MINAWETU

Minawetu is located in climate zone 5A: Cool Humid in Martha’s Vineyard, MA. The home employs all 14 patterns of biophilic design, but some of the main elements are the large outdoor porches and the expansive glass window walls facilitating views of the surrounding ocean and gardens. These biophilic techniques are especially important and beneficial on this site because of its coastal conditions and the differing views you get into the natural ecosystems of the area: the forest and the ocean. When applying these biophilic practices, it is important to understand if views to the surrounding site will actually facilitate a human-nature connection or not. For example, if you placed this same building in a densely populated urban, or even suburban environment, with no ocean and forest proximity, these practices would no longer be biophilic, since there is no longer a surrounding natural environment to connect with. Additionally, this is a cooler climate zone, so it is important to note that they considered the interior views to create a connection to the surroundings from the thermally controlled part of the home, because the porch use will be minimal to non-existent in the cooler months.