A PASSIVE SOLAR VACATION HOUSE

A weekend ski house in Taos for a Santa Fe professional couple; the directive was to create a compact dwelling on a south-facing sloping site. The design solution generated a passive solar house stepping up the hill on two levels, sinking the north side  into the hill, conserving energy.   Heat generated by  insolation through the ground floor windows rises up into the second-floor bedrooms.

Clerestory windows flood the second-floor landing and bedrooms with light even on winter’s short days.