Going green has never been so stylish thanks to Hover Houses, created by Glen Irani Architects. The third in the series (pictured above), built on the Venice Canals in Los Angeles, continues a trend of “maximizing outdoor living environments by structurally ‘hovering’ the building envelope above the land,” according to the architecture firm.
Despite the large windows that comprise much of the home’s front-facing wall, the homes are carefully designed to integrate into the existing landscape so that they’re properly shaded. An added benefit, according to Glen Irani Architects, is that the homes “provide much needed permeable land for ground water replenishment.”
The company hopes that the homes spark a new housing trend in temperate regions so that homebuilders eliminate significant amounts of interior floor area in exchange for an increased amount of exterior living spaces. This swap allows resources to be saved, and also reduces the home’s carbon footprint.
A detailed description of the hover house illuminates the thought process behind the home’s design and small yet strategic location.
“While this 3-bedroom, 2-office, 2500 SF house already represents a substantial reduction in indoor floor area (about 25% from the norm), the inhabitants of this and two other Hover Houses (including the architect’s own house) enable us to study the effectiveness of this model and refine an approach to suit mainstream culture. Hover House 3 responds to the tight confines of it’s 32′,95′ lot on the Venice Canals with little pretense as a simple box elevated over the landscape that is fully programmed to facilitate all the functions of a living room, dining room and kitchen,” according to the architect.
What’s your take on the Hover House design?
Photo courtesy of Glen Irani Architects
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