The No Footprint Wood House is located along the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Its bioclimatic design integrates with the surrounding lush tropical forests and natural habitat. The client of the house asked for an open and “breathing” structure that would allow for complete integration with the local climate. In response to this idea, we developed a laminated teak wood system in collaboration with a Swiss-Costa Rican company. The process resulted in a systemic kit of parts, including columns, beams, panels and connectors. Besides the creation of the innovative material components, an important part of the project includes the training of workers from the construction industry to engage with the innovative building techniques. The wooden prototype forms part of the multi-award winning No Footprint House (NFH) series, which proposes climate-responsive building variations that are all based on passive design strategies such as site-specific positioning and the use of natural resources. Industrial building techniques and prefabricated components are combined with locally harvested and regenerative construction materials to create a systemic approach to sustainable construction.
Bio A-01 is an interdisciplinary network organization for the development of integrally sustainable solutions. In a globally urbanizing society, we work at the borderline of city and countryside or help identifying new synergies between the urban and rural domain. Our work methodology is designed to break the boundaries of a single professional perspective in order to allow for a holistic approach that shapes our products. We envision a long-term impact that involves economic growth, a high quality spatial surrounding, a responsible use of natural resources and an equal social development.
Other prizes Various awards for different projects worldwide, including a total of 22 international awards for the No Footprint House (NFH).
