SEE OUR WORK   HIRE US   SMILE   CONTACT US   GET OUR ADVICE

Extruded | Minneapolis | Minnesota
Excessive hardscapes in urban environments are detrimental in many ways. Hardscapes, like buildings, sidewalks and streets, prevent water from naturally being absorbed by the land. And when too much water fills the storm sewer, it can overflow causing rivers and lakes to become contaminated. Add to that the heat island effect and minimizing hardscapes becomes a crucial component of sustainability in the urban landscape.

Nearly invisible from the sky, this house in Uptown is conceived of as an extrusion of the land, with each roof surface treated as green and/or outdoor living space of some type. The garage holds an edible garden, solar thermal heat panels, and a small patio. The patio extends over the utility link between the house and garage. The main house is covered with succulants and other drought tolerant species.

In addition, a double layer galvanized steel skin is designed to act as a rainscreen and living wall. The first layer is a simple, but deep corrugation. The second is a large perforated steel with openings sized large enough for plant life to grow in between.