Storus-hillhouse

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Hill House. La Honda, California.

Jersey Devil

Matt Storus

Sustainable design is an approach to architecture that grew in response to the increased

environmental awareness of the late 20

th

century. The philosophy behind sustainable designcan be characterized as the need to build in the environment, rather than on it. The approach

seeks to create equilibrium between the needs of the human inhabitants and the capacity of the

natural environment to sustain them. Specifically, sustainable design aims to reduce waste,

minimize delocalization of materials and energy, and lessen the environmental impact of

development1. An example of a house constructed with “green” ideals is the Hill House in La

Honda, California, designed by the Jersey Devil Design-Build group. Jersey Devil is a team of

artists, craftsmen and architects who both design and build their projects, incorporating a strong

environmental conscience2. To evaluate the feasibility of the Jersey Devil approach in future

projects, the sustainable design initiatives in the Hill House must be analyzed. These initiatives

will be explored in three interrelated categories: building form, materiality, and passive design with reference to the three

aforementioned aims of sustainable design.

The Hill House is situated on a hilltop designated as a scenic landscape in the Santa Cruz Mountains. In order to

receive permission to build on the site, the building had to blend in with the natural environment and compliment it3. The

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site was also subject to strong winds which can reach 100 mph. These primary issues guided the design of the building’s

form. Jersey Devil’s solution was to build the house directly into the hill. The form of

the house coincides with the original contours and profile of the hill, and there is

virtually no indication of the house from the scenic roadway. Additionally, since the

roof is a continuation of the natural landscape, it does not disturb the natural

ecosystem. In fact, wild goats occasionally use the roof to graze4. The danger of

strong wind is diminished because the structure is partially buried, and the façade

facing the wind is sheltered by an earth mound, while the terrace is sheltered by the building on the other side.

Apart from addressing the primary concerns, the earth shelter provides additional benefits. A drainage system on

the terrace side reduces the need for sprinkling systems by collecting rain water from the roof and bringing it down to the

garden. The earth-shelter form of the house also regulates the temperature inside the building. The structure is buried

under one foot of earth, and this keeps the temperature constant. When it is hot outside, the heat is dissipated by

travelling through the earth, and the grass cools the earth through evaporation. When it is cold outside, the earth gives up

heat slowly, keeping the temperature inside the house constant.

The form of the Hill House meets the three aims of sustainable design. Namely, it reduces waste by reusing the

earth excavated for construction; it minimizes dependency on external power sources by regulating temperature, and

lessens environmental impact by maintaining the original ecosystem. The form of the Hill House, however, has very

limited application in other construction projects. Structures in urban environments must be tall to be economical, and

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cannot take advantage of the earth-shelter model. This approach would be best suited to rural terrain, or similarly hilled

areas.

The materials used in the Hill House are a mix of local, natural and recycled materials5. The truss system, the

decking and interior partitions are all made of local wood products which, as wood, are renewable. Locally manufactured

materials and furnishings reduce environmental impact because they do not need to

be transported far distances to the building site. Natural materials found at the site

became integral parts of the building. The four tons of rock found on the site were

used for exterior retaining walls and as landscaping features. Even bottles found on-

site were recycled and utilized in the building6. In terms of thermal performance, a

variety of materials were utilized to work as thermal mass. Concrete walls, quarry-

tiled concrete floors, stucco and stone partitions all act to absorb heat during the day

and release that heat during the night, reducing the need for heating7.

The approach to materials in the Hill House adheres to the aims of sustainable design. It reduces waste by

recycling and reusing materials found on site, and relying on materials such as wood that are natural and mostly

biodegradable (apart from the chemical coatings used to prevent rotting, etc). The thermal mass materials reduce theneed for electricity by regulating the heat inside the house and minimizing the use of heating systems. Finally, it lessens

the environmental impact of construction because excavated materials find a use in the building itself. Little is thrown out

from the site and the materials remain in their original environment. Potentially, these methods have a wide application to

all forms of construction, whether urban or rural. The use of local materials is practical and not only helps the

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environment, but improves local economies. Natural and recycled materials can also be utilized easily in most

developments to a varying degree based on building code regulations for fireproofing, etc. Thermal mass is universally

applicable as it offers a passive temperature regulation which is environmental and economical, without the need for

elaborate mechanical systems.

Passive systems for heating and cooling play an important part in the sustainability of the Hill House. The passive

heating system relies on solar power. The south façade is a long wall of windows designed with overhangs to allow for

low-angled sunlight to enter in winter, but block the undesired summer sun. As discussed in the building materials, the

sun heats the thermal masses inside to provide heat. Below the windows is a Trombe wall. The eight inch thick Trombe

wall operates by admitting solar radiation through a layer of glass into a cavity between the glass and the wall which is

essentially a thermal mass. The greenhouse effect traps the heat and it is absorbed and transmitted through the wall to

the interior. Additionally, cold air is vented from the interior back into the gap where it is heated and can re-enter through

operable vents8. Although the building requires little direct heating, a woodstove can provide heating through periods of

little sunlight. The water system also utilizes solar power. The tanks are heated by the sun and then circulated by a wind-

powered pump which takes advantage of the high winds on the hilltop9. The cooling system also takes advantage of the

wind. Vents draw in and regulate the wind and cross ventilate the building.

The passive systems for heating and cooling generally follow the aims of sustainable design and have definite

applications in other building projects. The systems reduce waste by employing methods that do not require extensive

mechanical systems. These relatively simple systems require fewer parts and therefore any extraneous waste associated

with the transport or manufacturing of the parts. The main success of the passive systems is the independence from

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electrical heating and cooling systems. Not only is it an environmental success, but it is tremendously economical. The

local environmental impact of the heating systems is only marginal. Had the house been equipped with typical heating

and cooling systems they would most likely be electric, and would not produce excessive waste on the site. The passive

heating systems that rely on solar power alone are practical and applicable from the modest suburban residence to urban

skyscrapers. However, the systems that rely on wind power are unique to the site and its high winds. Most structures

built in a dense urban environment or in low lying areas do not receive equal amounts of wind to, for example, run the

water pump. But typical buildings can still exploit the limited wind exposure to provide some measure of ventilation and

cooling.

The Hill House effectively incorporates the principles of sustainable design into a house that is environmentally

friendly, while remaining comfortable and visually intriguing. The form, materials and passive systems respect and take

advantage of the site conditions, while reducing waste, energy use and environmental impact. The Hill House embodies

various design elements that have a wide range of applications in both urban and rural building environments. The Jersey

Devil Design-Build group has successfully created a building that, literally and figuratively, is built in the environment, not

on it.

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Endnotes

1“Guiding Principles of Sustainable Design : Building Design” [Online], http://www.nps.gov/dsc/dsgncnstr/gpsd/ch6.html

2“Jersey Devil Design/Build” [Online], http://www.jerseydevildesignbuild.com/about.htm

3“Earth Sheltered House Curls Around the Crest of a Hill.” Architecture, Vol. 74, no 7 (July 1985), p 79.

4Ibid.

5“Building and Remodeling: Hill House”, [Online]. Available: http://www.hgtv.com/HGV/project/0,1158,BDRE_project_20704,FF.html

6Ibid.

7Piedmont-Palladino, Susan and Branch, Mark. Devil’s Workshop: 25 Years of Jersey Devil Architecture. New York: Princeton Architectural

Press, 19978Ibid

9“Projection of our Destiny” Domus, no 610 (October 1980), p 3.

Bibliography

“Building and Remodeling: Hill House”, [Online]. Available: http://www.hgtv.com/HGV/project/0,1158,BDRE _project_20704,FF.html

“Earth Sheltered House Curls Around the Crest of a Hill.” Architecture, Vol. 74, no 7 (July 1985), pp 78-79.

“Guiding Principles of Sustainable Design : Building Design” [Online], http://www.nps.gov/dsc/dsgncnstr/gpsd/ch6.html

“Jersey Devil Design/Build” [Online], http://www.jerseydevildesignbuild.com/about.htm

Piedmont-Palladino, Susan and Branch, Mark. Devil’s Workshop: 25 Years of Jersey Devil Architecture. New York:Princeton Architectural Press, 1997.

“The Projection of our Destiny.” Domus, no 610 (October 1980), p 3

http://www.hgtv.com/HGV/project/%200,1158,BDRE






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