Solar Umbrella house facts for kids
The Solar Umbrella House is a special home in Venice, Los Angeles, California. It was changed to use active and passive solar energy. This helps the house work almost completely without needing power from the main electrical grid (the big network that supplies electricity to homes).
The idea for this house came from another famous house called the Umbrella House, designed by Paul Rudolph in 1953. The Solar Umbrella House was originally a small bungalow, about 60 square meters (650 square feet). In 2005, the owners added more space, about 107 square meters (1,150 square feet). After these changes, the house became almost 100% energy neutral. This means it produces nearly all the energy it needs itself!
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About the Solar Umbrella House
The Solar Umbrella House gets 95% of its electricity from the sun. This amazing design was inspired by the 1953 Umbrella House. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) even named it one of the top ten green projects in 2006.
Award-winning architects Lawrence Scarpa and Angela Brooks from the firm Brooks + Scarpa designed the remodel. Their work on the Solar Umbrella House shows a new way of building modern homes in California. Because it uses both passive and active solar design, the house uses almost no outside energy.
Richard Koshalek, a former museum director, called the Solar Umbrella an important house. He said that a new group of architects wants to create buildings that are good for the environment. He believes Mr. Scarpa and Ms. Brooks are leading this exciting trend.
How the House Was Designed
The Solar Umbrella House was built by adding to a bungalow from the 1920s. The architects kept the original shape of the bungalow. They also used a clever trick because the property goes from one street to another. They switched the front and back of the house.
This change allowed the house to face south, which is perfect for catching sunlight with its solar panels. It also connected the living area to the garden at the back. So, one side of the house has the modern solar panels facing a street, while the other side keeps the quiet, original look of the bungalow.
Connecting Inside and Outside
A key idea for the house's design was to blend the inside and outside spaces. This creates cool ways to experience the whole environment around the house. There's a simple, elegant concrete swimming pool along one side of the garden. It helps link the outdoor garden to the house.
The living room has big glass doors that slide open to the garden. This makes the boundary between inside and outside almost disappear! The roof of solar panels also creates a covered area. From the second floor, you can look down at the garden from this shaded spot.
Eco-Friendly Features
The Solar Umbrella House is designed to fit the warm, dry climate of Southern California. Its main feature is a special solar canopy that provides shade. Instead of just blocking sunlight, this modern canopy uses 89 flexible photovoltaic panels. These panels turn sunlight into useful energy. They provide 95% of the electricity the house needs.
At the same time, the canopy shades large parts of the house from the strong California sun. This stops the building from getting too hot inside. The house is connected to the city's power grid through a "net meter." This means any extra solar power the house makes can go back to the grid. This also means the house doesn't need big batteries to store energy.
Heating and Lighting
The new part of the house has concrete floors that get heat from an integrated solar heating system. Three solar hot-water panels warm up the water used in the house. A fourth panel heats the swimming pool.
On sunny days, the inside of the house is bright enough that no electric lights are needed. The house also has energy-efficient appliances. Both the indoor and outdoor lights have special control systems to save energy. The materials used to build the house were chosen because they are good for the environment and keep the air inside clean.
Awards and Recognition
The Solar Umbrella House has won many awards for its design and eco-friendly features:
- AIA Los Angeles Chapter, Special "Decade Award" in 2007
- National AIA Honor Awards for Architecture in 2007
- National AIA/COTE Top Ten Green Projects in 2006
- National AIA Housing PIA Award in 2006; Category: Innovation in Housing Design
- Record Houses, Architectural Record in 2005
- AIA Design Award, California Chapter in 2005
- Building Design & Construction Magazine Design Award in 2005
- AIA Los Angeles Chapter Design Award in 2005
Gallery
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Solar Umbrella from the garden
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Living room
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Dining room
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Stair
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Master bedroom
