Artisans Group co-founder Tessa Smith & Intern Architect Roussa Cassel had the pleasure to share their Passive House design lecture at the University of Oregon's Architecture department. The topic of discussion was 'Passive House: Aesthetics'… or at times, lack thereof!
Passive House Design Lecture: We're Wizards!
A common misconception with Passive Houses is one of function over form. It's the idea that if you want an impeccably energy-efficient home built responsibly then you must have a dwelling with few windows and that looks more like a bunker than it does a home. It makes sense that people would assume that. There are some Passive Houses out there in the world that look like that. Thing is, it’s easy to make beautiful, irresponsible architecture. It’s the kind most people love, with lots of glass, windows and interesting design. It’s much more difficult to create stunning Passive Houses. And that is exactly why we love what we do. After years in business, we’re basically wizards at Passive House design. We fuse the aesthetics of beautiful design with the innovation of forward-thinking architecture. Part of that comes from being a design/build firm and having every aspect of our team on board with the tenets of Passive House. But another important part of that comes from good ole’ fashioning listening. Our clients don’t need to sacrifice form for function. From the moment we hand-sketch a design to the finalized plans, we listen to the details of what a project needs. We ask questions like “How do you want to feel inside your home?” We take that list of adjectives and create a narrative that results in a stunning, well thought-out design that challenges the norm of what people expect from energy-efficient homes. If you want to hear more from the lecture at University of Oregon—complete with apocalyptic scenarios—check this out: http://media.uoregon.edu/channel/archives/10680About Artisans Group
The Artisans Group specializes in building and remodeling some of the finest eco-friendly and energy-efficient homes in the Seattle & Olympia area. We are an eclectic band of uniquely talented Pacific Northwest architects, designers, craftsman, and managers with a shared passion for home design. Passive Houses are our niche, and we provide the simplest solutions to guarantee comfort and durability in home design while providing soulful beauty. Our mantra, 'Advanced Homes Made Elegant', succinctly captures the art and passion of our design and build team, as well as all remodel projects. This design philosophy is a dedication you can feel and a finesse in architecture that always proves stunning. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, PinterestPosted on March 11, 2016
