For the first project of Design Studio IV, students were given eight weeks to design a futuristic passive home in Danby, VT. This project was to include a main house along with two guest houses, and was to have a strong focus on passive design.

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The main house is a 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom residence. The clients for this project already owned a site with amazing views and wanted to take advantage of them. To take advantage of this site, the main house steps down with the topography and maximizes the views to the Northeast.

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The clients also wanted two guest houses on their property. One house is a two bedroom home while the other is a three bedroom home. The guest houses were designed to fit in with the main house, while still having their own separate design solution.

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Passive techniques used in this project include, but are not limited to: southern orientation, minimal land disruption, alternative energy options, thermal envelope construction, material selection, and maximizing daylight through the use of clerestory windows, all while keeping the views barrier-free.