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Taos House
Project Information
- Project Location:
- Taos, NM
- Status:
- Completed - Jan 2011
- Structure Type:
- House
Scope Of Work
Nestled in a semi-rural neighborhood, at the base of low rolling juniper hills that stretch into the sage brush flat lands of Taos, the home seeks to make a modest statement. The brief for the project was: keep it simple. The clients, a solar electrician and an environmental lawyer, wanted a home that was energy efficient, easy to maintain, and that fit into the landscape in an unadorned manner - they wanted a design that sought economy of space and resources. They also had the future in mind, both from an environmental and design standpoint, and wanted a home that had the flexibility to adapt to the needs of their young and growing family. The design for the modest house also allows for a future addition to be easily integrated.
The house employs passive heating and cooling strategies, has a super insulated building envelope built using advanced framing techniques, and with a 6 kw photovoltaic system the house is net-zero in energy usage. A rain water catchment and gray water system were designed for water conservation in the Taos plateau mountain desert climate. Finishes were chosen for low maintenance and durability: stained concrete floors, bamboo cabinets, and “RecycleTop” countertops are a few of the interior finishes.