The house is built on a brownfield site in the Kane Commons comm…
The house is built on a brownfield site in the Kane Commons community, which includes 12 living units surrounding a common courtyard. With careful grading, the need to landfill contaminated soils was greatly reduced.
Edmunds Studio
The main stair is composed of salvaged trestle bridge timbers.
Edmunds Studio
The kitchen features composite countertops made from recycled pa…
The kitchen features composite countertops made from recycled paper, Energy Star appliances, and recycled wood flooring.
Edmunds Studio
Warm, well-worn materials add character and up the sustainabilit…
Warm, well-worn materials add character and up the sustainability quotient, including reused stone flooring and bookshelves and trim made of salvaged lumber from a nearby teardown.
Edmunds Studio
The multi-level green roof aids in insulation and decreases wate…
The multi-level green roof aids in insulation and decreases water runoff.
Edmunds Studio
Found objects such as scavanged sinks, recycled tile, and reclai…
Found objects such as scavanged sinks, recycled tile, and reclaimed wood fill the house with interest and warmth.
Edmunds Studio
The depth of the straw bale walls can be seen in this windowsill…
The depth of the straw bale walls can be seen in this windowsill.
Our judges were impressed with the look of this whimsical home, deeming it the most successfully designed straw-bale project they had ever seen. They also liked the way its design blurs the lines between modern and traditional with a touch of the unexpected. “It looked like they were trying to have fun,” said one judge.
Warm, well-worn materials that add even more character and up the sustainability quotient include floors made of repurposed high school gym bleachers, recycled stone flooring, and bookshelves and trim fashioned from reclaimed lumber. The main stair is composed of salvaged bridge trestles.
Other features include toilets that reuse water from a tank-mounted handwashing sink, a central fresh air chimney with motorized windows, geothermal heating and cooling, and a multi-level green roof. The house sits on a brownfield site in the Kane Commons community, which includes 12 living units surrounding a shared courtyard and driveway.
