solar decathlon 2012: para eco house

‘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.

front entrance image © nicole jewell

wooden skin shades the interior volume image © nicole jewell

image © nicole jewell

back entrance image © nicole jewell

entrance image © nicole jewell

solar panels on the roof collect solar energy image © nicole jewell

parametric wall image © nicole jewell

floor plan / level 0 image courtesy of team tongji

active and passive design strategies image courtesy of team tongji

exploded axonometric image courtesy of team tongji

outer wooden skin construction image courtesy of team tongji

sustainable strategies image courtesy of team tongji