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Team Massachusetts Computer-Animated Walkthrough (Text Version)

This is the text version of Team Massachusetts' U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 computer-animated walkthrough.

[Sound of music playing. Text reads: 4DHOME Team Massachusetts. Text fades to an image of a tree in the foreground and a house in the background. Then house rotates closer into the foreground.]

Voiceover: The 4DHOME is shaped as an interpretation of the New England vernacular. Designed for a small family, it abstracts the form of a gable with a series of outdoor spaces created by trellises.

[View of the south deck of the house.]

Voiceover: The home's solar panel array is offset from the roof, seasonally shading the south fa?ade and creating a sheltered transition to the interior.

[Image of house transitions from color to black and white. Front door opens to a kitchen and living room.]

Voiceover: Inside, the kitchen anchors the core of the house, dividing the public and private spaces and creating a ring of circulation between them.

[View rotates through house to the living room.]

Voiceover: The expansive living room comfortably accommodates a small family and provides abundant light from the south and east.

[View rotates past a wall to the bedroom door as it opens.]

Voiceover: Instead of typical walls dividing the space, vertical storage creates a partition shared with the master bedroom, allowing it to serve as both a wall and a closet.

[View rotates to glass door of mechanical room as it opens revealing water tanks and electrical boxes.]

Voiceover: Adjacent to the bedroom through a glass door is the mechanical room. To increase the visibility of systems and save space, the laundry units, hot water tanks, and electrical utilities have been co-located here.

[View rotates to a corridor. A chair slides into the foreground. A desk folds down from the wall with a computer on it.]

Voiceover: The private corridor behind the kitchen is lit from above by a skylight and operates as a dynamic workspace as needed.

[View moves past desk and rotates to a sliding door that opens to a room with a tub, toilet, sink, and window.]

Voiceover: The bathroom also lends itself to being flexible, its size allows for easy adaption to ADA compliance by removing a pre-form tub that's included.

[View rotates to a door that slides open to a bed room.]

Voiceover: Opposite the house from the master bedroom is the kid's room. An elevated day bed and dynamic work surface maximize floor space for a variety of kid's activities.

[View pans to dining table and chairs. A wall slides out of view. A desk folds flat against a wall and then a table rotates as more chairs slide toward it. Three pillows appear on the bed in the background.]

Voiceover: In the southwest corner of the house is the dining space. It easily accommodates the daily needs of a family of three, and during large gatherings the storage partition separating the bedroom can slide to the center of the house, allowing the table to expand and adjacent chairs to be pulled in. The kid's bed converts easily to a couch, providing more seating.

[View pans to a kitchen in the foreground and living room in the background.]

Voiceover: The central kitchen is part of a compact organization of appliances and storage that maintains a direct visual connection to the south and provides generous counter space for cooking. Longitudinal views through the kitchen visually connect each area and allow communication among the family.

[View pans to a living room. A wall slides out of view, and then a bed folds into a couch.]

Voiceover: When large family gatherings or social events require more space, the dynamic partition between the living and master bedroom can slide to create a large great room.

[View pans to an open space with windows looking out.]

Spoken scrip Voiceover t: The entirety of 4DHOME?including the partitions, furniture, storage, and light sources?are interwoven to maximize the use space. These elements create a house that will adapt and grow with the family living in it and meet their changing needs throughout their lives.

[View fades to text with the words: Animation and music by Brian Bliven; Narration by Spencer Culhane. Music fades out.]