Toronto
Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) in collaboration with The Design
Exchange (Dx) hosted a national competition in 2006 for design of the
Archetype House to be built at TRCA's Kortright Centre in 2007. The Archetype House was to
demonstrate a practical, economic and easily-reproduced home that was
energy efficient and environmentally-friendly, geared to Toronto's
climate and demographics.
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MC2=E House with Landscape
on 45’ x 90’ lot.
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The design team
of Martin Liefhebber of Breathe Architects in Toronto and Brad Peterson
of edc in Guelph entered the design competition with the MC2=E
House and Landscape. The
Liefhebber/Peterson team came second in the overall competition,
receiving the Green Innovation Award for advancement of environmental
principles in the design of sustainable housing and eco-community.
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East elevation shows orientation of house on lot in neighbourhood.
Solar orientation affects positioning of such
elements as the flex garage, privacy screens and berms.
Click the picture to open a PDF version.
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Several
parameters were fixed in the competition, including general lot
location, lot size, and house size.
The MC2=E house
design achieved LEED Platinum standard with an overall energy use
reduction of 75% of average contemporary housing.
The south-facing roof features a
neighbourhood-integrated 3 KW PV panel and solar hot water system. Other house features are
noted below, however an emphasis is placed on landscape solutions that
promote energy and resource use efficiency and integration into the
presumed eco-community.
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Landscape plan featuring permaculture design principles,
considerations for organic production, nutrient management and zero lot
runoff.
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Integration of the MC2=E house and landscape lot
to the TRCA Kortright site.
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Educational
pathway system with indoor and outdoor interpretive nodes.
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Public
education of the environmental principles present in the MC2=E
House were considered a high priority.
A planned pathway through the home and
landscape, with various stops or interpretive nodes, provides a means
for informing large numbers of people.
Rooms within the home itself are used as
workshop and seminar spaces.
Below is a
further exercise in how the MC2=E house and
landscape fits into a presumed eco-village community.
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Integration
of the MC2=E house and landscape lot into a
presumed eco-village setting.
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Cross sections of street hierarchy within the eco-village.
Click the picture to open a PDF version.
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