ALL

STONEHOUSE

INFO

YEAR: 2023

SITE: CAMBRIDGE, ON

STATUS: SCHEMATIC

RECOGNITION:

International AIA COTE Top Ten Competition
casa.acea Student Work Showcase Finalist
Pella Award
(featured in) Dezeen: Ten architecture projects by students at UW
(featured in) @drawing.papers

“Stonehouse” re-imagines the Cambridge Food Bank as an architectural typology woven into the urban fabric as a communal hub, rather than being pushed to the margins. Cambridge Food Bank’s motto, “more than a food bank,” is embodied in the proposal, fostering a space that provokes timeless sensorial curiosity. As one walks through the space enclosed by rhythmic timber frames and welcoming stonewalls, Stonehouse reveals the enduring symbiotic relationship between the locally sourced and reclaimed materials, paying homage to the city’s architectural heritage and the former industrial site.

Here, materiality transcends building science, becoming an agent of history, sustainability, and belonging.

SITE

MATERIALITY

Cambridge is home to many heritage buildings made of stone. By using natural stone in new construction projects, the architectural continuity is preserved, blending seamlessly with the historic fabric of the city.
The heavy mass of the stone walls which hold the stationary programs are contrasted with the verticality of the timber envelope.

SYSTEMS

1. Rain Water: Rainwater from the roof is collected in lmderground tanks with filtration systems and pumps.. The fiJ. tered water is stored in reservoir tanks on the mezzanine door and dis.tributed to fixtures. and equipment by gravity.
Reusable grey water is recycled back to the filtration tank An ar<:hitectural feature that enhances the interaction with rainwater is the canop)' water shafts. lhese extended roof shafts protrude beyond the indoor garden and reach out to the pollen garden ;wt outside. enabling an irrigation
process.

2. Solar Energy, The Building's oper• alional energy lS supplied by the PV
panels covering the entirety roof of the
distribution center. ln addition to the
typical distribution of electricit)' for
lighting, appliances and equipments,
the energ)' is also used to activate a
number of special motorized systems
lhroughout the buildlng such as the
operable windows on the roof, exterior
solar shading of the glazed garden and
the pivoting door.s/windows.

3. Radia.i11 Heating/Cooling: 1he
building"s main heating and <:ooling
method is a radiant dooring system
combined with a g<:othermal systirm.
Ground loops absorb heat from the
earth during the heating season. and a
heal pump dis1 ributes it to the radiant
sys1em. In cooling mode, the cool soil
lemperalure is used for radianl cool•
ing. Th.is energy--efficient setup offers
even heating and cooling, reducing
reliance on fossil fuels-.

4. Ven1ila1ion: An Energy Re<:overy
Ventilator (ERV) exchanges heat and
moisture be1ween incoming and out~
going air, improving energy efficiency.
When combined with a Fan Coil
Unil (FCU), lhir ERV pre·condi1ions
fresh air, reducing 1he FCU load This
achieves efficient heat recover)' and
better indoor air quality for com·
fortable and energy-efficient heating
and cooling. Corridors are used for a
central ventilation srstem, effi.c ientl )'
collecting and exhausting stale indoor
air from smaller rooms wing vent
spaces below doors:, reducing the need
for numerow ducts.

SKETCHES