Cradle to cradle houses Beek

Cradle to cradle houses

The municipality of Beek organized a competition for 35 sustainable houses on the location of a former school. The houses had to be designed according to the principles of cradle to cradle.

Our design was the result of a close collaboration with project developer PFC² Envelopment and sustainability advisor DGMR. All 35 houses are located around a communal garden and are oriented towards the south. The houses consist of simple wooden structures that allow for maximum of flexibility in the future. On the southern side all houses have glass winter gardens that allow owners to sit outside even on rainy or cold days.

The winter gardens allow for a substantial reduction in energy use of the houses. In spring or autumn days the relatively warm air from the winter garden is used for the ventilation of the house itself. On very cold or very warm days the ventilation air is channelled through a simple system of pipes in the ground that produce cooler or warmer air. Furthermore, the high thermal insulation, solar panels and the heat exchange system make the houses much more sustainable than what is required. Our design was awarded the third prize in this competition.