Student Work
1∕3
Title
NYC Butterfly House
Project Description
New York City has a complicated climate to design for, with a short, hot summer, a frigid winter, and extreme variability in between. The goal of our design is to integrate a sophisticated approach to the building’s systems with a nuanced and comfortable domestic space. The home’s main feature is a multi-purpose butterfly roof, which addresses solar collection, rainwater harvesting, and is calibrated to keep out direct summer-sun. In the winter, the roof and the water heat-sink on the interior address the number of heating degree days in NYC by passively heating the small space. By creating areas for socializing as well as privacy, we are making the statement that emergency-relief shelter can be bespoke, especially given that its occupation can be for decades at a time.