THE ALTHOUSE ARBORETUM

Concept Statement
The main hall, cabin, and bathroom
designs are focused on achieving
environmental sustainability and
creating harmonious relationships
between structure and nature. As a
whole, each building is intended to
serve as a visually appealing and
functional exhibit of sustainability
through which campers can learn. Large
windows let in sunlight, aid with
passive solar heating, and connect
campers to their surroundings. Each
building is oriented to maximize its
solar energy efficiency and natural
ventilation.

Sustainable and Space Saving Practices

The main building primarily utilizes storm water
management techniques and solar energy in order to be a
sustainable structure. The design is meant to direct water
from an impervious surface, the sloped roof, into gardens
on both sides of the second floor. The precipitation then
flows down glass panels, creating a waterfall effect, and
into rain gardens. The gardens can aid with temperature
management and biodiversity and can act as educational
exhibits for campers or provide natural food. The open
air passageway and buildings orientation are meant to
increase the main halls natural ventilation.

Materials:
Roof: metal sheets
Walls: triple glazed windows & recycled wood
Floor: concrete slab & locally sourced stone tile
 THE ALTHOUSE ARBORETUM
Sustainable and Space Saving Practices
The cabins take advantage of both passive and
active solar heating techniques. The building is
oriented specifically so that the solar panels
face the south, where they will receive the most
light. The large windows allow for solar heating
as well as ventilation, and they are one way
windows, so that there is privacy within the
cabins. In order to conserve space within the
cabins, the bunk beds are specifically designed
to be pushed together and compressed.
Moreover, the roofs of the cabins are at a
downward slope, so that water flows into
collection pipes at the lowest point. From here,
precipitation flows into the hygiene building
which is directly underneath, to be used as gray
water. In was logical to place the hygiene
building underneath the cabins, since campers
should not be wandering through the forest in
the middle of the night to use the bathroom.

Materials:
Roof: Solar panels and metal sheets
Ext. Walls: 1 way glass & recycled wood
Int. Walls: kirei boards
Floors: locally sourced tile
Deck: recycled wood