Advancement in architecture, construction, and building materials has made it possible for climatically severe sites to not only survive, but thrive. If this mentality could be applied to researching alternative means of building in Alaska, then the house difficulty in the state could begin to improve. Ultimately, this could lead to the regeneration of the Alaskan economy and population.
In the rural villages of central Alaska, housing is a huge problem because of both energy consumption and maintenance issues. This has lead to a rapid decline in the state’s growth, especially over the last 25 years. This is troublesome for both the occupants who are being forced to move because of increased living costs and the nation as a whole because of all the additional Alaskan resources that are currently underutilized. Furthermore, it is troublesome that underdeveloped and poorly conceived housing projects are being produced as a means to “fix” this problem. Build effective and efficient homes in cold environments is something that is completely possible with today’s technology. It is sad that these applications have seldom been utilized in a place where their application could be so beneficial, specifically in the most rural and poorest regions of the state. The development of a prototypical house or housing complex that could employ practical passive heating and cooling strategies as well as limit the amount of necessary maintenance on a residence would greatly help stabilize the state. In large part, this will require the research of current materials and construction techniques as well as the vernacular architecture of the native population. This would lead to a contextually relevant project that would not only be sustainable and contextually relevant, but could also really help people that currently cannot help themselves.
I think that although you are looking at a cold climate with Alaska...in terms of research and precedent, it also may be helpful to see how areas with extremely hot climates have dealt with the regional architecture. By looking at these two ends of the spectrum you might learn more things about building in a seemingly "un-buildable" climate to help you more forward. The economic aspect is also interesting, and really diving into how to bring wealth back to Alaska- the history could help you with this, when Alaska was prosperous, what were the factors that caused it to be great.
ReplyDeleteI think that an important factor in this project is to understand past precedent in this climate by looking at vernacular architecture (which it sounds like you are planning anyway). It would be interesting, though, if you were able to find instances of how vernacular architecture has been modified over the years and expressed today. (I might be thinking too literally, but I imagine homes today that are designed with the igloo in mind, for example). Also, I think that understanding the life and needs of the intended future occupant will be a really important aspect to the design of an appropriate response.
ReplyDeleteKaitlin,
ReplyDeleteA prototype of a single family home is too easy (and, incidentally, goes against the sustainable benefits to which you aspire). So I am sure that is not what you are proposing, right?
Think housing, rather than house. The density brings obvious advantages, and what I think can be truly interesting about this project is the agglomeration of units rather than the stand alone solution.
If you agree, then the question becomes one of appropriate scale. Test a series of possibilities and look to examples that have been already done (dare I say precedents?).
Understand your typology by understanding the work of great architects as well as the anonymous many who build vernacular responses to their environment.