If you think the steep pitch of this new zero-energy house in Larvik, Norway is just an intriguing design feature, think again—it’s all for the sake of science. Created by the architecture firm Snøhetta in collaboration with Norway’s ZEB, a research institute for zero-emission buildings, the Multi-Comfort House’s southeasterly tilt helps photovoltaic and solar-thermal systems embedded in its cladding capture solar rays and produce the maximum amount of energy. Built as a net-positive prototype, the two-story, 2,150-square-foot house’s goal is to produce more power than it consumes, while accommodating all the functions of a typical home (and powering an electric car) year-round. A heated pool and open-air courtyard with outdoor fireplace help prove that a green lifestyle need not be spartan.
The Oslo-based Snøhetta, perhaps best known in the U.S. for its National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion in New York City, has long been recognized for work that embraces the natural world—from the firm’s acclaimed waterfront Oslo Opera House to its follies for skiing and nature-viewing in the Scandinavian wilds. With this new model dwelling, the firm brings its eco-friendly ethos to homes.
