When developing this project, all architectural decisions naturally aligned with passive house principles. The constraints related to the altitude (920m), the hilltop location, strong winds, low winter temperatures, temporary residence status, lack of deep water sources, difficult access to construction materials, and the geography of the land led to an architectural solution and a design that respond to these specific challenges.
The result is a semi-underground house, open to the south, maintaining a nearly constant temperature in the basement. Due to the absence of deep water sources, rainwater is collected from the roof and transported by gravity into large buried water tanks. Read more
This water is then filtered and used for household purposes. Another challenge was addressing the freezing and potential breakdowns of water installations during winter when the house is not in permanent use. The semi-buried design, alternating layers of thermal insulation and air chambers used in constructing the wooden walls, and a roof insulated with a 26-28 cm thick layer of cellulose, along with significant glazing on the southern side, ensure that the indoor temperature does not drop to freezing levels during winter without energy consumption. The main heating source is a system featuring a thermo-fireplace covered in terracotta tiles that retain heat for extended periods, located in the living room. This system efficiently heats all spaces within the house.
The house consists of two apartments organized on two levels. The bedrooms are situated in the semi-buried area, while the living rooms are located on the upper part.
