Designed by Teke Architects Office, an off-grid structure can adapt to meet the different needs of its tenants.
Designed by Turkish architecture practice Teke Architects Office, a newly completed, modular home on the coast of Turkey uses recycled materials and can be rearranged to suit the different needs of its users. Intended to “bring beauty into the daily lives of its tenants”, the simple yet flexible home spans 50 square metres and consists of two untreated Larch timber frames with an enclosure between them.
The structural frames and the enclosure define the shell of the home, while its interior core consists of a separately constructed service pod with amenities and storage space. The pod houses the bathroom and kitchen, as well as additional storage space.
For the exterior decks, manually operated timber shades offer protection throughout the day, as well as a variety of micro-climatic outdoor experiences according to the sun and wind conditions. With glazing on all of its sides, the building allows for visual transparency and creates a sense of openness and continuity between indoors and outdoors.
According to the architects, the structural Larch-wood frames and the enclosure panels were prefabricated and mounted on site, reducing installation time. The steep gable-roof cover, which consists of wood, aluminium and copper, is a passive climatic control surface. Simultaneously, the thermal insulation and waterproofed panel finish, which sits above the roof structure, offers efficient passive control and reduction of heat gain. It achieves this by creating continuous air movement and shading.
The roof also contains photovoltaic and solar panels, which the architects integrated as part of the home’s design language. The panels produce electricity as well as heat water.
Inside, a simple and open plan allows natural daylight to drench the spaces, while also generating air ventilation. Air circulates beneath the unit as well, as the floor is lifted above ground in order to remain cool. Complementing the interior layout are the transparent surfaces, which were designed to receive maximum daylight and minimise the need for artificial lighting.
