A Greek architecture firm has designed a home that combines concepts found in nature with the elegant lines of stealth aircraft. The result is a stunning structure unlike any other.
As detailed by Designboom, the team at Design Over The Norms drew inspiration for Stealth House from the history of the land on which it is built. Once used to cultivate pomegranates and vineyards, the hill near Patras now features the duplex home.
A natural color scheme helps Stealth House blend into the environment, while a subterranean level is perfectly suited for hot and dry summers. As noted by the web magazine, the underground rooms are cool and have a stable temperature all year round.
Instead of relying on dirty fuels for its energy needs, Stealth House uses geothermal energy, a clean, renewable source of power that pulls heat directly from Earth.
This sustainability strategy doesn't just help keep the air pristine, reducing air pollution from dirty energy associated with one in five deaths worldwide in 2018, according to a Harvard study; it is also a surefire way to lower utility bills.
The U.S. Department of Energy notes that geothermal heat pumps alone can cut power bills by as much as 65% compared to conventional heating and cooling solutions. Per Designboom, Stealth House depends on geothermal energy for heating, cooling, irrigation, and potable water.
Each duplex has a private pool and three bedrooms and can house up to six people. The design firm also ensured the units' spacious layouts were well-ventilated and took advantage of the scenic views in the area, including of the Ionian Sea.
"The careful positioning of these spaces not only enhances privacy but also integrates seamlessly with the hill's natural contours," Designboom wrote.
The accomplishment is yet another example of the benefits of working with nature rather than against it.
One passive home designed specifically to handle the hot climate in Los Angeles turned to solar panels for its energy needs and generates more power than it needs. In Houston, the city's first-ever certified passive building has a green roof that supports pollinators and improves climate resilience by retaining stormwater.
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