Sunday, March 11, 2018

Disappear Retreat: mirror-covered garden office


A marvellous semi-transparent garden office/tiny home/stargazer design by Coulson in a Minnesotan forest which they call the Disappear Retreat with the laudable goal of "dissolving our living footprint to zero energy, zero waste, zero water". They claim that the 83 sqft building does not need any active heating or cooling systems - here's how they describe it:
Disappear Retreat integrates the components for triple-zero performance into an almost invisible, ethereal state.  The design is light, transparent, and seamlessly connected to the surroundings, dissolving into the landscape where the building form is compact and the glass takes on the identity of the site in its reflections (transparent ultraviolet color prevents animal collision).  A spotted pattern of thin-film PV in the south glass wall generates all the energy needs from the sun and camouflages the building amongst the trees like a quiet forest animal.  Weathered wood softens the design and blends with the landscape.
Or as they say, imagine it is -25°F on a winter morning, yet no heating is required.

The prototype is under construction and should be publicy available by about this time next year. The first building will be a Retreat Center running a non-profit residency to artistic and scientific professionals, as well as offering information on sustainable building and climate change.

Lots more details and images at their site here. ------------------------------------
Sunday posts are sponsored by eDEN Garden Rooms. Stunning, bespoke high quality garden rooms, to suit your unique space and style

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