Casa La Escocesa: A Sustainable Metal-Clad House

Local studio DUB Arquitectura has created “Casa La Escocesa,” a metal-clad house featuring innovative “insulating blankets” made from sheep wool that otherwise would have been incinerated. Located on a farm in Argentina’s subtropical Pampas region, this 150-square-metre project integrates sustainable building practices while responding to its unique surroundings.

Context and Location

Casa La Escocesa is situated in Argentina’s Pampas region, an area known for its flat plains and agricultural fields. The building site is surrounded by crops, sheep, and polo horses, emphasizing a connection to the local environment and agricultural lifestyle.

Design and Layout

The house, designed by Buenos Aires-based DUB Arquitectura, is long and rectangular in plan. It sits atop a platform and is covered with a gabled roof, accommodating the site conditions and allowing for future expansion. The interior is divided into four main areas: a kitchen and dining room, a bedroom, a bathroom, and a versatile attic space. A breezeway serves as the central axis of the design.

Central Patio and Material Choices

The central patio functions as an outdoor distribution hall and a communal space for reflection, offering views of the surrounding landscape. The team chose low- or no-maintenance materials to reduce the project’s operational energy, with corrugated metal sheets cladding the facades and plywood used extensively in the interiors.

Innovative Use of Sheep Wool Insulation

In a sustainable move, discarded sheep wool was used as insulation for the house, taking advantage of a local resource that would otherwise be wasted. The team noted that 4,000 tons of sheep wool are discarded annually in the province of Buenos Aires. This house serves as a case study for using the first insulating blankets made from this discarded wool, which is usually burned.

Energy Efficiency and Ventilation

Solar panels line the gabled roof, and the thickness of the sheep wool insulation varies around the house based on the sun’s orientation. The home is designed to maximize natural light, with skylights strategically placed above the bathroom and the main corridor to minimize reliance on artificial lighting.

Sustainable Ventilation Solutions

All rooms in Casa La Escocesa feature cross-ventilation and sun protection on windows. The attic is equipped with special vents to ensure proper ventilation during warm months, further enhancing the home’s energy efficiency.