Active House

In 2012, Velux held the Active House contest. The participants had to present their vision of an active house in modern Russian realities, adjusted for climatic and environmental conditions. The project of MAParchitects was among the finalists.

The bureau proposed a redesign of a traditional Russian wooden house, which functioned on the principles of an energy-efficient active house. The architects proposed the use of standard materials and elements, and straw for thermal insulation. This makes the active house not only cost effective, but also environmentally friendly.

The house is built as a traditional Russian wooden house composition: two slopes, three symmetrical windows on the facade, and a stove in the center. It is not quite a Russian stove; it is a fireplace with a long chimney on which all floors, including the attic, are «layered». A staircase “curls” around the pipe and a similar neighborhood looks like a beautiful vertical dominant element inside the house.