Located on the outskirts of a Berkshire village in rural Britain, the Old Water Tower, designed by London, Britain-based Gresford Architects, blends a traditional English countryside residence with Passivhaus-certified modern architecture. The house relies on natural methods of heating and cooling versus electrical systems.
"We have aimed to create a house that is on the cutting edge of sustainable design, yet eschews the hair-shirt approach to sustainable living that many people think of when considering environmentally friendly homes," Gresford Architects told Dezeen.
With a gabled roof on top, the two-story building has a black-tinted timber façade. The roof is clad with standing-seam zinc panels so that solar thermal panels could be fixed to its surface, and allows the home to be self-suppliant.
Natural light pours into rooms via glass doors and windows on each side of the home's facade, and also allows cross-ventilation on hot days. Some openings are located on the upper level to preserve the homeowner’s privacy.
The layout is typical of single-family homes, with primary living spaces on the ground floor, and four bedrooms upstairs. In the center of the living room, a staircase divides the ground floor into zones, separating the home's living room from the kitchen and dining space.
Head over to Dezeen for more details about this project.
