azalea project

project description

Azalea is a sustainable dwelling project. The goal is to preserve two of the most important elements of the Valencian Community: its orchard and its typical house, the Barraca. The proposal focuses on adapting this traditional dwelling to today’s everyday life, basing each of the changes on a profound respect for the original building. The project is presented as a typology which works as a nexus between urban and natural living surroundings, respectfully weaving the city limits. The result is a house of nearly 70m² and 7m height where the organizational philosophy consists of one compact strip that encompasses all service areas (bathroom, kitchen, machines room and bedroom), leaving most of the space as a diaphanous and flexible area.
Azalea is made entirely, from the design to the construction, by the Team. Azalea, more than a house, has become a home.

key features

• Tradition: Only by considering the roots can we look to the future. Azalea is based on the Barraca, the typical farmer’s house, centuries old in the region, which has become one of the symbols of the city of Valencia.
• Innovation: The prototype, besides including all the facilities of a contemporary house, incorporates new technologies and materials that make Azalea a cutting-edge dwelling which demonstrates that tradition and innovation can go together.
• Self-sufficiency: Thanks to the energy production of the solar panels, the dwelling is completely energy-independent, capable even of generating more energy than necessary.
• Modular design: Due to the nature of the competition, the joints have been conceived to keep an optimus mechanical performance and guarantee insulation continuity.
• Energy efficiency: The cleanest energy is the one that is not produced. That is why the dwelling includes multiple passive strategies that create a minimal energy demand.

applied innovative technologies

• Microencapsulated phase change material that can absorb or release heat and keep its temperature constant.
• Motorized slats located in the south façade, automatically adjusting its openness allowing natural light to enter while avoiding beam radiation and overheating.
• Innovative energy control system, able to sell or store electricity depending on the real consumption of the user. It also counts with a revolutionary system of hybrid panels, capable of producing electricity and hot water in a single panel.
• Motorized windows, with East and West orientation, are auto matically regulated depending on inside and outside temperatures, playing a key role in natural daytime and nocturnal ventilation as well as in suction chimney strategy, both for passive cooling purposes.
• The dwelling includes a home automation control system which allows the user to control the lights and climate system. All this can be done thanks to an App.