The beautiful boreal forests of Minnesota can get as cold as -25 degrees Fahrenheit on a winter morning. The ability to keep a house at a comfortable temperature is paramount, so having an active heating system is an absolute necessity?right" Not at all, says architecture firm COULSON.
In fact, with ever more extreme effects of climate change on the horizon, the architects believe it?s our duty to find ways to lower our environmental impact while bracing for extreme weather conditions. A zero-energy, zero-waste, zero-water house that?s portable and so low-impact it?s virtually invisible may seem like an impossible dream in a setting like the one described above, but COULSON wasn?t about to take ?no? for an answer.
The team, including lead architect Carly Coulson, asked themselves a lot of questions before they started on the project. How could triple-zero living be comfortable, stylish, affordable, and adaptable" Could they create a sustainable design that’s as sexy as it is feasible"
?Disappear Retreat? is a series of three compact, transportable housing models incorporating passive design approaches, easily procured materials and a sense of sophisticated simplicity for a result that?s as beautiful as it is sustainable. Not only does it blend into its surroundings thanks to a stunning mirrored exterior, but the 8x10x9-foot structure generates its own energy using a pattern of thin-film photovoltaic modules set into its south wall as well as more conve...