Med Ulrik Brokvist, Ludvig Jönsson, Vilhelm Andersson
Sleeping pods on a cliff competitions – Shortlisted
Overlooking the rolling foothills of the Serra de Estrela mountains, visitors can step away from their hectic lives and take meditative refuge in one of the sleeping pods. The pods are lying scattered along the steep in- clines surrounding the Val de Moses retreat. During the day an escape from the beating sun and by night an embrace of calm and light. Prism provide more than a place for rest: A sustainable system helping the business grow, become off-grid, and more sustainable. Not only is a sleeping pod supplied, but a future concept for expansion to battle inevitable climate change, as well as energy and water shortages.
The aesthetic complexity in the simple volume comes from the dramatic interac- tions between sunlight, lamps, and the semi-transparent shell of the pod. In the daytime, the pod absorbs light from the surroundings, but at night the pod emits warm light to the surroundings instead. Like lanterns, they light up the hills around the Portugese valley. We have tried to work with a strong concept, well-known construction methods, and a sustainable mindset to cre- ate a system of pods that is integrated with nature.
Simple and economical construction
The environmental impact and cost are drastically decreased by using a simple construction method and locally sourced materials. This means that the sleeping pod can be built with standard equipment and without help from carpenters. By designing the pod with standard material measurements in mind, the amount of waste produced during construction can be minimized. Plinths are used to fasten the structure to the steep ground. This requires minimal groundwork and has a small impact on the existing landscape.
Circularity and placement
Resource waste is minimized by choosing materials that can easily be disassembled and reassembled, which also means they can be moved without much difficulty. The materials used in the project can be recycled and reused for different uses at the resort, helping the business become more circular.
All year round facilities.
Good ventilation and insulation are used to prevent condensation in the building structures. The windows are placed strategically to enable ventilation, and the inner shell’s good U-value means that the interior temperature can be kept at a reasonable level even on warm summer days. A thermal light using solar energy will heat the inner shell during winter. The heat will be retained thanks to good insulation.
Water strategy
Due to climate change, the inland of Portugal will experience more severe droughts and water shortages in the near future. The pods are designed to capture rainwater. In order to minimize waste, each pod is connected to an internal water system. The community pod at the top serves as a reservoir and feeds drinking water to the lower pods using gravity. All pods capture rainwater which gets collected in the lowermost ´solar pod´. This pod takes that water, filters it, and pumps it back up to the top, all using solar power. Even the greywater is collected and used for watering..
