Sited in one of San Antonio’s oldest neighborhoods, this innovative single-family residence was built upon the architect and client's mutual respect for the environment. With the foundation of sustainability as a responsible and moral obligation, the challenge was to balance innovative technologies with time honored techniques while also integrating with the historic context of the neighborhood. While the project achieves 67% offset with photovoltaic panels, and incorporates a green roof, LED lighting, grey-water and rain-water harvesting; there was additional effort to reduce impact through careful planning and consideration of the site. New construction was designed to re-use the existing foundation as well as wood from the previous structure. Passive systems such as arbors and overhangs were implemented to reduce solar gain, while the entire project was sited to protect the number of existing heritage oaks throughout the site. At the ground floor changes in level, stepping up over the pool along the main entry bridge and back down again from the kitchen to the living area, provide a playful dialogue and transition between public spaces, even as a largely open floor plan and generous windows act to connect these spaces to each other and the outdoors. Additionally, wall-to-wall sliding doors ...
Sited in one of San Antonio’s oldest neighborhoods, this innovative single-family residence was built upon the architect and client's mutual respect for the environment. With the foundation of sustainability as a responsible and moral obligation, the challenge was to balance innovative technologies with time honored techniques while also integrating with the historic context of the neighborhood. While the project achieves 67% offset with photovoltaic panels, and incorporates a green roof, LED lighting, grey-water and rain-water harvesting; there was additional effort to reduce impact through careful planning and consideration of the site. New construction was designed to re-use the existing foundation as well as wood from the previous structure. Passive systems such as arbors and overhangs were implemented to reduce solar gain, while the entire project was sited to protect the number of existing heritage oaks throughout the site. At the ground floor changes in level, stepping up over the pool along the main entry bridge and back down again from the kitchen to the living area, provide a playful dialogue and transition between public spaces, even as a largely open floor plan and generous windows act to connect these spaces to each other and the outdoors. Additionally, wall-to-wall sliding doors ...