The  "hut  of  modern  time", conceived so as to find its place, its environment and take better advantage of it in any circumstance

This global approach, scientifically conceived, may be an opportunity to come close to certain considerations of the "subtle world" of Chinese Feng Shui and to relate Western to Eastern practices in this field. Moreover, the background environmental problems, amongst others, regarding pollution -not only chemical, but also physical ("radiative")- are getting more and more worrisome on a planetary scale and it is necessary to protect all Earth inhabitants in the future in a suitably healthy shelter.

Man is a homeotherm, that is to say a warm blooded animal, with a rather high bodily temperature (37° C) ; this temperature is relatively steady thanks to a real hypothalamic thermostat.  This characteristic -apart from other "physical weaknesses"- justifies for a great part in the range of species his need for protection in a refuge favourable to his metabolic vital functions, in order to enable them to fulfil their task the longest possible, with the best efficiency desirable.  

These optimal conditions of life and longevity depend particularly on the choice of a suitable site, of the global conception and the building materials, which are the most appropriate  to  the  aim  pursued.   It is important  to select a settling-place  propitious  to  the  best  thermic  appraisal, among others, protected from the possible climatic and cosmotelluric risks, but it is also necessary to choose it the farthest possible from the sources of pollution of all kinds.

To answer all these objectives, I have conceived a new type of domo-geo-bio-climatic habitat. This multi-qualification is used to make you bear in mind that the root of each word has its "raison d'être" : domo for domotics (home automation), geo for geobiology and bio-climatic in two words separated by an hyphen, to take into consideration both the bioclimatic architecture and the biological aspect strictly speaking of the building, especially concerning the implementation of real bio-building.

The objective analysis of the physical relation of the building with its outer environment is very important in bioclimatic architecture. A previous global step must take into account the dominating forces and elements of Nature to use it while respecting it in its whole instead of trying to rebel against it more or less awkwardly and so, build rapidly, anywhere, by any means... In this kind of challenge thus created by any set up building, natural forces are always those which triumph, not to mention the risks of so called "natural" catastrophes, whose consequences we, very often, fail to understand.

Independently from its architectural shape, the building, in fact, must be limited by an envelope, both selective and protective, essential in the interfacial relation "environment-habitat" ; it will contribute to the man's well-being, in synergy and symbiosis with Nature. Bioclimatic architecture is the more efficient as the suitable shape of the building will endeavour to prevent Nature's negative elements, from having any hold on it and to exploit its good sides at best.

Taking into account all the characteristic parameters of the site (altitude, nature and slope of the ground, tellurism, sunshine, rains, temperature, dampness and quality of the air, winds...) results in a better compromise between them. For instance, in mountainous regions like Auvergne, dampness (with more frequent risks of fog) is generally more important in valleys and decreases when we reach a certain altitude, where sunshine is more frequent, with better climatic conditions on well situated sides which are sheltered from winds.

Up to a certain altitude, dampness  -I would even say cloud covering including air pollution-  decreases, but the temperature of the air gets rapidly colder at night, (with thermic differences : the same day, there may be a difference of 20° C between day and night temperatures). These extreme situations may lead to increased energetic expenses, if all the useful precautions have not been taken in time, with sufficient inertia, among other determining criteria. The precise knowledge of all these elements, is of importance to me.

The chosen land should be airy, but not too windy, if we want to enjoy healthy air at an average altitude ; it should be preferentially surrounded by greenery, the least allergenic possible (uphill from towns in relation to dominating winds, while considering other sources of air pollution, olfactory, sonorous..., as you can find in the neighbourhood of industrial zones, waste collection centres and/or motorways...).

The experimental project "PENTA G 2000" is characterized, on one hand, by its situation, its integration in the site and, on the other hand, its specific morphology, as well as the choice of its constituent materials (most of them are industrialized ; that is why the cost of production and building is less high and the work is both faster and cleaner). These materials must be more compatible with the vital needs of any human body, to speak of real "bio-compatibility" in building. But, any other architectural morphology  -according to everyone's imagination and creativity-  can bring a concrete answer to all these biotic considerations.

A renewed industrial and architectural conception should enable us to enjoy healthily the benefits of new technologies so precious at the beginning of the IIIrd millennium, without any risks for anyone of us. So, it is necessary to better control the irreplaceable contribution brought by the use of electricity, electronic, science computers or home automation... A double protective preventive synergic action is as profitable as indispensable in the future, not only at the source, but also when it is received by subjects -who are often irradiated or exposed without their knowing it- according to the places and radiations concerned in the environment, because we live more and more permanently in a "radiative bath".

According to cases and offered possibilities, this combined correction implies that the radiation should be neutralized at the source of its emission, filtered, even stopped when it comes into contact with the envelope of the building ; an appropriate screening may even be conceived inside or next to the fittings and appliance producing such pollution. All that, however should be done without any risk of major functional incompatibilities between one another.

Electric and magnetic fields in the habitat cannot be dissociated from other non-ionizing radiations, among others (from infrasonic vibrations to micro-waves, together with the frequencies of actual electromagnetism). It is therefore important to take into consideration all vibratory phenomena, including ultrasonic, sonic and above all infrasonic ones ; they are dangerous at the frequency of 7 - 8 Hertz especially, because they may start resonating with certain biological mediums of the body.

Such may be the case of the radiations emitted by electric transformers in proximity to housing (different from real electromagnetic pollution) or those coming from air conditioning and ventilation systems in the habitat (inside or in its neighbourhood : on the roof of the next building, for example), with their propagating ventilation shafts. We can mention in addition the multisonic pollution caused by underground transport near buildings (especially lorries under tunnels, the tube), the various intense acoustic waves of the aerial, road and railway traffic, in the open-air....  

                 

These are as many vibratory sources of pollution, perceived or not by the organs of senses, but which may disturb the working order of brain cells or other organic systems, like blood-circulation with risks of an arterial aneuvrysmal rupture, falsely called "spontaneous" !

These new regulations, in France, induce people to build "acoustic partitions" on bands of shock absorbing material, in order to dissociate them on the four sides, thanks to the interposition of rubber by-products, like "Talmisol", of soft products based on rotproof cellulose hardboard combined with bitumen, like "Phaltex". Similarly, the concern for better insulation of floors, led numerous makers to conceive systems enabling them to make their links, so stiff with their supports more flexible and even to eliminate them in order to answer the recent French acoustic regulations (*).

The bioclimatic architecture and the architectural morphology adapted to the project "PENTA G 2000" have been inspired to me by shepherds' natural local life in Auvergne in Massif Central. There we can see them graze their herds on well situated sides, sheltered from the West winds, which bring rains. When the weather is nasty, they know how to protect themselves in their wide cloaks, their backs to the wind. These observations have led me to conceive a house whose essential part is the roof, very enveloping, like the shepherd's cloak.

 PENTA G 2000 : a "cloak-habitat" and still more...

The section of this "cloak-habitat" brings out the wide chief South-East facade (here, on the left) and the exploitation of the maximum of the protected volume under the very enveloping roof : from the garret which can be converted to the underground, getting direct light everywhere, from the cellar (through a system of pseudo-English yard : see on the right, at the back, under the garage included as a penthouse -to the North-West- to improve the protection) to the attic through windows in the roof to give light to the computer workshop at this level, among others. Insulation is the most exterior layer possible so that the thickness of the cloak, that is the envelope of the building might contribute, through its inertia notably, to the benefit of inner comfort.

 In this experimental project, everything contributes to protect better this new type of habitat «PENTA G 2000» from dominating winds through an earth bank planted with trees in the North-West and also provided with a grove in the North.

On the other hand, the hydric draining off on a sloping ground, well-situated to the South-East contributes to eliminate waters making them slowly flow in that direction.. The presence of a swimming pool in the South, with a spray in its middle (worked by the pump of the adjacent technical premises) aims at avoiding any stagnant water and producing healthy negative ions in the close environment of the building...

MASS  PLAN  OF  PROJECT  «PENTA G 2000»

On the other hand, as this project «PENTA G 2000» is an architectural innovation —therefore quite original— it is obvious that we do not find in its specific morphology the very «square» plan, which characterizes the settlement of a traditional Chinese building, according to the Feng Shui principles (though I know very little about them).

It would be interesting to have the opinion of an Eastern contemporary Authority on those practices, about this new architectural pentagonal morphology (without leaving out the symbolism of number 5 !), with a very enveloping and protective roof on the yin side, and a wide chief South-East facade, propitious to the penetration of good energies from the yang side. This appearance aims at storing a maximum of "qi" or "ch’i" to the benefit of future occupants.

This project corresponds to «the hut of modern times», which may perhaps make the best synthesis between the Eastern and Western building principles, so that man and his Habitat might be in line with Elements of Nature, thus resuming ancient practices of other Civilisations so that they might be useful to contemporary Progress.