PLANETARY GARDEN AND DETONATION TOWER - Sustainable Design Award

The competition called for the design of a detonation tower perched above granite mines in Blacksburg, Virginia.  Planning for when the mines are closed, the  prompt also asked for a design that incorporated bird watching and interaction by visitors with the planetary garden landscape.

Program elements included a drying shed, outdoor workspace, and library for botanists to use and stay in for specimen research.

The site is located on the edge of the downtown Blacksburg.

SOLAR SCREEN - ENVIRONMENTAL BUILDING SYSTEM - Top Ten Placing

Insulate: “insulatus”- cause a person or thing to be detached from surroundings: 

The screen alters the house from season to season, essentially transitioning the insider to various modes of light and comfort.  Each curved fiber glass screen blocks light from the summer sun and provides a supple amount of shade in hotter months, and simultaneously lets light in in the winter, allowing ample light in colder months.  On a louvre system, the panels can be moved on a circular track to let the insider chose the amount of light that enters the house.