Palisades Glacier Mountain Hut Competition

The goal was to produce a new concept for the mountain hut, a relatively large structure that typically features shared sleeping and toilet facilities. Designs were to incorporate sustainable solutions to reduce consumption and pollution, while maintaining a strong wilderness experience for 60 to 80 people using the hut.

The sun's path orientated the cabins solar "generating cells" which are plugged into the south facing solar "receiver blanket" for energy. The recycling "supply core" is placed central to the functional requirements of the occupants and the north-west facing walls are shaped to capture the predominant wind flows.The sustainability atrium is comprised of three main elements. The vertical solar aquatic portion allows raw sewage to be pumped to the top tanks and through gravitational flow go through the various stages of vegetation and organism treatment to provide usable "gray" water.

The second element is the roof top rain water collection tank that is gravity fed and treated for usable cooking, cleaning and showering water use. The remaining storage tanks are used for composting waste. Power is generated from the individual cabin transparent solar cell ridge and corridor transparent solar cell blanket which are oriented to capture all angles of the solar path to generate energy. These panels are also operable for natural ventilation and solar heat gain. Natural ventilation is achieved by sculpting the cast-in place/tile up concrete walls to capture the north and west winds. Angles and heights of the walls are varied to increase and channel the flow of the wind. Side wall vents and the operable solar skylight panels allow for supply and demand regulation.