Construction is in progress at the prototype Passive House!

Construction is in progress at Studio III Architecture’s prototype Passive House! As the foundations get their finishing touches, we reflect on how reality can force upon us design choices we wouldn’t otherwise expect. The original design called for screw pile foundations drilled into the soil as a way to float the main volume above the ground and reduce our carbon footprint by avoiding the use of concrete. Instead, bedrock covers almost all of our buildable area. And so we welcome concrete into our home, whether we want to or not. But at least no one can accuse us of building our house on sand.

Passive House in Middlebury, Vermont
Passive House in Middlebury, Vermont

L1050996 (Large) L1060011 (Large) L1060016 (Large) L1060020 (Large) L1060025 (Large) L1060030 (Large)

Studio III architects’ Hero Wednesday: The Vermont Sail Freight Project

Studio III architects' Hero Wednesday: The Vermont Sail Freight Project

Shiver me timbers!
The Vermont Sail Freight Project is this week’s hero…and our friends at the Willowell Foundation (www.willowell.org ) for sponsoring the epic journey and supporting its philosophic and physical mission. The story has been covered by many including the New Yorker magazine! The Kickstarter video is also a great intro this epic journey.


http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2013/11/video-the-farm-barge-takes-manhattan.html

and for more flavor of the trip and its daily adventures check out the blog!
http://vermontsailfreightproject.wordpress.com/
…and facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/VTSailFreight?ref=tn_tnmn

Congratulations on a successful and Heroic voyage!

Studio III architects’ Hero Wednesday: Historic Preservation – what is worth saving?

 

 

 

The question of Historic Preservation in architecture is an open ended question of What, Why, When and How, that sits at the core of this weeks Hero Blog entry…but who is the hero and who is the villain? This video spotlights the reasoning on both sides of the argument…and leaves each of us to decide for ourselves (although the decision has been made). The center piece of this video is without doubt a significant modern architectural land mark in Chicago by Betrand Goldberg….the Prentice Women’s Hospital, a landmark of the Brutalism Architecture movement. There are many things that go into establishing value, nostalgia, history, technologic feats of human endeavors…oh and money (can’t leave that little point of reason out…). What makes something worth saving or destroying?
Check it out and let us know what you think…and why!

Studio III architects’ Hero Wednesday: Historic Preservation – what is worth saving?

 

 

 

The question of Historic Preservation in architecture is an open ended question of What, Why, When and How, that sits at the core of this weeks Hero Blog entry…but who is the hero and who is the villain? This video spotlights the reasoning on both sides of the argument…and leaves each of us to decide for ourselves (although the decision has been made). The center piece of this video is without doubt a significant modern architectural land mark in Chicago by Betrand Goldberg….the Prentice Women’s Hospital, a landmark of the Brutalism Architecture movement. There are many things that go into establishing value, nostalgia, history, technologic feats of human endeavors…oh and money (can’t leave that little point of reason out…). What makes something worth saving or destroying?
Check it out and let us know what you think…and why!

Studio III architects’ Hero Wednesday: Ecovative Design

This week’s hero is something or a re-do….but these guys are amazing and have a lot of thoughts about our future…and ideas on how we fix it!!
Everyone loves a video right…well check these out. They are called Ecovative, http://www.ecovativedesign.com/
RPI grads that started up a little company…and check out their TED talks!

Bio Tech that works in your own compost!
Renewable in 5 days!!
These guys are a company to keep an eye on…and heros

Studio III architects' Hero Wednesday
Studio III architects’ Hero Wednesday: Ecovative Design