We found the Cartesian House through Dwell's Green Home contest last month. It stuck in our head ever since for its super-smart use of natural ventilation as well as its relationship to a beautiful wooded site. This home, built on a slope in the woods of North Carolina, uses good design to circulate light and air through the space and significantly cut down on energy consumption...

The lines of the house follow the axes between Cartesian coordinates, hence the home's name. During summer, the house is naturally cooled by cross-ventilation between strategically placed windows and the main shaft of the stairwell.

Preservation of the surrounding natural habitat was also a concern as the home was built. During construction, stone was collected from an abandoned quarry and nearby trees were preserved thanks to the home's small, angular footprint.

To read the original Dwell contest entry, click here.
To learn more about the Cartesian House, visit this slideshow and audio tour from Stewart Young Photography. For more from Mark Allison, AIA, click here.