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From the outside, the building designed by Spanish architects OHLAB looks a bit like a larger version of the Popsicle House you built as a kid.
However, the wooden slats that cover the facade of Palma’s residential complex are more substantial. As the designers note on the project description page, they filter sunlight, creating changes in lighting and shadow.
It’s part of a trend among energy-efficient designers who are trying to use better materials and geometries to control the temperature of buildings. The concept, known as passive architecture, aims to achieve “rigorous levels of energy efficiency” without sacrificing comfort, according to Phius, a Chicago-based nonprofit that provides passive design training.
According to Interior Design, the Paseo Mallorca 15 complex designed by architects Paloma Hernaiz and Jaime Oliver, co-founders of OHLAB, is both beautiful and sustainable.
“If you knew it was going to pollute the environment, it might not appeal to you,” Oliver said in the story.
The designers seem to have built sustainability into this product. They say “air heating and cooling requirements” are reduced by nearly 90%, resulting in significant reductions in energy costs.
According to the description, the interior is not lacking in luxury. A green wall made of Spanish rattan welcomes visitors. The interior courtyard uses vegetation to create a cool atmosphere and features a waterfall that spans the floor. The spa, swimming pool and intricate landscaping are imbued with design descriptions that recall historical descriptions of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.
But perhaps most importantly, features such as sliding wooden slats allow residents to maximize the sun’s energy, harnessing its heat when it’s cold. When the weather is hot, the beams can be shaded to provide cooling shade. Pergolas and louvers also help with air circulation, according to the design instructions.
“These are basic principles that were lost in the last century, but it’s a smarter way to build,” Hernaiz said in the Interior Design story.
The building has an area of 38,000 square feet and has a total of 10 units. Because the building fronts three streets with different zoning rules, it creates a unique, uneven roofline that reaches as high as eight stories in some places. The top floor still has plenty of luxury amenities, including a 5,000-square-foot penthouse, according to interior design reports.
This design style also gained popularity in the United States. In Boston, city housing planners have ambitious sustainability goals. As part of the mission, public housing units are being renovated to meet passive standards.
This proves that comfort or even high style does not have to be sacrificed when we develop building concepts that improve energy use and ultimately save money.
“For us, sustainability is not just an add-on,” Elnaiz told Interiors. “It’s baked into our design decisions.”
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