Global Architecture Development circumvents heat and building codes with this house in Southwest Turkey.
There’s all kinds of things you can do with roofs: in the Middle East, we like to party on the roof – that’s for sure, and you can lease it to farmers and electricity generators if you have enough space. You can also cool your home with the roof. Though critics suggest that Turkey’s hot sun (which is great for solar panels) smears the ingenuity of Global Architecture Development’s rainwater catchment that doubles as an air-conditioner on a collection of buildings in Southwest Turkey, we’re convinced that it’s an interesting alternative to energy-intensive air conditioning units. That’s not the only outlaw move taken by the designers, Inhabitat reports.
Restrained by outdated codes, builders in the region are not supposed to exceed 75 square meters. Global Architecture circumvented this problem by building a cluster of separate buildings that meet the code, and are self-contained, but are then joined by glass atrias.
Since glass is not the most efficient material to use in such hot environs, given that it traps heat, it would be necessary to create an antidote. Hence the roof pools. These collect rainwater and then cascade from one roof to another, circulating the water.
To further cool this conglomeration of concrete buildings, “The ‘Exploded House’…sits neatly above the port settlement and takes advantage of breezes through electronic sliding windows,” according to Bridgette Meinhold.
Each self contained section serves a unique purpose, according to Meinhold.
The master bedroom and adjoining bathroom take up one section, the kitchen and dining area take up another, while the guesthouse and study are contained in its own building.
While Global Architecture Development hasn’t hidden their subversive strategy to defy building codes very well, we still think this building sets a “cool” example for other builders contemplating cooling in the Middle East.
:: Inhabitat
More on sustainable architecture in the Middle East:
“Mayslits Kassif Architecture” Takes Coveted European Landscape Architecture Award for Tel Aviv Port
Students Redefine Urban Spaces In Three Days and Three Nights
Abu Dhabi Building To Achieve All Five Green Building “Pearls”
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
Me too. But first I need a roof 🙂
Roofs are important.
Gorgeous, and smart. I’d like a roof pool on my roof.