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Revolutionary New House Design Walks on Water.

Posted: 23/06/09

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PureSilica's Self-Elevating Six-Sided Pyramid Passive House with AFDES (Automated Flood Defence Elevation System) enables homes to be built on flood plains or coastal areas without fear or trepidation.

Not only do the houses automatically raise clear of flood water but according to the designer, they meet and surpass the UK Government’s Code for Sustainable Homes Level 6. The standard to which it is hoped all new homes will be designed and constructed in the UK from 2016.

Continues:

It has taken Christopher James, described as an unusual combination of artist, architect and engineer, the best part of thirty years of continually swimming against the conventional tide to bring his concept to fruition. During which time he has been commissioned by some of the UK's wealthiest individuals.

Puresilica was established by Christopher in 2002 to create iconic Architecture that avoided what he described as ‘brutal design’:
He eulogizes that ‘there is nothing more beautiful than the female form, yet their soft subcutaneous tissue is for ever being bruised by sharp aggressive and unyielding everyday objects.’
This philosophy continues to resonate throughout his work.

Christopher insists that his Six Sided Pyramid Glass Pavilions are not house-boats.

Despite their size and weight, in areas at risk of flooding they can be triggered to elevate automatically to a height in excess of 7ft/2m to clear rising flood water. Once the water has receded they automatically lower back to their original position, unscathed by what could otherwise have destroyed traditional buildings.

As the water rises or recedes the building will rise and fall accordingly.

Although depicted in the in a woodland setting, the design lends itself to virtually any environment including 'urban' with the appropriate choice of materials.

The Pyramide du Louvre, which sits at the center of the Louvre's plaza in Paris is an excellent example of how the simplicity and modernity of a glass Pyramid compliments, not detracts from the surrounding ornate urban architecture.

Inspired by the proportions of the Great Pyramids of Giza, Mies van der Rohe’s German Pavilion, Philip Johnson's 1949 Glasshouse and the 20th century architect Le Corbusier's mantra of; 'soleil, espace, venture' (Sun, light and greenery), Christopher individually designs and builds his inspirational homes exclusively for an enlightened and adventurous clientele.

His designs are predominantly encapsulated in outer glazing of IQ-Glass, a revolutionary new triple glazing system, which has an internal radiant heating layer and built-in sealed reflective solar blinds. Additionally there is a second inner layer of triple glazing leaving a circa 4ft/1200mm wide enclosed internal space surrounding the whole of the building for crop and/or plant cultivation. This space allows for the natural regulation of internal temperatures deploying a technique very similar to that deployed by Foster and Partners in the ‘Swiss re Tower’ in London

Another striking feature of Christopher’s designs are the hollow curved interior walls of bleached white ash incorporating PCM (phase change material) which together with the floor slabs provide the building with the necessary mass to enable natural temperature regulation.

He claims that the curved wall surfaces entice you to touch. He eulogises that one simply cannot resist caressing them with your finger tips.

He also claims that apart from cleaning, his designs are completely maintenance free.

Christopher’s unique designs are available in sizes of circa 250sq. ft. (23m2) to over 5000sq. ft (500m2) as sumptuous retirement homes, ground floor extensions, holiday villas, granny accommodation or lavish exciting and fulfilling family homes.

As a result of the unique sophisticated engineering, they can be erected on virtually any terrain, anywhere in the world on simple helical or concrete piles without disturbing existing protected trees or environments in as little as two weeks.

Do not be fooled into thinking however, that they are in any way insubstantial. They are enormous feats of quite meticulous engineering, taking over six months to manufacture in the factory, with a life expectancy well in excess of most modern-day traditionally built homes.

He says we should think of them more as the hand-made, Bentleys or Aston Martins of homes.

He believes his homes afford a quality of workmanship and sensitive attention to detail, hitherto only seen in ultra luxury hotels and superyatchts costing many millions.

He describes his designs as a hybrid, with the cosiness of the sitting room of a comfortable country house or cottage, set within the purity of a Mies Van der Rohe style glass pavilion.

Just over 12 years ago Christopher developed his own unique computerised surveying and full size parametric modelling solutions. This enables every minute item to be built, tested and pre-assembled in the controlled environment of the workshop/factory; safe in the knowledge that once on site, every component will fit with the guaranteed precision of less than the thickness of a single sheet of paper.

Puresilica is based at Oak Wood Lodge, a modernised stone Gothic gate lodge; set in 2.4 acres of beautiful mature oak woodland in West Yorkshire in the United Kingdom.

To see more of Christopher’s inspirational work go to http://www.puresilica.com.
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Contact Name: Christopher James
Role: Author
Company: PureSilica Ltd
Contact Email: click to reveal e-mail
Contact Phone: +44(0)1484 865544
Company Website: http://www.puresilica.com
More details: http://www.puresilica.com/press_release/Press_Release.pdf