http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuLdpQ-H_iQ
Project: House 3098 Village: Shep Mun Kap Village Location: Tung Chung, Lantau Island, Hong Kong Area: 700 sqft Completion year: 2012 Developer: Oceanic Properties Limited Architect: HEAD Architecture Contact: Mark Panckhurst Website: www.headarchitecture.com Photographer: Graham Uden
Introduction
When the Hong Kong’s Small House Policy was introduced in 1972, it was intended to improve the standard of housing in rural areas of the New Territories.
Working within the guidelines for allowable footprint, height and constructional methods, HEAD Architecture created a flexible modular typology which can be applied to any village house.
Many Hong Kong rural villages suffer from ad-hoc planning. With houses in close proximity, views are often blocked, and privacy restricted. To alleviate this common problem, HEAD have turned the views inward, enabling the house to feel relaxed and private, even in the most densely populated village setting.
Central to HEAD’s design is a triple height Dining Room, which connects all internal spaces together. In traditional village houses, the lower floors are often dark, with little natural light. In HEAD’s design, the Dining Room benefits from an 8 square metre clear glass skylight, which allows light to penetrate deep into the building. This atrium is a dramatic and visible focus for the home.
Environmental Considerations
The house embraces passive solar design. The large windows and open plan enable sunlight to penetrate into the building, thus reducing artificial lighting requirements.
The triple height space enables stack-effect ventilation, reducing the requirements for active air conditioning. This is further enhanced with the distribution of ceiling fans through the house.
Renewable materials including bamboo flooring have been used where possible. Energy efficient LED lighting has been installed throughout the home.
The house has been readied for the future installation of a Zigbee communication system. This network device enables intelligent control of home entertainment, lighting, air conditioning and security systems.
The rooftop has waterproofing, irrigation and drainage ready for the future installation of a green lawn roof. This will help absorb heat and reduce solar gain on the upper floors.
The Way Forward
Together with their partners, HEAD are already preparing to build a second house. As subsequent houses are built, HEAD will continue to refine the details of the standard module. Such refinements will include additional green features such as solar energy water heaters and solar panels.
HEAD hopes that, by creating a design which is flexible to suit many different village situations, these houses will provide an affordable solution, which enhances the quality of life in Hong Kong’s rural villages.
About HEAD Architecture
HEAD Architecture was established in Hong Kong in 2000 by a group of Architects, designers and project managers who shared the common goal of the pursuit of excellence in architectural design and project management. Their scope of experience broadly covers all aspects of projects from inception, through brief development, conceptual and developed design, tendering and construction supervision.
HEAD has been involved in a diverse range of architectural projects ranging from low-rise residential developments to high rise hotel projects and has experience in residential, hospitality, educational, research and development, production and mixed-use architectural projects throughout South-East Asia. While focusing primarily on residential and hospitality projects, we have also been involved with projects for residential clubhouses, church projects, food courts and the refurbishment of existing buildings.
HEAD Architecture and Design Limited 17/F Casey Building, 38 Lok Ku Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong.
Tel: +852 2869 5725 Fax: +852 2578 4230 email: [email protected], [email protected] Wed: www.headarchitecture.com
