Photo: Césare Peeren during the design workshop for the GREENHOUSE
Above: S.os adaption of the concept presented in DeKay, M., Brown, G.Z.
2014 Sun, Wind & Light. Architectural Design Strategies.
Though the project was supervised by the architects and advisors, an environment was created to learn and share knowledge. Furthermore, to feed and house all the volunteer workers with healthy and organic food, the community developed additional facilities.
The gardens were cultivated to provide a variety of vegetables. A bakery was set up, and the local company Westerzwam implemented mushroom cultivation on coffee grounds from the daily coffee breaks of a nearby military base.
Image slider: photos courtesy of Hobbitstee & Eva Flendrie.