Design Research and Methodology: 301-671B
An Eco-Vilage for Montreal’s West Island
M. Arch. 1
By: Shawn Moscovitch E-mail: [email protected]
Advisor: -----------------
McGill University School of ArchitectureFebruary 3rd, 2003
PROPOSALPROPOSAL
The development of an ecologically based language for the architecture of a specific
location, a sort of regionalism based on sustainable principles. The region in question will be Montreal's West Island (specifically, St-Lazare, in a forested area which will surely see development in the near future). This will involve a detailed study of the site which will help inform design decisions. The program will be a housing complex, an "eco-village", of which one unit will be developed in detail. As much as possible, this complex will be self-sustained: issues of energy, water, waste treatment, food production, density and transportation will be key. The reasons for such a study are quite simple: to reduce human-kind's impact on Nature by re-shaping the way in which we live. Housing provides the opportunity for an intimate relation between the building and it's occupants: a symbiotically didactic relationship which is mutually morphological. In essence, it is a response to the current trend of the suburbs and sprawl. The house here is to be seen as tool (as opposed to a machine) for living; an extension of the human body, its shape based on the requirements of the task assigned to it (much like a hammer is an extension of the arm, design to tolerate high impacts, to increase the force of each blow and to be comfortably held be one's hand). The study of the site will provide the definition of the tasks to be performed by the house.
SITESITE
The site is located over several lots in St-Lazare along a main road (St-Charles). Each lot
is approximately 165' x 537' and consists largely of forested area. Proximity to the commuter train provides inhabitants with easy access to various business districts.
PROGRAMPROGRAM
A housing complex which will mimic (or surpass) current suburban densities. The complex will be largely self-sufficient.
PRECEDENTSPRECEDENTS
source: http://www.inusa.com/tour/pa/laurel/fallingw.htm
Fallingwater
Mill Run, Pennsylvania (1939) Frank Lloyd Wright
-materiality (local materials)
-consistency in language (steel, glass, concrete, stone, colors)
-overall theme (waterfall/cascade)
-relationship with site (mutually enhancing)
-natural setting
-"eco-aesthetic"
-interior/exterior link
Wright, Frank Lloyd. The Natural House. New York: Horizon Press, 1954.
source: http://www.culturageneral.net/arquitectura/arquitec/casamila.htm
Casa Mila
Barcelona, Spain (1910) Antonio Gaudi
-"eco-aesthetic"
-mysticism/romanticism
-natural forms
Zerbst, Rainer. Antoni Gaudi. New York: Taschen, 1999.
source: http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/popup/hhtoronto/images/cutawayr.gif
Toronto Healthy House Toronto, Ontario (1993)
Martin Liefhebber
-location; similar climatic conditions
-self sufficient; relies on few outside sources
-doesn't look like traditional house
Ledger, Bronwen. “A Healthy House.” Canadian Architect February 1997: 29-30, 37.
McDougall, Bruce. “Going Green in the Burbs.” Canadian Geographic January/February 2003: 67-72, 74.
Warson, Albert. “First Totally Self-Sustaining House is Built in Toronto.” Architectural Record March 1997: 28.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/popup/hhtoronto/frame.html
The Healthy House System http://www.healthyhousesystem.com/
"Unplugged Houses in Toronto”, PV Power, Issue 7, May 1997 http://www.oja-services.nl/iea-pvps/pvpower/07_02.htm
source: http://www.planetware.ca/photos/CDN/PEI13.HTM
Prince Edward Island Ark Charlottetown, PEI (1976)
New Alchemy Institute
-location; similar climatic conditions
-self sufficient; relies on few outside sources
-food production
-waste treatment through natural means
-natural systems vs. mechanical systems
New Alchemy Institute. An Ark for Prince Edward Island: A Report for the Federal Gouvernment of Canada. Little Pond: New Alchemy Institute, 1976.
Todd, Nancy Jack and John Todd. From Eco-Cities to Living Machines: Principles of Ecological Design. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books, 1993.
source: http://art.dada.it/fuksas/bio/homwork.htm
Cave Painting Museum
Niaux, France (1993) Massimiliano Fuksas
-simplicity in materials
-appropriate color palette
-dynamic (emerges from the cave/draws in)
-relationship with landscape (seems like it was always there)
-no style (timelessness)
-monumentality
Rose, Anne. “Prehistoric Presence.” Architectural Review August 1995: 68-70.
Massimiliano Fuksas http://art.dada.it/fuksas/home.htm
source: http://www.arch.auburn.edu/ruralstudio/
Mason's Bend Community Center
Mason's Bend, Alabama (1993) Samuel Mockbee and the Rural Studio
-re-used materials (car windshields)
-rammed earth base
-does more with less
-uplifting/beautiful
Dean, Andrea Oppenheimer. Rural Studio: Samuel Mockbee and an Architecture of Decency. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2002.
Rural Studio http://www.arch.auburn.edu/ruralstudio/
source: author
Arcosanti
Cordes Junction, Arizona (1976- ...) Paolo Soleri
-high density using non-traditional form
-landscape seeps in
-self sufficient; relies on few outside sources
-craftsmanship (details vs. whole)
-occupants aware of surroundings/relation with nature
Arcidi, Philip. “Paolo Soleri's Arcology: Updating the Prognosis.” Progressive Architecture March 1991: 76-78.
Difar, John Morris. “Job site for Utopia.” Progressive Architecture April 1973: 76-81.
Soleri, Paolo. Arcosanti: An Urban Laboratory?. Scottsdale; The Cosanti Press, 1983.
Soleri, Paolo. Arcology: The City in the Image of Man. Phoenix; Bridgewood Press, 1999.
ARCOSANTI: a Prototype Arcology http://www.arcosanti.org/
source: author
Habitat '67
Montreal, Quebec (1967) Moshe Safdie
-doesn't look like traditional housing
-high density using non-traditional form
-visual dynamism (optical relationship between boxes)
-time/seasons ever present
-"pedestrian streets" provide intermediary state (not in, not out)
Baker, Joseph. “Inhabiting Habitat.” Canadian Architect August 1997: 30-32.
Dean, Andrea Oppenheimer. “Evaluation: Habitat A Generation Later.” Architecture: the AIA Journal October 1986: 52-55.
Safdie, Moshe. Beyond Habitat. Montreal; Tundra Books, 1970.
Safdie, Moshe. For Everyone A Garden. Cambridge; The MIT Press, 1974.
McGill University’s Canadian Architecture Collection: The Safdie Hypermedia Archive http://cac.mcgill.ca/safdie/Habitat/default.asp
Moshe Safdie and Associates http://www.msafdie.com/
Expo 67 – Montreal World’s fair http://naid.sppsr.ucla.edu/expo67/
source: author
Biosphere 2
Oracle, Arizona (1988) Phil Hawes
-totally self-contained (relies only on the Sun as an outside source - everything else in produced or absorbed within)
-re-creates exterior environment within
Sieloff, D. A.. Biosphere 2: A World in Our Hands (1995).
Columbia University Biosphere 2 Center http://www.bio2.edu/
source: http://www.cohousing.ca/cohsng4/windsong/images/ws01.JPG
Wind Song
Langley, B.C. (1996) Davidson, Yuen, Simpson Architects
-communal living (vs. social alienation)
-high density using non-traditional form
-preservation of fauna/flora
-shared resources (economic advantages)
-gardens - food production
Haden, Bruce. “Cohousing.” Canadian Architect September 1997: 46.
Van der Ryn, Sim. “Eco-villages: Toward Sustainable Architecture.” Progressive Architecture March 1991: 88-90.
Windsong Cohousing Community http://www.cohousing.ca/cohsng4/windsong/
Global Ecovillage Network http://www.ecovillages.org/
Canadian Cohousing Network Home Page http://www.cohousing.ca/
source: http://www.earthship.org/bld/index.php
Earthships
(Housing typology)
-often employ re-used materials
-passive strategies
-earth berm provides insulation and visual link to site
Earthship Network http://www.earthship.org
BIBLIOGRAPHYBIBLIOGRAPHY
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[A brief survey of the evolution of windows and a study of current window technology. Recommended glazing strategies for desired results (solar heat gain, insulation, glare, etc.).]
_Dayaratne, Ranjith. “Learning From Tradition For An Environmentally Responsive Architecture In Sri-Lanka: A Formal Practice.” Open House International September 2000: 5-14. _Dean, Andrea Oppenheimer. Rural Studio: Samuel Mockbee and an Architecture of Decency. New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2002. _Frank Lloyd Wright. dir. Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. Burbank, CA, 1998. _Frank Lloyd Wright: The Mike Wallace Interviews. prod. Archetype Associates. New York, 1994. _Glanville, Patricia. “Green Awakening.” Canadian Architect January 2002: 30. _Hawken, Paul, Amory Lovins and L. Hunter Lovins. Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1999. _Hansell, Michael H.. Animal Architecture and Building Behavior. London: Longman Group Limited, 1984. _Joseph Jenkins. Balance Point: Searching for a Spiritual Missing Link. Grove City, PA: Jenkins Publishing, 2000. _Kesik, Ted. “Perspectives on Sustainability.” Canadian Architect January 2002: 28-29. _Ledger, Bronwen. “A Healthy House.” Canadian Architect February 1997: 29-30, 37. _McDonald, Marci. “The Affordable Architect.” Canadian Geographic January/February 2003: 76-82, 84.
_McDougall, Bruce. “Going Green in the Burbs.” Canadian Geographic January/February 2003: 67-72, 74.
[An introduction to the concept of an "eco-village" along with list of examples of built and future eco-villages across Canada.]
_Mispelblom Beyer, Bart and Indira Van’t Klooster. “Environmentally-Friendly Buildings As A Starting-Point For The Design.” Open House International September 2000: 65-73. _New Alchemy Institute. An Ark for Prince Edward Island: A Report for the Federal Gouvernment of Canada. Little Pond: New Alchemy Institute, 1976. _Pallasma, Juhani. “Six themes for the next millennium.” Architectural Review July 1994: 74-79. _Quinn, Daniel. Ishmael. New York: Bantam/Turner Books, 1995. _Rudofsky, Bernard. Architecture Without Architects: A Short Introduction to Non-Pedigreed Architecture. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1964.
[A reminder that various means exist to achieve the same goal. Many societies have, and still do, rely heavily on what is provided to them by nature (as opposed to conquering nature with brut industrial force).]
_Ruskin, John. The Seven Lamps of Architecture. New York: The Noonday Press, 1961. _Safdie, Moshe. Beyond Habitat. Montreal; Tundra Books, 1970. _Safdie, Moshe. For Everyone A Garden. Cambridge; The MIT Press, 1974. _Soleri, Paolo. Arcosanti: An Urban Laboratory?. Scottsdale; The Cosanti Press, 1983. _Soleri, Paolo. Arcology: The City in the Image of Man. Phoenix; Bridgewood Press, 1999. _Sustainable Architecture White Papers. Earth Pledge Foundation series on sustainable development. New York: Earth Pledge Foundation, 2000. _Todd, Nancy Jack and John Todd. From Eco-Cities to Living Machines: Principles of Ecological Design. Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books, 1993.
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_Van der Ryn, Sim and Stuart Cowan. Ecological Design. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 1996.
_ Van der Ryn, Sim. “Eco-villages: Toward Sustainable Architecture.” Progressive Architecture March 1991: 88-90. _Von Frisch, Karl. Animal Architecture. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1974. _Wackernagel, Mathis and William Rees. Our Ecological Footprint: Reducing Human Impact on the Earth. Gabriola Island, B.C.: New Society Publishers, 1996.
[An analysis of the human impact on the Earth expressed in terms of the amount of land used. Footprint analysis provides us with a tool to measure our environmental impact for a given course of action.]
_Warson, Albert. “First Totally Self-Sustaining House is Built in Toronto.” Architectural Record March 1997: 28. _Warson, Albert. “The Newest New Urbanism.” Building May/June 2001: 22-27. _Wells, Malcolm. Gentle Architecture. New York: McGraw Hill, 1981. _William McDonough Architects. The Hannover Principles: Design for Sustainability. New York: William McDonough and Partners, 1992. _Wines, James. Green Architecture. New York: Taschen, 2000.
[A call for the development of an ecological aesthetic for architecture to accompany the evolution of technology and knowledge associated with the ecological movement.]
_Wright, David and Dennis A. Andrejko. Passive Solar Architecture: Logic and Beauty 35 Outstanding Houses Across the United States. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, 1982.
[Examples of passive solar homes from climatic zones showing a wide variety of strategies.]
_Wright, Frank Lloyd. The Natural House. New York: Horizon Press, 1954.
[A pioneering book in the field of sustainable architecture. The principles set forth can easily be integrated into today's sustainable design language. In essence, this book lists ways in which a designer can develop a language for a given site that is subordinate to nature's own language.]
_World Commission on Environment and Development. Our Common Future (“The Bruntland Report”). Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press, 1987. _Zerbst, Rainer. Antoni Gaudi. New York: Taschen, 1999.
