Exploring sustainable architecture with Terry Pinto

This blog post was written by Project Assistant Ellen Pye

This session the group was joined by Frome-based architect Terry Pinto of PAAD Architects and the focus was on sustainable architecture.

We started the session having a think about sustainability in design and structure of buildings. We all listed what we thought the key elements of a sustainable building would be. In pairs we were then given a series of cards with images of different types of buildings, on the back was a cross section of the wall of the building and details about the insulation used. We put them in order from the poorly insulated Porta Cabin, to the very energy efficient Earthship made from natural and recycled materials. It was surprising how some volume housing  built in the 1980’s were less well-insulated that Victorian terrace houses, and the activity really highlighted the importance of insulation when it comes to sustainability.

Terry then gave us an overview of his career. Terry has been working as an architect for the past 30 years. He found that studying architecture combined his love for fine arts and science and he studied architecture at Birmingham Polytechnic. Terry pointed out there’s lots of routes into architecture and now there are apprenticeship schemes which can be a good an alternative to university.

Terry explained that being an architect can be a lot or hard work, he often works 60 hour weeks. He is driven by his passion for the work and believes the best architects don’t just care about buildings but care about the people using them and the politics surrounding the spaces they design. The project Terry is most proud of was a house he designed for a family with a daughter with a severe disability. He designed the house to have a large veranda so she could sit outside comfortably and enjoy the weather and outside space. The family told Terry that to them coming home now feels like a holiday and the design he created has helped their daughter develop.

We asked Terry 'What is a typical day for you?', he replied:

There is no typical day for Terry. His job involves so many different aspects and everyday he always learning new things. He needs to always keep up to date on the latest building regulations, laws and materials. Some days he might be arranging deliveries, talking to a structural engineer or working on a plan. Other days he may be out looking for work or checking the progress of projects.

Then we asked Terry 'What advice would you give your 16 year old self?' he said:

For Terry architecture is a love/hate relationship but he believes ultimately if you are passionate about the work then it is worth it. He advises us to be curious and be nosy. Keep drawing and sketching. Try to study subjects across the arts and sciences, be broad.

Rather than creating a building that wins the Stirling Prize, Terry would rather make a difference to people's lives. Terry believes in the power of architecture to improve peoples lives and he sees architecture as a political art.

The Brief

For this workshop the group were challenged to create a compact home/living space for one of two people, a ‘snug’ home, your home can be no big than 6m in length, 3m wide and 4m high.

The brief was to create a Snug home that maximised the use of the small space whilst being made from sustainable building materials and included some ways of generating renewable energy.

After working on their designs for 45 minutes the groups presented their ideas,

Group 1 designed a cylinder home made from glass and wood that pivoted so that the building was always facing the sun for maximum warmth and light. Terry asked what the group would do to cool down the building in the summer and they suggested windows that opened outwards so that on a hot but rainy day the house could still get ventilation.

Group 2 designed a house with solar panels and glass windows on the roof. The whole front wall of the house was made of glass and the roof overhangs this front wall to provide shade. The interior was all open plan apart from the bathroom. Terry suggested the best way to keep an open plan house warm was to have a lobby space after the front door to keep the cold air out and warm air in.

Group 3 also designed an open plan space with the addition of a lobby area. They wanted to use lots of glass on the exterior but not so much that it would get too hot in summer. They designed in storage spaces under everything to maximise the use of the space. They also included a roof garden, Terry explained how roof garden’s are a great way to stop flooding as rather than water running off them they absorb the rainfall.

Group 4 thought about using a rooftop garden too, this could be used to grow vegetable and compost waste. They wanted to use reclaimed building materials. They included big windows to let light in that also had insulating blinds so the building could function well all year round.

Group 5 deigned a house with a slanted roof so that the solar panels on top could always get the maximum sunlight. The slant also meant that rainwater could be collected to use in the home and the overhang from the slant provided shade to the front of the building. They included a spiral staircase to save space, Terry suggested that spiral staircases aren’t always as space-saving as they appear and sometimes a discreet staircase does a better job.

Group 6 designed a building with underfloor heating on the first floor that would rise up to warm the rest of the house. They wanted to maximise the natural light in the building by using a glass roof and a glass floor on the first level. They included a ladder in the design instead of a staircase to save space, Terry suggested this home would work best for young people who can get up and down the ladder easily.

Group 7 designed a half gable roof. They wanted to use algae to generate electricity as it photosynthesised and the tank for this would be on the roof. They thought about heating the water by having the pipes for the building facing the sun to help heat the water. They designed the house so that the kitchen and bathroom, the rooms that generate the most heat, were under rooms that needed warming up upstairs, like the bedroom. Terry pointed out that this group threw all their ideas together quickly at the end of the session and sometimes working to a deadline can really help you to be creative and risk taking as showed in their design.

Useful links:
RIBA - Architectural apprenticeships 
Birmingham City University - School of Architecture and Design
Centre for Alternative Technology - MSc in Sustainable Architecture