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WILLIAM KATAVOLOS 2013-2014

School of Architecture, Center for Experimental Structures

Work by William Katavolos
Work by William Katavolos
Work by William Katavolos
Work by William Katavolos
Work by William Katavolos
Work by William Katavolos

HOUSE FARM

The house farm is a bio-factory that we live off as we live in it. For the occupants it is their occupation. The house farm is an acre of architecture. One inch of rain on that acre is 27,000 gallons of potable water that is stored. The sun on that acre is 7,260 kilowatts per hour that is stored. The core of the complex is an augmented solar pond derived from the salt wastes that are produced by the freezing of brine to create fresh water. The solar pond around the perimeter of the roof truss radiates heat from the house farm to the night sky producing morning ice and cold water for refrigeration. The living space exists beneath the hydroponic gardens in the attic above and fishponds in the cellar below. The wall envelopes are bioreactors that produce algae. The furniture is water filled to produce flex and vibration for sustained seating. The biodigesters dispose of household and human wastes, turning it into biogas and soil. The house farm is a franchise that leases unusable land and loans it out to people who biofacture their own food, fuel and pharmaceuticals. It is an architecture that produces a profit.

Computer Modeling: Ajmal Aqtash, Hyungjoon Kim, Alex Vasilyev