The owners had a strong vision of a solar home, completely off the grid, that would feel connected with the outside and integrated with the earth. The home needed to accommodate both their living and work spaces in one structure, while delineating public and private zones. The design uses a simple post frame structure of heavy timbers with a straw bale wall serving as a continuous, uninterrupted blanket wrapping around it, providing increased insulation value and the capacity to be freely shaped, an organic aesthetic desired by the owners.
Efficiency Vermont 2003 Best Integrated Design for Energy Efficiency in a Single Family Residence Award Winner