I just wanted to say that I recently found your Substack and have been really enjoying it. My wife and I have been looking at buying some land with family and this has provided plenty of food for thought.
We hope to build a passive solar home in southern Portugal in the next few years, so I’m soaking up as much information as I can on basic design principles: solar, aesthetic, architectural - thanks for sharing what informs your practice! (I too love Sarah Susankah’s books - she has made architectural principles accessible: “Home by Design” is my go-to as I think things through, with 6 chapters on light alone.) Walking around many of the monasteries in Portugal was highly instructive as well when it came to outdoor and in-between spaces - coming from Canada, it’s hard to imagine being able to use outdoor spaces year-round, but I’m really looking forward to it! I tend to think from the inside-out: what makes a room beautiful, comfortable, inviting, and functional? I will definitely incorporate these circadian ideas, some of which I hadn’t considered, particularly re Mediterranean climate outdoor living spaces.
What is your take on using ICF’s? Wood being more problematic due to both insects and forest fires in Portugal? Personally, I’d go with straw-bale SIPs or rammed earth (I too read Wrath of Gnon!) but we have to consider costs and labour availability, and the notorious bureaucracy… still researching!
Thank you for the comment! I'll have to read even more of Susankah's books!
Mediterranean is the best climate, you can almost spend all year outside, maybe 9-10 months or so. It is where the courtyards, outdoor rooms, porticos etc. came to be in the first place.
I don't like ICF-s because they are just not healthy and not natural. They close people in a plastic envelope that emanates VOCs and all kinds of unhealthy stuff we don't even know what does to our body.
Most of my designs are done with CLT - Cross Laminated Timber that is essentially massive wood panels that are miles better than conventional timber frame. If you live in a dryer part of Portugal, rammed earth can go a long way but it takes a good, experienced craftsman to do it properly, durably.
My understanding is that the EPS in ICFs is inert, and doesn’t outgas? That it’s the same thing used in grocery store meat trays? (Not that this is my standard for safety!)
I looked up CLT - the panels look good for more modern designs, but are you referring to beams made in this fashion that can then be used for timber framed designs and more traditional and vernacular designs? A style I absolutely love that has a Mediterranean influence is this one:
Way outside my budget, lol, but I love the organic flow of materials, light, space, and colours. I imagine there’s more than one way to achieve this style of building, so I’m investigating options. Thank you for your responses - I am an avid learner, and truly appreciate it!
I think you can achieve this style you linked in a smaller home too, very good looking.
The fact that CLT is used for modern designs does not mean you can’t use it for more traditional home builds.
And yes, I often combine it with the traditional timber framing details and methods.
Regarding, ICF: it’s just not a healthy option. It’s a completely plastic house after all, inside and out. Why would you want to live in a plastic bubble all the time? Do you wear plastic clothes 100% of the time on all over your body?
I may be harsh but I just can’t tolerate how unhealthy materials are wrapped in greenwash marketing.
I was indeed concerned about greenwashing... (And I admit to often wearing head-to-toe synthetic fleece during our cold winters, so perhaps I am indeed wearing plastic?! ☺️) I will keep looking for truly green alternatives that are viable in Portugal, from the point of view of cost, material availability, local labour capacities, permits, mortgages, insurance, etc - no easy task!
Well done for this post. I didn't know about John Perlin, thanks! I've recently come across a fantastic book on the subject of natural lighting in architecture called Visual delight in architecture, by Lisa Heschong. I think you'll like it: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57521525-visual-delight-in-architecture
Hello,
I just wanted to say that I recently found your Substack and have been really enjoying it. My wife and I have been looking at buying some land with family and this has provided plenty of food for thought.
Thank you, Nathan. If you think I can be of help with design or consultation services, don't hesitate to send me a mail! solarchitect@substack.com
We hope to build a passive solar home in southern Portugal in the next few years, so I’m soaking up as much information as I can on basic design principles: solar, aesthetic, architectural - thanks for sharing what informs your practice! (I too love Sarah Susankah’s books - she has made architectural principles accessible: “Home by Design” is my go-to as I think things through, with 6 chapters on light alone.) Walking around many of the monasteries in Portugal was highly instructive as well when it came to outdoor and in-between spaces - coming from Canada, it’s hard to imagine being able to use outdoor spaces year-round, but I’m really looking forward to it! I tend to think from the inside-out: what makes a room beautiful, comfortable, inviting, and functional? I will definitely incorporate these circadian ideas, some of which I hadn’t considered, particularly re Mediterranean climate outdoor living spaces.
What is your take on using ICF’s? Wood being more problematic due to both insects and forest fires in Portugal? Personally, I’d go with straw-bale SIPs or rammed earth (I too read Wrath of Gnon!) but we have to consider costs and labour availability, and the notorious bureaucracy… still researching!
Would love to see a list of your favourite books!
I will do a recommendation list of books very soon! Stay tuned!
Thank you for the comment! I'll have to read even more of Susankah's books!
Mediterranean is the best climate, you can almost spend all year outside, maybe 9-10 months or so. It is where the courtyards, outdoor rooms, porticos etc. came to be in the first place.
I don't like ICF-s because they are just not healthy and not natural. They close people in a plastic envelope that emanates VOCs and all kinds of unhealthy stuff we don't even know what does to our body.
Most of my designs are done with CLT - Cross Laminated Timber that is essentially massive wood panels that are miles better than conventional timber frame. If you live in a dryer part of Portugal, rammed earth can go a long way but it takes a good, experienced craftsman to do it properly, durably.
And these are the panels that caught my attention recently: https://ecococon.eu/ca
I know them. It is a good quality technology that can be used for smaller solar passive house buildings.
My understanding is that the EPS in ICFs is inert, and doesn’t outgas? That it’s the same thing used in grocery store meat trays? (Not that this is my standard for safety!)
I looked up CLT - the panels look good for more modern designs, but are you referring to beams made in this fashion that can then be used for timber framed designs and more traditional and vernacular designs? A style I absolutely love that has a Mediterranean influence is this one:
https://giannettihome.com/blogs/interiors/patina-farm
Way outside my budget, lol, but I love the organic flow of materials, light, space, and colours. I imagine there’s more than one way to achieve this style of building, so I’m investigating options. Thank you for your responses - I am an avid learner, and truly appreciate it!
I think you can achieve this style you linked in a smaller home too, very good looking.
The fact that CLT is used for modern designs does not mean you can’t use it for more traditional home builds.
And yes, I often combine it with the traditional timber framing details and methods.
Regarding, ICF: it’s just not a healthy option. It’s a completely plastic house after all, inside and out. Why would you want to live in a plastic bubble all the time? Do you wear plastic clothes 100% of the time on all over your body?
I may be harsh but I just can’t tolerate how unhealthy materials are wrapped in greenwash marketing.
I was indeed concerned about greenwashing... (And I admit to often wearing head-to-toe synthetic fleece during our cold winters, so perhaps I am indeed wearing plastic?! ☺️) I will keep looking for truly green alternatives that are viable in Portugal, from the point of view of cost, material availability, local labour capacities, permits, mortgages, insurance, etc - no easy task!
I wish you patience on your journey, may you find easy solutions for your hard building
problems. :D
Well done for this post. I didn't know about John Perlin, thanks! I've recently come across a fantastic book on the subject of natural lighting in architecture called Visual delight in architecture, by Lisa Heschong. I think you'll like it: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57521525-visual-delight-in-architecture
Thank you very much for the suupport! Will check this book out, looks promising!