‘para eco-house’ by tongji team for the 2012 solar decathlon image © nicole jewell: madrimage

students from tongji university present the ‘para eco-house’ at the 2012 solar decathlon in madrid. the parametrically-designed outer skin is combined with traditional sustainable strategies in a meshing of eastern daoist theories and the western philosophies of michael foucault. the result is a multi-layered insulated skin, the most iconic of which being the outer wooden envelope that shades the entire structure in a visually aesthetic way and holds vegetation along one facade. solar energy and a grey water collection and treatment system essentially make this an autonomous structure. triple glazing windows control heat gain and natural ventilation through an ecologically responsive internal patio maintain a comfortable interior temperature.

solar decathlon 2012: para eco house front entrance image © nicole jewell

solar decathlon 2012: para eco house wooden skin shades the interior volume image © nicole jewell

solar decathlon 2012: para eco house image © nicole jewell

solar decathlon 2012: para eco house back entrance image © nicole jewell

solar decathlon 2012: para eco house entrance image © nicole jewell

solar decathlon 2012: para eco house solar panels on the roof collect solar energy image © nicole jewell

solar decathlon 2012: para eco house parametric wall image © nicole jewell

solar decathlon 2012: para eco house floor plan / level 0 image courtesy of team tongji

solar decathlon 2012: para eco house active and passive design strategies image courtesy of team tongji

solar decathlon 2012: para eco house exploded axonometric image courtesy of team tongji

solar decathlon 2012: para eco house outer wooden skin construction image courtesy of team tongji

solar decathlon 2012: para eco house sustainable strategies image courtesy of team tongji