Designed by: Arkin-Tilt Architects

Description

This 1860 s.f. passive solar straw-bale home illustrates solutions to ecological living. A compact four-bedroom plan also allows for a future office addition in the cupola.

Although the current home is oriented on a north-south axis to maintain neighbor’s views, the interior temperature of the home stays within 5° of 68°F without additional heating or cooling. The roof is insulated with cellulose (recycled newspaper) insulation and sheathed with ‘Meadowood’ rye-grass straw-board. Plastered straw-bale walls are balanced by fiber-cement clad conventionally framed walls in appropriate locations (i.e. plumbing, bays and the high cupola walls).

A structural wall of exposed framing provides ample storage for books and art while dividing the living and sleeping areas. Bedrooms all feature bed-sized window bays, and two of the children’s bedrooms are separated with movable wall panels, adding further flexibility. Other ecological features include built-in composting and recycling (hatches in the backsplash allow recyclables to be placed in bins which are accessed from the outside), cooling via cupola windows, and passive solar design.

Awards and Publications

Environmental Design + Construction’s Excellence in Design Award

Sunset/AIA Special Design Award

The Green House

The New Strawbale Home

Casaviva June 2004

Real Simple April 2002

Specifications

Details and Features

Floor Plans

Included in Construction Drawing Set

Pricing Details (FREE S&H)

Description

“Mountain Escape”is a beautiful home designed to provide both family gathering spaces and privacy. The open floor plan for the central volume of the home invites people to linger around the kitchen island or spill into the large vaulted living room. When the hour is late, the second story master suite offers views and privacy while the two main floor bedrooms also provide privacy and individual sanctuaries for their occupants. The main floor office has a private entrance perfect for a professional working from home.

The clean lines of this home are complemented by the ample covered patio and porch space. This allows the owners to enjoy the outdoors even when mother nature is not cooperating with the weather. The clerestory windows provide natural light and natural cooling to this efficient and beautiful home.

Specifications

Details and Features

Floor Plan

Included in Construction Drawing Set

Pricing Details (FREE S&H)

Description

This 872 s.f. off-grid straw-bale project was originally designed as a getaway home for a San Francisco couple with two active young boys.

The house mediates the northern edge of a forest glade, with driveway access and entry against a steeper slope to the north. The entry/mudroom, bath and mechanical spaces are located in a wood-framed portion of the home a half level up from the main living space. This simple, straw-bale home opens to a south-facing terrace, connecting it to the forest glade, and a more intimate queen bed sized sleeping bay. An open loft above the kitchen provides additional sleeping space for kids and guests.

The house features the ability to be energy independent. The property currently employs solar hot water collectors to provide domestic hot water as well as space heating by flowing the heated fluid first through a heat exchanger and then into tubing buried in a 2 ft. bed of sand beneath the floor slabs. In addition, P.V. panels on the roof harvest electricity, stored in batteries, powering the well pump and other domestic needs.

The metal roof, plastered bale walls, and fiber-cement siding give the structure elegant lines and distinctive finish. What’s more, those same elements, along with a fire safe perimeter, will give the structure high marks for surviving a wildfire, ensuring that this small cabin will provide many years of service.

Specifications

Details and Features

Floor Plans

Included in Construction Drawing Set

Pricing Details (FREE S&H)

Description

This beautiful bungalow style home is perfect for those looking to get out of the rat race by downsizing into something that is super efficient and cost effective. This is a perfect example of space-smart design in which every space has a use and is essential to the overall flow of the home.  This home is perfect for a couple or smaller families with one child or two that can share the loft bedroom space.

This design is about getting back to the basics. Back to when housing was about life and living, and not so much about the status quo. That said, this home isn’t rustic or primitive and has accounted for all of the conveniences that we are used to in our society.  You’ll find elegance and function married in such a way as to provide the perfect scale for the modern and environmentally conscious family.

Specifications

Details and Features

Floor Plan

Included in Construction Drawing Set

Pricing Details (FREE S&H)

Description

This 1434 sf home was designed specifically for an off grid building site. It’s floorplan allows all spaces to be easily heated by the solar gain or by the woodstove at night.  The main bedroom has its own bathroom and there is a cozy sleeping loft above the dining area for guests. The screened porch expands the living area to encompass the outdoors and the storage room will hold the bikes and garden tools. A ’living roof’ completes the greening of this unique eco-nest!  Great plan for a remote vacation getaway or full-time rural home.

Specifications

Details and Features

Floor Plans

Included in Construction Drawing Set

All of Integral Design Studio’s straw bale plans incorporate an internal modified post and beam structure, with bales on edge as infill. These plans also have concrete slab or adobe floors which act as the main thermal mass. Plans may be reversed to better accommodate specific sites and design services are available for custom modifications to these existing plans for an additional hourly fee.

Pricing Details (FREE S&H)

Description

“Rustic Family” was inspired by a family of four that wanted a large open kitchen/living room with a central hearth, an vaulted ceiling with a open air cupola, and a sunroom to watch the sun set over the hillside beyond.  It also features a “Kids Wing”.  This is a wing of the house with two bedrooms and a family room.  The other side of the house has the master suite with his and hers closets and a full bathroom.  There is also a third bedroom that can also be used as an office.

The rustic feel comes from the rough sawn outer posts and beams that create 4 porches and patios all around the house, and from the exposed rafter tails that promotes a down home feel of simple living.  The open porches provide great sheltered outdoor spaces for entertaining guests in the warmer months of the year.  The home is designed with a slab foundation but could be modified with a framed floor if necessary.

Specifications

Details and Features

Floor Plan

Included in Construction Drawing Set

Pricing Details (FREE S&H)

Description

Every room gets lots of winter sun in this small but spacious 1140 sf plan. The bedroom arrangement makes this one a great choice for a house share situation- either renting a room or having joint ownership with friends.  The ceiling is vaulted over the entire living area, adding to the roomy feel and the South glass lets the outside in.

Specifications

Details and Features

Floor Plans

Included in Construction Drawing Set

All of Integral Design Studio’s straw bale plans incorporate an internal modified post and beam structure, with bales on edge as infill. These plans also have concrete slab or adobe floors which act as the main thermal mass. Plans may be reversed to better accommodate specific sites and design services are available for custom modifications to these existing plans for an additional hourly fee.

Pricing Details (FREE S&H)

Description

Here is a very unique home that wraps to form a private courtyard.  This design takes advantage of East and West views as well as South sun with a solar hall. The main living area has high ceilings with clerestory windows for plenty of light. A West covered porch is perfect for viewing sunsets. If private spaces are what you’re looking for, this home has it, with 3 bedrooms plus office and 2 bathrooms in a modest 2100 sq.ft.

Specifications

Details and Features

Floor Plans

Included in Construction Drawing Set

All of Integral Design Studio’s straw bale plans incorporate an internal modified post and beam structure, with bales on edge as infill. These plans also have concrete slab or adobe floors which act as the main thermal mass. Plans may be reversed to better accommodate specific sites and design services are available for custom modifications to these existing plans for an additional hourly fee.

Pricing Details (FREE S&H)

Description

This wonderful two story straw bale home was originally designed for a couple in the Rocky Mountains.  The property was situated within an aspen and spruce forest with stunning eastern views of the surrounding mountain peaks.  It features three bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms.  The master suite is on the ground floor and the two other bedrooms are upstairs.  There are decks surrounding the rear and side of the house for outdoor entertaining and appreciation.  It is great for a sloped lot or a flat lot.

Specifications

Details and Features

Floor Plans

Included in Construction Drawing Set

Pricing Details (FREE S&H)

Description

This simple cottage is perfect for a backyard retreat, studio space, meditation shelter, guest cottage or office. Designed for simplicity while still maintaining elegance, the Sunset Cottage is an ideal “first straw bale structure.” For those interested in building with straw bales, this is a great structure to get you started.

Specifications

Images

Included in Construction Drawing Set

Pricing Details (FREE S&H)