Austrianarchitectural studio Penda has come up with an innovative green-roofhome concept designed to offer a new level of sustainable living. A smallblock of land located in the countryside of Germany nearthe city of Kassel willbecome home to this new living concept, which boasts a generous rooftop vegetable garden. Dubbed the Yin & Yang house, the modest home is designed to let a family take back control of their food supply.
"The Yin & Yang house is designed for a small family, that wants tolive off-grid, independent and self-sufficient," says Penda. "Atthe same time we provide a gardening-system for the owners withgreenhouses in winter and rows of planters for the rest of the year."
Inspiredby the shape and central idea around the yin & yang concept, the homewill be built with two separate structures that wrap around and jointogether in harmony. The garden is integrated into the dwelling'sdesign, with the slanted rooftop garden starting from the ground and working its way up.
Occupants of the home can access the garden directly from the groundor from the second floor of the home. Due to the sloping design ofthe roof garden, grey water can also be collected and stored throughout the year and re-used to water the garden during dry periods. The garden is richwith planter-boxes suitable for growing vegetables, herbs and fruits.
"Whenarchitecture supports the way we grow our food, a house becomes morethan "just" a building," says the company. "It attracts all your senses. Nature makesthe house visually appealing because it changes its look according tothe seasons."
"My wife Fei and I are alsoliving in a small house in a rural area of Austria and the biggestadvantage of the countryside is the quality of life," adds Chris Precht, founding partner of Penda. "Especially whenit comes to growing your own food."
The75-sqm (807-sq ft) Yin & Yang house will be built around a wooden structure withlarge floor-to-ceiling glass windows throughout. The exterior, aswell as a large amount of the home's interior, will be clad withwooden panels, blending the dwelling into the lush greens of its garden.
The home features a single-car garage, two to threebedrooms, a central shared bathroom, home office, open kitchen anddining area, plus an upstairs living area with access to theexpansive rooftop garden and an additional office or third bedroom.
"Thehouse is conceptualized for a young family that would like to liveand work in the countryside," says Penda. "Forecasts show that cities and urban areas attract young people. By2050 more than 70 percent of our population will live in cities.Architects are called upon to find solutions how to revivethe countryside."
Thefinal cost of the Yin & Yang house has yet to be disclosed but itis set to start construction in the next few months.
Source: Penda via Designboom
