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Natural solutions with a few new curves

Ken Radtkey and Susan Van Atta’s house goes far beyond the usual energy-efficient appliances and green building materials. The house is built into a berm that acts as a natural insulator and blends architecture with landscape. It’s oriented with seasonal shifts of the sun in mind, and it’s designed to funnel rainwater across gardens and into cisterns for use as plant irrigation later.

Natural solutions with a few new curves
Overhang shading
Veranda changes by season

Planted roof

Overhang shading

Wide overhangs give protection from summer sun but allow winter sun to reach into home.

Veranda changes by season

A series of sliding glass doors can be closed to trap the sun’s heat in the winter or opened to increase living space during the summer.