Futurist Architecture

Most of the downstairs living spaces are open and delineated by some levels. Through the various components of the space such as study, dining, kitchen, and living, the engaging journey inside the house can be delivered. Those spaces are linked to each other through clever sightlines and a palette of textured materials.

From the outside, Extension House in Waterloo looks like a wooden house that is dominated by wood materials. The interior of this house is a combination of wood and simple white background from the wall. The unique look also can be found inside the bathroom with a combination of tiles and stone design for the wall and floor surface.

It is a new building with 33 two and three-bedroom luxury apartments, scattered in over four levels. Surrounded by a high and big wall at the outside, these apartments stand out with its flat roofs, big bay windows, and strong color. The elegant side comes from a deep blue translucent glass of the windows in each apartment.

For the house natural daylighting, the design image is made not only by taking the direct sunlight during the days but also by taking the afternoon sun when winter comes, morning light which comes from unexpected places, the light reflection of the exterior wall, and the north sidelight. It is the same thing as the living-dining room that wrapped by soft light and encircled with 3 courtyards.

A closed-loop geothermal heating and cooling system can provide energy to the building without fossil fuels needed. There is a garden roof above the spaces of the community to filter and control the stormwater, increase the roof durability, and reduce the heat loss. The connection to the outdoors also can be enhanced and the comfort of the building can be maximized.

The living room is a combination of different materials used to create a natural and comfortable atmosphere. Besides the wooden walls, this room is also decorated with stone walls of the fireplace. While in the kitchen, the elegant look comes from the white kitchen cabinet and kitchen island. The warm sunlight can come in easily to this space and dining area through the large glass doors and windows.

Even the house is built in as small as about 43-floor space, the design made by the architect can deliver a comfortable place for living. It still has secure privacy matters but the galvalume wall on its exterior can create a unique look to this house that can be seen from both inside and outside. The glass doors also allow the warm sunlight to enter the house and offer a beautiful view of the day.

Some black spruce CLT panels are used as the tension surface in the prefabricated stressed skin assemblies system that span the circulation spaces and upper classrooms. The vertical CLT panels can form the shear and bearing walls while the heavy timber trusses and glue-laminated rafters span the large ground floor multi-purpose space of the building.

The building of Tennis House is cooled and heated by a ground source heat pump. This pump uses the quarry pond water as a thermal mass. With this kind of system, the significant reductions in the use of fossil fuels can be provided and eliminate both gas and oil deliveries. The land around the house also frees from the kind of heavy vehicular traffic.

The architect uses Balau wood planks owned by the owner to cover the material. Some planks have some defects like uneven colors, marks from saws, gnarls, and cracks but the architect sees them as a real wood natural charm. The final construction delivers a “space” completed with the warm color of the wood and also a sky cool tone.

RTA Studio chooses some materials to reference the vernacular materials used in the house area. The living pavilion and garage look like he historic miner’s cottages, clad in the local schists. There are two-bedroom pavilions with weathering steel layer that references the gold mining remnants and rusted steel sheds.