Metaform

A Sustainable house by Whipple Russell Architects

Summit House is a project developed by Marc Whipple from Whipple Russell Architects in the exquisite city of Beverly Hills. The project emphasises the architect’s perspective upon modern functionality and innovation, paying a special interest in developing a project, that not only looks good, but also ‘does’ good to the environment. The Summit House was built with natural materials and making use of sustainable technologies. The house “uses extensive solar power, a gray-water reclamation system, and sound passive-solar design elements, making it the first house permitted under the city of Beverly Hills green building ordinance.

Can we find a balance between local values and ever changing global paradigms?

THE GUARDIANS OF DIRECTIONS
Rta (orderliness) and the guardians of the four directions
Ashoka Stambha
the lion of the north,
the elephant of the east,
the horse of the south
and the bull of the west

Guardians, ruling the eight zones of the universe
Indra (East)
Agni (South east)
Yama (South)
Nirṛti (South west)
Varuna (West)
Vāyu (North west)
Kubera (North)
Īśāna (North east)

There are symbolic importance of the eight directions across cultures and religions

Happōten:
Taishakuten (Skt. Indra/Sakra; east)
Katen (Fire, Skt. Agni; southeast )
Enmaten (Skt. Yama; south)
Rasetsuten (Skt. Nirṛti; southwest)
Suiten (Water. Skt. Varuna; west)
Fūten or Futen (Wind, Skt. Vāyu; northwest)
Bishamonten (Skt. Vaisravana; north)
Ishanaten (Skt. Īśāna; northeast)

The idea is to create a spatial order inspired by the various attributes of the eight guardians