Solar Decathlon
Lisa and I went to the Solar Decathlon at the National Mall yesterday. It was the last day of the Decathlon, an exhibition of solar powered, energy efficient, environmentally friendly homes. I'd never seen so many men with ponytails gathered together in one place.
As for the houses, well, the exhibition looked like a tribute to Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian homes. The homes looked like something I'd build for my Sims when I start playing the game and they have no money.
This design philosophy, which looks like it was dreamt up by lifelong homosexual bachelors for childless, professional couples, reached it's nadir with the winning entry from the Technische Universitat Darmstadt. The home is obviously an ironic (or given the dearth of famous German comedians, not so ironic) tribute to Malvina Reynold's song, "Little Boxes". Although it didn't win any prizes, a close runner up in this particular category wasThe Kansas Project Solar House (Kansas State University and University of Kansas) which looked like a highbrow trailer home for ironic hipsters that want to prove their environmental street cred.
There were quite a few bright spots in the exhibition. I'd say The Universidad Politecnica de Madrid managed to escape the curse of the Howard Roark School of Heartless Modernism. The University of Missouri - Rolla produced something that an actual suburban family with 2.5 children could live in comfortably.
Although it was a little cramped on the inside, I really liked Texas A & M University's entry. It's not a place I'd want to live in all year round, but it would make a great summer cottage. I can only assume that the giant patio was designed with the idea the the environmentally aware consumer who buys this home actually likes the great outdoors.
I wouldn't want the obviously childless German architects designing my dream home out in the suburbs, but I wouldn't object to some of the teams from the American universities (or Madrid for that matter) taking a crack at building our family home. Just remember that in Virginia, a pitched roof is necessity, and not a superfluous, bourgeois adornment.
As for the houses, well, the exhibition looked like a tribute to Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian homes. The homes looked like something I'd build for my Sims when I start playing the game and they have no money.
This design philosophy, which looks like it was dreamt up by lifelong homosexual bachelors for childless, professional couples, reached it's nadir with the winning entry from the Technische Universitat Darmstadt. The home is obviously an ironic (or given the dearth of famous German comedians, not so ironic) tribute to Malvina Reynold's song, "Little Boxes". Although it didn't win any prizes, a close runner up in this particular category wasThe Kansas Project Solar House (Kansas State University and University of Kansas) which looked like a highbrow trailer home for ironic hipsters that want to prove their environmental street cred.
There were quite a few bright spots in the exhibition. I'd say The Universidad Politecnica de Madrid managed to escape the curse of the Howard Roark School of Heartless Modernism. The University of Missouri - Rolla produced something that an actual suburban family with 2.5 children could live in comfortably.
Although it was a little cramped on the inside, I really liked Texas A & M University's entry. It's not a place I'd want to live in all year round, but it would make a great summer cottage. I can only assume that the giant patio was designed with the idea the the environmentally aware consumer who buys this home actually likes the great outdoors.
I wouldn't want the obviously childless German architects designing my dream home out in the suburbs, but I wouldn't object to some of the teams from the American universities (or Madrid for that matter) taking a crack at building our family home. Just remember that in Virginia, a pitched roof is necessity, and not a superfluous, bourgeois adornment.
Labels: Architecture, DC, Solar Decathlon
posted by Mark at
11:43 AM
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