The Atrium House is a zero-carbon design based on an adaptable plan around a central atrium that:
• increases the sense of space within the house;
• allows natural light to penetrate deep into the house;
• enhances natural ventilation;
• uses the energy of the sun to drive the passive heating system; and
• stores heat from the incoming sun at the top of the atrium wall and from the bio-chip stove at the base of the wall. The atrium design means there is no requirement for a fossil fuel fired boiler in the house. The timber structure has been designed to allow internal walls to be moved according to the changing needs of occupants. The street elevations serve as a metaphor for the changing lifestyles of the occupants. You could imagine there being seasonal competition between neighbours for the best flowering house on the block. Neighbourly interaction is further encouraged through the design of the rear gardens, which contain shared garden allotments and greenhouse huts.
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