Located
in a natural clearing within a wooded hillside of northwestern CT, this
watering hole serves as a sustainable entertainment and relaxation center from
the hectic urban existence, a place to go from always being "on", to
actually shutting "off" for a bit - a place to simply chill out.
The 16 x 52 module contains a sleeping zone at one end of the module, and
a food prep / consumption / digestion zone at the other. In between sits
a recycled black-steel core, a volume containing the bathroom, steam shower,
laundry, storage, and a heat-generating fireplace. Although 'floating' in
the middle of the space and not connected to a perimeter wall, the core is
filled with natural light from a skylight above and frosted glass pocket doors;
an outdoor shower brought indoors.
The
single bar module is heated and cooled passively, via the expansive wall of
sliding glass doors on one side and the continuous slot of operable windows on
the other, as well as actively. The roof is designed for solar hot water
panels used to heat not only the pool, but also the module, via radiant heat
tubing beneath the bamboo flooring (this supplements the heat-generating
fireplace). Exceeding LEED standards, the perimeter envelope contains a
special factory installed high-performance flash-n-batt insulation system, thus
retaining heat longer and minimizing energy use, as well as keeping the house
cool in the summer. In the warmer months, cooling is passive and achieved
via natural ventilation and evaporative cooling. As breezes blow over the
pool, water evaporates and cools the air as is blows through the expansive
sliding glass doors, through the 16 ft wide domestic space, and out the
continuous linear clerestory windows along the back of the house. If that
isn't cool enough, then go jump in the pool.Architects: Joseph Tanney, Robert Luntz
Project
Architect: Paul Coughlin
Manufacturer:
Simplex Industries
Project
Coordinator: Jason Drouse
Engineer:
Greg Sloditskie, Mike Tomko
Contractor:
D. Scott Reeves Construction
Photographer:
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