House for a river ecologist

There's an interesting competition afoot to design a house for an ecologist, specifically "a live/work dwelling for an ecologist in residence at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)," in Shephedstown, West Virginia, on a site near the Potomac River measuring 350' x 250'.


"The ecologist in residence, a fictitious position, will be an annual fellow who will receive a stipend and expenses to live and conduct research on site and in the field." Such research will include "working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people." Some ideas? I think we should try learning from Dubai, and build the house underwater: the ecologist can then go to sleep watching fish swim by. Or the house should be partially floating, with reinforced glass foundations through which terrestrial and aquatic events can be observed. And it needs a roof garden.
And maybe it could do this:


[Image: Holl House by Andrew Maynard].

A lot more information, including maps and images, can be downloaded from the AIA competition homepage. Registration deadline is 1 March 2006, however – so be quick.