vincent callebaut fills flavours orchard with sculptural villas

vincent callebaut fills flavours orchard with sculptural villas
image © vincent callebaut architectures

vincent callebaut architecture has designed 45 energy efficient villas in kunming, southwest china, as part of a pioneering scheme encouraging  eco-responsible lifestyles. entitled ‘flavours orchard’, the development is designed to encourage a close and intimate relationship with the natural environment across the 90, 000 square meter site. the project’s sustainable innovations are inteneded for replication across china, combining the advantages of both urban and rural living.

the mobius villa forms an endless ribbon articulated around two patios
image © vincent callebaut architectures

the concept behind the ‘flavours orchard’ is to erect 45 plus-energy villas within its grounds, establishing a self-managed food garden. at the heart of the landscape, the series of units are linked to a smart building automation network that allows surplus power to be directed elsewhere. in addition to the fuel cells, electric vehicles are used for the buffer storage of electricity excess produced by the solar roof panels, thus assuring the free daily travels of the development’s inhabitants. the private garages for electric cars and the technical rooms for residence automation are located underground, allowing the land above to be entirely dedicated to pedestrians, cyclists or electric driverless cars.

the panoramic ground floor comprises the home’s living quarters
image © vincent callebaut architectures

the bio-geographical integration of the masterplan respects the natural qualities of the site, while maintaining the continuity of the existing ecosystems. over the course of a year, the villas produce more energy from renewable sources than they consume. this is achieved in a variety of ways: large north and south facing windows allowing sunlight to penetrate the structures, the implementation of triple-glazed windows – reducing the need for air cooling equipment – and the addition of heavy insulation. the integration of photovoltaic and thermal panels, geothermal heat exchangers and combined heat and power units ensure that the structures are passive, capturing heat during the day and diffusing it at night. all greywater is recycled in lagoons for agricultural irrigation and toilet flushing.

the insulating green roof provides an external area of recreation
image © vincent callebaut architectures

the site’s 45 units form three distinct architectural typologies, ‘mobius’, ‘mountain’ and ‘shell’, each offering its own identity.

as the name suggests, the mobius villa forms an endless ribbon articulated around two patios, one aquatic and the other planted. with its primary steel structure and secondary timber frame, the unit is built from the repetition of one trapezoidal module. a sloping pedestrian path contains the property’s bedrooms, bathrooms, offices and libraries, while the panoramic ground floor comprises the home’s living quarters. the insulating green roof provides an external area of recreation, which also incorporates a photovoltaic glazed roof.

the mountain villa is envisioned as a huge chinese fan
image © vincent callebaut architectures

envisioned as a huge chinese fan, the mountain villa opens out at 180 degrees aligned to track the sun’s path across the sky. a more opaque north elevation directly contrasts the glazed southern façade, allowing light and warmth to enter the structure. the exterior skin develops a glue-laminated timber frame and works as a huge windscreen. in the center of the building, a light filled atrium connects each of the four levels, while a spiral staircase coils around a panoramic glazed elevator. the living rooms and reception spaces are opened towards the landscape through a large arch between the north and south façades.

a spiral staircase coils around a panoramic glazed elevator, distributing bedrooms and relaxation spaces
image © vincent callebaut architectures

six stainless steel pillars elevate the shell villa above ground, ensuring that its axial wind turbine is set higher than the tops of the surrounding fruit trees. shaped as a cocoon, the design is drawn in double curves, spiraled around three separate patios. an elevator rises through the center of the scheme with subsequent volumes offering panoramic views across the orchard.

a more opaque north elevation directly contrasts the glazed southern façade
image © vincent callebaut architectures

the shell villa is elevated above ground, perched on six steel pillars
image © vincent callebaut architectures

the design is drawn in double curves, spiraled around three separate patios
image © vincent callebaut architectures

internal volumes offer panoramic views across the orchard
image © vincent callebaut architectures

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project info:

type: architectural & engineering commission
client: private developer, kunming
program: construction of 45 plus-energy (BEPOS) villas
project title: flavours orchard
contract performance location: dianchi lake, kunming, southwest china city
surface area: 90,000 sqm
year: 2014
VCA’s team: jiaoyang huang, benoit patterlini, maguy delrieu, olivier sylvain, vincent callebaut