Dwellings for resident researchers and groups - Project Proposal

Address: Strandengen 1, Samsø
Size: 850 m²
Year: 2008
Client: Samsø Energy Academy/Søren Hermansen
Architect: Arkitema
Additional advisors: Esbensen Rådgivende Ingeniører A/S

In May 2007 Samsoe Energy Academy opened its doors to the public. The Energy Academy houses the energy organisations of Samsoe and functions as the setting for training and research relations and partnerships for municipalities and universities. In order to be able to serve all these guests, a series of dwellings for researchers have been planned on the plot adjacent to the academy. The dwellings will both function as an extension of the activities of the academy and at the same time provide living space for guests to the academy. Finally the dwellings will be part of the Energy-Island project and will thus be constructed as passive houses supplied with energy from a newly finished hydrogen unit. In this way visitors can both discuss energy issues and experience some of the solutions in practice.
Both the researcher and group dwellings have been designed to meet the strict demands of the passive house platform. On the plot the buildings are oriented to correspond with the existing energy academy and the characteristic east facing shrubbery and the avenue through the fields to form a unity of both buildings and landscape. The section of the buildings is asymmetric to make the southern façade slant slightly and strengthen the familiarity between the building types. The glass areas of the living quarters are further underscored with attics that bring both variation and character to the buildings.