Arch 5A :professional practice i

Do we really know what ‘grid/s’ we are unplugging from, and what the advantage is in doing so? Do we really understand the architectural implications of living with less, and with integrating a range of alternative techniques for achieving architectural performance without recourse to collective utility systems? Simultaneously lo-tech and hi-tech, living off the grid is an architectural challenge with (once again) increasing relevance. This studio will ask participants to explore these questions and to experiment with answers through the design of a fully self-sufficient residence for a rural site in Southern California. We will address issues of water, waste, food, energy and communications systems (among others) as well as aesthetics, materiality and constructability.