Christos Pavlou's Garden House: A Green Oasis in the Urban Jungle

Revolutionizing Urban Living with Innovative Design and Sustainable Practices

The Garden House stands out for its unique approach to urban living. Unlike typical urban houses that isolate themselves from their surroundings, this house embraces its environment. It forms a physical continuation of the public green area that exists on its longer boundary, fostering a unified relationship between the neighbourhood, the private garden, and the public area. This design strategy not only enhances the quality of the urban fabric but also creates a tranquil oasis within the bustling city.

The house's design emphasizes the potential of urban gardens to create microclimates that can improve living conditions within cities and slow global warming. The project plants gardens on 60% of the plot on the ground floor and promotes the use of a green terrace on the first floor. A bee-lawn, primarily planted on the ground floor, creates a friendly environment for bees, thereby supporting biodiversity.

The Garden House is constructed using reinforced concrete columns and beams as the main structural bearing frame, with steel circular columns supporting the slabs next to glazing doors. The facade features operable sliding panels with louvres to control light and heat gains and provide privacy from the close proximity neighbourhood. The house is designed in two rectangular cubes with a green courtyard in between, blurring the boundaries between the garden and the interior.

To reduce energy consumption, the design incorporates passive solar orientation, cross ventilation, high-performance insulation materials, energy glass, external panels blocking 100% of direct solar load, LED lighting, automation, and 15 photovoltaic panels and 4 solar panels. These features, coupled with the extensive use of green spaces, contribute to reducing the house's carbon footprint and enhancing its sustainability.

The Garden House project started in September 2017 and was completed around January 2019. It represents a significant step towards reimagining urban architecture and its role in addressing environmental challenges. By integrating nature into the design, the project offers a new standard of lifestyle in the city, introducing a breath of tranquillity into the neighbourhood.

In conclusion, Christos Pavlou's Garden House is a testament to the power of innovative design in transforming urban living and addressing environmental challenges. It serves as a beacon of inspiration for architects and urban planners worldwide, demonstrating that the integration of nature into urban design is not only possible but also beneficial for the environment and the quality of urban life.