Wastewater is being treated through a biological filtration system that returns grey water back to the house. When leave the house, the inhabitants leave behind a hermetic wedge-shaped box that continues to live in terms of solar heat and rainwater collection.
Besides its low ecological footprint in terms of materials used, the NFH is completely de- and reconstructable in order to truly minimize its impact on the environment at affordable cost.
Project description by Oliver Schütte
The No Footprint House (NFH) is located along the Southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, on the edge of its iconic Whale Bay and the vast tropical rain forests of the region. Placed in a humid tropical climate, the building design responds to its surrounding habitat by passive climate control through natural ventilation and solar shading. It is built around a central service core, which includes all machinery and service lines of the house, as well as bathrooms, closets, kitchen, and laundry area.
The compression of utilities in one compact unit enables an open floor plan around it. Moreover, it contributes to the economy of the house in terms of assembly and maintenance. Additional furniture pieces are positioned in the double-layered envelope of the building, which is created by the vertical structural columns and the inclined outer façades. The inclination responds to the incoming sunlight in the hottest hours of the day. The façade panels can be opened or closed individually to regulate views and exposure, augment or reduce air flows, create privacy and security. They convert interior to exterior spaces and play with the indoor-outdoor dynamic of tropical architecture.
The Ojochal house contains two bedrooms, a combined living and dining area, as well as a series of multifunctional areas in between the fully enclosable private spaces. According to the choice of the client, it is built with a floating steel structure and wooden finishes. It is plugged into the public service grid, which is powered by renewable energies. Only water is heated locally through solar power that is harvested on top of the building. The house was prefabricated in the Central Valley of Costa Rica and shipped to the target site overnight on one single truck. It has been developed as a prototype for serial production, which is based on a larger toolbox of residential typologies. Each typology is configured from a catalogue of prefabricated components, the first of its kind in Central America.
In its initial phase, the NFH will come in three different sizes that can be auto-configured with regards to material finishes and the desired level of services: from tiny (36m²) to mid-size (81m²) and family home (108m²). A fully auto-sufficient configuration is possible for off-grid locations. The offer responds to the local market requirements, providing “attainable” (affordable and sustainable) homes for individuals as well as small and big families. The different building typologies can be assembled, disassembled and reassembled anywhere, depending on the specific needs of user and target site. The project responds to the concept of nomadic and adaptable lifestyle, which is enabled by a maximum amount of flexibility through design. The selection of all building components and materials are based on a thorough investigation regarding their origin, processing, and environmental performance. It is designed to blend with its natural surroundings and to minimize the impact of construction on the environment. The process of developing and inhabiting the prototype creates valuable experience to optimize the series, which will be available as of next year.
