What can be housed in the quiet surroundings of a small portion of a hill? Well, if you give this space to architect Marco Bernardini, he will make an Age House! An ‘age house’ is basically an abode built into a section of a hill. It is a partial hypogeum structure. This means that the house will be partially underground, as the word hypogeum literally means “underground”. Quite remarkably, Marco made the house without disturbing its surroundings and environment. In fact, the makeup of the age house jells well and compliments the greenery that surrounds it. After measuring the height differences between the terraces, he designed the house in such a way that the roof became the terrace of the house. Therefore, the terrace is actually a green, grass covered roof. What this ensured was high energy efficiency, and regulation of rainwater storage. The micro-climate of the house is also maintained by the green roof (made of grass), that covers the house. The need for heating systems is also reduced, as the house and the outside enviroment share a healthy give and take relationship. It is considered by some to be a good example of bioclimatic architecture, as it uses sliding glass doors to trap heat rays from the outside. A dry stone wall is used as the spine of the house, and also to help it blend into its natural landscape. Since the house was constructed by using less material and draws its beauty from its surroundings, the house does not affect its nature neighbours and is environment-friendly. Via: Designboom
