The winning project, Just K, Zero Energy House in Tübingen, Germany, fought off tough competition from around the world to claim £5,000 in prize money and the honour of being named overall winner by a distinguished international jury chaired by AR Editor Catherine Slessor. Designed by the young German practice of Björn Martenson, Sonja Nagel and Jan Theissen, the winning project reinterpreted the archetype of the suburban villa, and impressed the jury with its innovative approach to materials, form, context and energy use.
"The passively-heated, low-cost house in solid wood construction, accommodation for two adults and four children. The small land area, the distance to be observed and the areas needed for six people living space meant that the building is designed like a tower into the sky. In its compact cubic body and the roof takes just formulated K on relations with the surrounding gray tufa buildings from the 1920s. The swing of the hip roof type, roof shape repeatedly bent one hand due to the desired maximum volume and the minimum required distance from surface.
Due to the physical requirements of passive houses, the fast construction time and consideration of sustainability, the building is designed as a solid wood construction, which uses the possibilities of prefabrication intensive. The entire building consists of 136 elements that were equipped with factory-direct rebates for carpentry and joinery and with drilling and milling for the electrical installation. Furniture and stairs are part of the architecture and was planned as such in form and materiality."
