A Recipe to Live the 2011 Winner of the International University Architectural Competition

Three students from Waseda University designed a fabulous eco-friendly straw house inspired by farm aesthetics. The straw house won the 2011 International University Architectural Competition and the completed building stands in Japan's Hokkaido Prefecture in a town where the dairy business is predominant. The title of the project is "A Recipe to Live" and the changing aesthetics also follow the change in the diary season.

During the summer months, the addition of wet hay bales along the sides allows for a effect where when the bale dries, it releases cool moisture into the house, allowing for a natural cooling effect. It also doubles as a form of storage for these hay bales as well, showing the absolute functional abilities of this house. During the winter months, the microbes in these hay bales form a sort of air bubble stop and allows it serve as a form of ventilation. Because this house is located in a dairy farm, the hay bales for this type of operation is plenty. This is an cost-efficienct form of heating the house during the harsh Hokkaido winter.

This image shows the man changing the hay bales; these transparent windows also makes different window placement create different lighting over the year, creating a dynamic interior lighting. This picture shows a man changing the bales in the house.

The hay bales don't just line outside; they also line the interior of the house. Because this meant to be an eco-friendly house; the interior is lined with plywood that highlight three colors; dark brown, white and light brown to form a balanced color combination that shows the sophistication of this design. Because of these three combinations, the build cost of this simple combination is also kept to an minimum.

By examining this floor plan, it's a single family house with ample space for the family life. These bare necessities are what keeps the ratio of hay bales to interior surface area consistent and what allows this design to be cost-efficient and comfortable. Even still, the occupants of this building are likely to be farmers or someone involved in the dairy business. The aesthetics, functionality and interior design combine together to create a trifecta of intelligent architectural design. I can understand why these Waseda architectural students are able to win the competition. I really like this project, and I hope to see more examples of this kind of fusion of architecture and engineering together.