Rather than design a futuristic house, students from the University of Minnesota borrowed an iconic shape they felt might have a broader appeal to homeowners. However, the gabled roof of their "Icon House" isn't merely decorative. The gable design is calibrated for maximum exposure to the sun.
Winters are cold in Minnesota, so the students focused on building a tight house that would keep heat from escaping, but also would draw upon passive solar sources as much as possible. On the southern side of the house, large areas of insulated glass bring in the sun's heat. The offset gable of the roof line and the south wall are used as solar collectors to generate hot water and electricity.
