On 10 acres in Ponca Hills, just north of Omaha, Randy Brown masterminded an eco-oriented expansion for himself, his wife, and their two sons. He says he calls the 5,100-square-foot result the Laboratory, because it's “an ongoing experiment in construction and research.” While the family lived in the existing 1950's ranch house, the architect and students from various architecture programs spent four summers designing and building several additions. Subfloors and roof decking are panels of compressed wheat straw. Scrap lumber appears throughout, from the staircase to a bathroom's student-designed toilet screen. Rainwater and gray water are collected for irrigation. Large windows and glass doors promote daylighting, natural ventilation, and visual connection to the wooded landscape.
On 10 acres in Ponca Hills, just north of Omaha, Randy Brown masterminded an eco-oriented expansion for himself, his wife, and their two sons. He says he calls the 5,100-square-foot result the Laboratory, because it's “an ongoing experiment in construction and research.” While the family lived in the existing 1950's ranch house, the architect and students from various architecture programs spent four summers designing and building several additions. Subfloors and roof decking are panels of compressed wheat straw. Scrap lumber appears throughout, from the staircase to a bathroom's student-designed toilet screen. Rainwater and gray water are collected for irrigation. Large windows and glass doors promote daylighting, natural ventilation, and visual connection to the wooded landscape.
