An awe of the wisdom of the past solved creative conflict to produce an idea incorporating lessons from classic architectural greats, meshed with modern sustainable technology.  John and Pat DeGroot, a couple of educators living on a corner lot at the bottom of a hill in District 66, a traditional Omaha area with mostly 1950s and earlier homes, sought the house at the top of the hill in their neighborhood—one which would serve as a catalyst for research into solar power potential.  But an analysis of the owner’s plans for the existing house proved an extensive remodel would be more expensive than tearing it down and building from the ground up.  After listening to the arguments of the DeGroots, Contrivium built a solid case for a home lifted from the familiar style of Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio, using lessons of fortitude and muscle within, yet crafting an overall asymmetrical design.  Again with a nod to architectural history, the house enjoys a heating design borrowed from the ancient Romans, who crafted cavities between floors and walls to draw heat throughout a home.  The warm air rises to the attic as colder air creates a draft, helping to pull the heated air through elaborate duct work to a thermal mass—a pool of rocks under the house five feet deep—helping absorb and store heat.