House of the future launched at Homes & Interiors Exhibition

25 Aug 2008

john.glenday@carnyx.com

Scottish architectural practice, Groves Raines Architects Studio (GRAS) part of Groves Raines Architect Ltd, will launch its designs for a House of the Future at this year’s Homes & Interiors Scotland Exhibition 2008. 

Designed in response to a range of global threats including rising sea levels, a desire for sustainable living and volatile climate, the home has evolved to survive extreme weather conditions such as flooding.

A new concept in houseboat living the GR45 HOM3 can be extended or reduced periodically depending on the size of the family as well as producing and storing its own energy.  While rainwater is collected and stored in the base, waste water is filtered using a reed bed filtration system situated on the roof alongside small scale hydroponic crops to provide fresh fruit and vegetables.  Water tanks in the base of the unit can be drained to act as buoyancy tanks.

Gunnar Groves-Raines of GRAS said:  “The design illustrates how the threat of global warming, increasing sea levels and over population could affect future homes in Scotland and throughout the world.  We wanted to represent these threats effectively by producing a flexible, contemporary home which is ultimately practical, eco-aware and sustainable.”

If you have any views on this or any other issue raised on the Prospect website, join the debate in the Forum.