Here’s another house designed to supply all of its own needs in the harsh Australian outback in an uncertain climate future: Kangaroo Valley House.
This home away from home is designed by the prolific Australian architect  Alexander Michael to manage and thrive completely on its own.
(Michael is a bit of a  survival fetishist: he  makes his pied a terre in the city in a reconstituted nuclear missile silo!)

But this is his cheery holiday home for friends in the outback. Completely open to the elements, it is designed to scoop up all …

    I did a book signing yesterday at a Barnes and Noble bookstore. These events are good opportunities for people to ask me any question they like about house design and homebuilding. I have been designing all sorts of houses for many years. I think Lincoln was President when I got my architectural license. It was so long ago I really don’t remember. Over that long time, I thought I had answered just about every question anyone could ask about house design. But yesterday I realized I have been living in a delusional world. I got a question …

    The days of “Living Large” may be numbered. House design is changing. We might soon be bragging that we’re “Living Small.” With the current economic conditions, we are seeing our dreams and desires in a whole new light. High energy costs, environmental concerns, maintenance costs and the cost of the house itself are strong motivators to reevaluate one’s needs and create a house design that responds to those needs.
    I think the best way to reduce your living space is to write out what we architects call a “program.” …

re you planning on designing a new house? Or are you buying a house in a development and picking a house design and floor plan from the half dozen the developer is offering? Or are you searching for the right house design and plan from the thousands and thousands that are offered for sale? If you fit into any of these categories, there is one critical first step you should take.
Probably the most important thing must do before even looking for floor plans is to write a “program” for your new house. …

A California architect has constructed a home that heats itself from the warmth of its appliances. Homes like this have been popular in Germany, where a local architect built the first of its kind in 1991 , but they are only just starting to catch on here in the States. Nabih Tahan’s “Passive House” on Grant Street in Berkeley is the first one in California. It uses a ventilator to recycle the heat that radiates from the appliances, reducing the use of heat from fossil fuels by 80%-90%. Read more …