A private Piece of Natureby Maike Burk | 19.08.2015

Edgeland Residence

The Edgeland Residence is really no ordinary house: buried seven metres in the ground, it seems to be trying to hide itself. At first sight, one only recognizes grass – an attic appears below.

Edge and Pit

The architects of Bercy Chen Studio were inspired in designing this earth house by one of the oldest architectural typologies of North America – the so-called pit house. Like the Edgeland Residence, this traditional house is often buried in the ground, utilizing the advantages of geothermal energy. The insulated green roof of the Edgeland Residence works as a warming cover that additionally protects from rain and wind. Due to the embedding in the earth, the interior of the building has a constant climate – pleasant warm in winter, cool in summer. The reason for this is that the temperature of the soil scarcely changes under the layer of frost. By these constant temperatures, 80 % of the energy costs can be saved.

Cure in Industrial Wasteland

The building rests on an old industrial wasteland. Hence, the project conveys a symbolic value, because the architects consider the dwelling house as a kind of reconciliation between nature and an area with an industrial past. The roof planting was done in cooperation with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. More than 40 local plants and wildflowers were planted here as an homage to the local ecosystem.

No dark Hole

Buried seven metres in the ground – that sounds like darkness. By splitting the room arrangement into two building parts, the architects still managed to get a lot of light into the interior. Sleeping and living oppose each other as two volumes with extensive glass fronts. The connection between the two is created via the outdoor area. Apart from this, the volumes shield the area around the building and create a kind of a courtyard – like a private piece of natural space. In addition to this, there is a swimming pool which works as an extended thermal mass for heat storage. The facility is like a private and protected outdoor area where the residents may embrace nature.