Bank Barn: Birdseye
- ISBN-10
- 1946226521
- ISBN-13
- 9781946226525
- Pages
- 200
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2021-07
- Author
- Birdseye
Description
Located on a hillside meadow in rural Vermont, Bank Barn is a new residence conceptuallyinspired by the eponymous regional farm structures built into the banks of hills. At Bank Barn,a weathered cedar gable form is situated atop two 160' linear concrete retaining walls. Utilizingthe sloping topography, the support spaces and garage entrance are concealed below gradeto create an extended plinth for the floor above. The main floor features an open living arrangementin a minimalist palette of exposed steel, plaster, concrete and curtainwall with expansiveand uninterrupted views beyond. The concrete walls extend the living space outside withdecks, green roof, hot tub and fire pit. Inside, a central freestanding steel staircase provides asculptural pathway to the ensuite bedrooms above.As the design developed the residence was additionally analyzed to help determine themechanical system design and specifications, both from an annual energy usage perspectiveand from a life-cycle cost analysis. The final design, an electricity-based energy system withgeothermal heating and cooling through water-to-water and water-to-air systems as well asheat recovery ventilators, was peer reviewed to confirm equipment sizing and performance.The project was designed to be a net-zero residence pending a future 18 kw solar array.
