Architecture

Type: Residential Graduation Project 

Project Name: Bishop Studio Retreat

Location: Bishop, California 

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The nature of this project was to design a functional retreat based on the Climate Zone selected in the state of California. Climate Zone 16 is a high, mountainous and semiarid region above 5,000 feet in elevation. It covers a large area from the Oregon Border to San Bernadino County. The climate is mostly cold, but seasonal changes are well defined and summer temperatures can be mild. Temperature varies tremendously with the slope orientation and elevation, but cool temperatures and snow cover predominate for more than half of the year. 

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The area focused in Climate Zone 16 is the city of Bishop. Bishop lies west of the Owens River at the northern end of the Owens Valley in Inyo County. It is immediately to the east of the Sierra Nevada and west of the White Mountains. Bishop's climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 70's and cold during winter when temperatures can to be in the 40's. The annual average precipitation at Bishop is 5.02 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year.

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The best solution to creating an architectural structure to withstand the elements of nature was to design it to be one with nature. A new design leading in the industry of green buildings gave inspiration to what is known as Earthships. An Earthship is the ultimate in eco-home design and construction. A completely independent sustainable design and building construction.  

 

Earthships encompass six principles:

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• Thermal/Solar heating and cooling. 

• Solar and wind electricity.

• Contained sewage treatment.

• Building with natural and recycled materials.

• Water harvesting.

• Food production.