Kennedy O'Callagahan Architects
Our approach to the environment is based on the belief that people have an innate attraction to the natural world - biophelia, a love for living things and that people are at ease in nature or in an environment which evokes the natural world.
We are attuned to the cognitive needs of building users and the sense of well-being to be derived from contact with nature and we look for connections with the natural world through our choice of materials, control of the views of nature and use of symbolism when connections with the natural world are remote.
We have a preference for natural materials for their visual and haptic properties and we use passive means of controlling the environment in our buildings. We conserve energy through the use of natural ventilation whenever possible and we use thermal mass, high levels of insulation and passive solar shading to control internal temperature. We use geothermal energy for passive cooling for ventilation and for heat pumps in underfloor heating systems. We use solar thermal and photovoltaic systems to generate heat and electricity.
We look for design inspiration in nature and natural processes because nature is always sustainable.