SITE LOCATION AND VIEWS
The house is located on the northern side of the site at the highest point from where a beautiful view opens in three directions: the most magnificent view to Black Mountain to the south; Spur Cross Ranch, Skull Mesa and Continental Mountain to the north and Cave Creek Regional Park to the west, where you can watch the sunset.
PRINCIPLES OF SPATIAL ORGANIZATION OF THE HOUSE
The house is designed with two blocks with different functions and principles of thermal insulation: 1) heavy concrete block and 2) light transparent unit.
1. Heavy concrete unit
The first block is made of concrete and half buried in the ground due to the difference of ground level. This heavy unit uses the principle of passive geothermal energy: due to the fact that the ground heats up and cools down slowly, the basement is always cold in summer and warm in winter. It is proposed to cover the concrete roof with earth with cacti and southern plants to further enhance this effect. Thanks to geothermal energy, large savings in air conditioning energy are possible. This block contains rooms that are less used during the day and should be the coolest (bedrooms) or rooms that are less in need of constant air conditioning (for example, a garage).
The first master bedroom is on the main upper level with terraces oriented to the southern Black Mountain and sunset to the west. Nearby is a multifunctional room (reading room, office, bedroom with sofa bed). The second coolest master bedroom is located on the lower level, which is formed by the difference in ground level. This lower bedroom is the most buried in the ground and is therefore called «the summer master bedroom» (it is the coolest). Such summer bedroom has a southern view of the Black Mountain and has access to a ground level patio with a mini spa. The patio opens to the Black Mountain to the south and sunset to the west. The natural elements are preserved to the maximum: several cacti « break » through the patio decking.
2. Light transparent unit
The second light and transparent block of the house is represented by a living space with a dining room, a kitchen and a bar with media space. This unit is transparent on three sides and the living room has a 270-degree view of all sights (except the east direction where the hill obscures the view). This living room block seems to be floating in the air. Its main terrace give view toward the Black Mountain to the south, over Cave Creek Regional Park with sunset and views of Spur Cross Ranch, of Skull Mesa, of Continental Mountain to the north.
Another effective method of thermal insulation is used here: thick floor and thick roof slabs have air voids. These can be hollow concrete slabs or welded metal shells with a void inside, clads in wood and solar tiles on the roof. As you know, air is one of the best insulating materials for heat transfer, since its molecules practically do not touch each other. Better than air – only rarefied gas is used in double-glazed windows. To prevent heating by the second transmission method, solar radiation, the terraces are protected by wooden mobile shutters on the south and west sides. It is proposed to make them of wooden mesh so as to maintain ventilation and lighting of the terrace in spring and autumn. In the hottest summer time, as well as when watching movies in the home cinema of the media zone, glass walls have non-translucent blinds on all three sides, hidden in the thickness of the ceiling along with the wiring of the air conditioning system. Even on the hottest summer day, the living space will be illuminated by natural light, as the third glazed wall of the living room faces north and does not require blackout.
ACCESS AND DIVISION BY LEVELS
Driving from the north, you get a southern view of Black Mountain, which you can see through the transparent part of the house. The garage is hidden and located at road ground level in the concrete unit, buried on one side into the ground. On the same level with the garage are all the main rooms: 1) master «winter» bedroom, office, food storage, bathrooms – in the concrete unit; and 2) in the glass block – living room, dining room, kitchen and the bar with the media room near the concrete unit.
And only the «summer» bedroom is located on the lower level with access by stairs and lift/elevator. There is also an additional storage room and technical room. In this technical room, located in the concrete «leg» supporting the floating living space, air conditioning equipment is placed. The concrete «leg» is in the shade, under the floor of the living space. Thus, new air for the air conditioning system is taken on the northern side, from the shadow below the floor slab, which significantly reduces the energy costs for its cooling.
ACCESSIBILITY
All doors, elevators and room sizes are adapted so that an elderly people can move around even in a wheelchair.
Atelier du Tertre 