The engineering diploma "Low-carbon housing estate for families of agricultural workers" by Dominika Bednarek has been awarded in the international Architecture at Zero competition. Out of 180 submitted projects from 35 countries, the work of the Pole won in the category of student projects. The concept was recognized for its simple, accessible architecture, detailed design analysis and passive solutions.
The Architecture at Zero competition is organized annually by American associations and institutions, including: Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) and the American Institiute of Architects California (AIA CA). The goal of the competition is to promote low-carbon, zero-energy buildings that meet the requirements of the California Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards. In addition to the architectural study, participants are required to prepare a technical section describing the environmentally friendly ideas and strategies used in the project. They are to respond to climate change and extreme temperatures, provide comfortable living conditions for residents. The competition is aimed at both professionals and students, and they are judged in separate categories.
The competition settlement was to include 105 apartments located on a relatively small plot of land
© Dominika Bednarek
housing estate for californian farmers
The theme of the 2021-2022 edition was the design of a housing development in the city of Visalia in the California Valley for people employed in the agricultural sector. The development was to include a total of 105 housing units - varying in size. They were to provide an attractive alternative both architecturally and economically for Visalia residents. The facilities had to comply with California standards for zero-energy and harsh climatic conditions. The competition required an energy audit to be calculated, showing the effect of low-carbon treatments. The design of a community house and a recreational complex with a multipurpose field and playground were also required to create a friendly place for residents to live. Confronting the prevailing climate and frequent fires was also a key issue.
The estate is located in the California town of Visalia
© Dominika Bednarek
winning student of Wroclaw University of Technology
The works submitted for the competition were evaluated by a jury consisting of: Lance Collins (AIA architect, LEED specialist),Siboney Díaz-Sánche (RA architect, NOMA), Mary Ann Lazarus (architect, consultant at Cameron MacAllister Group, CMG team member), Dr. Paul Torcellini (National Renewable Energy Laboratory), Allison Grace Williams (FAIA, AGWms_studio). In the category intended for professionals, the winner was the Puentes Visalia project by Passive House BB studio, while in the student category was the Urbanvillage project by Dominika Bednarek from the Faculty of Architecture at the Wroclaw University of Technology. The work was done under the direction of Dr. Pawel Kirschke, and the author of the energy consumption calculations is Andrzej Kaczmarek.
There were several elements in Urbanvillage 's design that impressed the jury. The first is the impression of affordability. The objects are also simple in construction. The author paid a lot of attention to decarbonization and renewable energy sources. Calculated energy consumption has been integrated with energy harvesting solutions [...]. The project integrates passive solutions, and the design decisions made are well documented, both the idea and graphical oracownnie of the project are clear. The proposal, thanks to its composition, is not monotonous - the form of the buildings, their arrangement, as well as the arrangement of the patio have been well thought out, and the facades have been diversified thanks to the interesting arrangement of woodwork," reads the jury's justification.
The estate was divided into six quarters
© Dominika Bednarek
a friendly place to live
The design of the estate in Visalia was preceded by an analysis of the site and after considering the needs of the residents. The author referred to local traditions, and the simple architecture makes the complex a friendly place to live. Thanks to the development of the common area, the estate provides space for neighborhood integration for people of all age ranges. On the other hand, numerous terraces, greenhouses and the arrangement of vegetation between the buildings guarantee contact with nature.
The author has arranged a total of 105 apartments, diversified in terms of area, on a relatively small plot of land. The proposed buildings have two and three above-ground floors and one small underground floor, housing technical functions. The masses of the individual buildings are locally lowered and replaced by a usable terrace, so as to provide better light in all the units, as well as to reconstruct the originalbiologically active area .
in addition to residential buildings, the author designed small greenhouses
© Dominika Bednarek
The basic urban planning decision of the architect, was to give the buildings the form of mini-quarters. They have a semi-open form, which facilitates their ventilation. In addition to residential buildings, their structure is complemented by small greenhouses. The author led two road axes in the directions north-south and east-west, dividing the whole area into three parts. In this way she obtained six quarters, consisting of three residential modules, combining one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. At the center of the complex is a community building with recreational areas. It includes a 3×3 basketball court, a playground, an outdoor gym and a barbecue meeting place.
Each quarter consists of three residential modules
© Dominika Bednarek
sustainable architecture
All of the designed buildings, through the use of sustainable architecture solutions, are adapted to the climatic conditions of California. The student used both natural building materials and advanced eco-friendly systems.
They reduce the negative effects of harsh weather conditions while taking advantage of their positive aspects. Energy balance calculations carried out on the basis of a model building show the effectiveness of the solutions used. The project is intended to promote sustainable design with respect for the environment. Climate analyses have shown that the greatest energy gains can be achieved using solar energy. The prevalence of sunny days throughout the year and relatively low cloud cover can bring many benefits. I used an extensive system of photovoltaic panels and an innovative perovskite system. It used transparent glass cells that let the sun's rays into the interior and provide good illumination while harvesting solar energy. They are flexible, extremely thin, and also very lightweight. This modern method has great potential for application and is increasingly being used. It was used, for example, on the facade of the Aliplast factory in Lublin," explains Dominika.
Passive walls of buildings were made of hemp concrete
© Dominika Bednarek
lots of greenery and hemp concrete
Due to frequent droughts in California, the architect decided to make maximum use of rainwater. All buildings on the estate were equipped with rainwater tanks. In addition, small shaded water tanks were introduced throughout the estate to store and reuse water - thus improving the microclimate of the surrounding area.
The vegetation used in the project was adapted to the climatic conditions. The student chose succulents that store water and are resistant to harsh weather conditions. The estate also has gardens and greenhouses where residents could grow fruits and vegetables - mainly citrus, olives and grapes. The designer introduced tall greenery to shade the apartments and open spaces, and designed green roofs. Parking spaces and some traffic areas were made of permeable, non-degradable surfaces.
numerous sustainable architecture solutions
© Dominika Bednarek
In constructing the residential buildings, Dominika used a passive wall system. They were made of hemp concrete - a good insulator, eliminating all thermal bridges.
Its extremely valuable feature is also its negative carbon footprint - it is the only one of the building materials that tends to absorb excess carbon dioxide from the environment. It is a renewable building material, increasing biodiversity. Hemp concrete allows natural ventilation of the walls, improves the microclimate in the interiors, and prevents the growth of mold by absorbing excess moisture from the walls due to its high vapor permeability. It is also a non-flammable material, which is very important in California's climatic conditions, the author explains.
