SLIDES – a composite word meaning sustainable, livable, and interactive – is a design for a house in Egypt that is the brainchild of a team of students from the American University in Cairo and would be a prospective entry to the Solar Decathalon Europe 2012. The SLIDES home is a very futuristic and novel structure that would be powered by solar energy. The design is based on many criteria such as aesthetics, functionality, ventilation, sunlight, and traditional architecture.
This home would showcase how modern architecture could make it possible to utilize the efficiency of solar energy and make the home sustainable as SLIDES is a net zero energy structure. Solar panels would be affixed to the roof of the house for power. The major obstacle is the desert climate of Egypt that would need an effective cooling system. However, the design for this home is such that it makes the best use of natural ventilation, which requires no further need of air conditioning. In order to utilize water judiciously, the SLIDES would also have a grey water treatment system for using the treated water in toilets and drip irrigation.
The design of the house can be compared to that of a matchbox as the outer facade can slide out in order to make the most of daylight and slide in to cool the house. The facade or screen of the house is perforated to make the most of natural ventilation; the design appears like a modern version of the traditional Arab latticework, which would protect the inside of the house from excessive sunlight.
The major component in building the house would be a fiber-reinforced polymer that is the product of recycled wood waste and plastic bags – even the local papyrus is also being considered for making the movable screen of the home. The SLIDES is not only an energy-efficient, sustainable, and eco-friendly home, but is also a fine architectural masterpiece that blends tradition with modern design.
Via: DesignBoom
