The Ideal "Puna" House Design

[john the architect]

Barabara,

By Castleblock you mean the heavy (not the white foam) ICF material, right? That material is different than what U.S. contractors experience, but is similar to what an English tradesman would deal with. So the contractor bias might also involve where the builder was trained. Advanced materials require better plans and better explanations to the tradesmen. But isn't this al a moot point? I thought no more heavy ICF was being imported to the island.

I have found the rain screen to be useful for certain aesthetic effects, but since it is redundant it tends to be more costly. ICF (any kine heavy or light) is expensive to take up to multi-story heights because of the scaffolding and concrete boom pumping, so I try to not do that in my designs. Keeping the ICF near the ground is a good policy.

I used multiple systems on my HPP house, none based on any other local building methods except possibly in the final look that is achieved. Tropical modernist farmhouse could be a working title for the look that is developing. My helpers are extremely talented locals who are willing to learn new tricks.

IMP stands for insulated metal panels. I may have done many designs with those, invented a few new details, and have been very satisfied with the results, including one home that uses them almost exclusively for the walls as well as the roof.

John