Search results for "Reduce load" in Home Design Ideas
ZeroEnergy DesignThis modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income.
FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own.
SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio.
MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch.
SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf)
RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property.
COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort.
ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements.
OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income.
PROJECT TEAM
ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer
A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor
Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry
Lisa Finch - Original Artwork
European Architectural Supply - Windows
Eric Roth Photography - Photography
Infinity CanopyThis 20 x 36 feet outdoor space seamlessly becomes an extension of the house with Infinity Canopy. The exterior wall of the home and a custom built free standing frame 36 feet away provides the support for the canopy which consists of two sections/rows of 10' wide by 36' long canopy featuring Phifertex Plus in Metallica White. In order to reduce the weight of the canopy by 25% each panel is 4' long (10' x 4') instead of standard 2'. The longer panels also make the canopy cleaner and uncluttered by having 18 panels instead of 36 panels total.
The frame was designed by a structural engineer in order to sustain the canopy's weight and wind loads. It is constructed with stainless steel using two 5x5 posts and a 6x6 cross beam welded together on site. The posts have square footings placed 3' into the ground and reinforced with concrete.
Infinity Canopy provides this outdoor living area with ample shade that can be retracted to reveal the night sky without any obstruction thanks to the frame's minimal and clean design.
12/12 Architects & Planners3,162 sf new home on existing 50' wide lot. Front-loading attached garage, small front porch, back yard pool.
Photos by Robert McKendrick Photography.
Find the right local pro for your project
Dura Supreme CabinetryExplore this thoughtfully designed mudroom and laundry room sanctuary that is filled with both functionality and personality.
On the mudroom side, there is personalized organization for every member of the household. Thoughtfully integrated divided shoe shelves beneath a cozy boot bench, along with open storage perfectly sized for decorative baskets, and decorative coat hooks ensure every essential from seasonal accessories to everyday items (i.e. gloves, hats, scarves, shoes, jackets, etc.) has its designated place. Overhead, elegant closed storage conceals and organizes, maintaining a pristine aesthetic that endures.
On the laundry room side, experience the ultimate in ergonomic design with raised washer and dryers, seamlessly integrated for effortless access and reduced strain and bending. Below the machines, a locking roll-out shelf glides out smoothly creating a perfectly positioned platform to set a laundry basket at an easy-to-reach height for loading and unloading. All designed to transforming loading and unloading the washer and dryer into a seamless, comfortable task.
Design by Cedar Design Build, Minnesota. Architectural Design by Becky Watson of Niche Design.
Cabinetry and mudroom lockers featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s Reese Inset skinny shaker door style in an Evergreen Fog painted finish with accents of Natural Cherry wood.
Request a FREE Dura Supreme Brochure Packet:
https://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochures/
Find a Dura Supreme Showroom near you today:
https://www.durasupreme.com/find-a-showroom/
Want to become a Dura Supreme Dealer? Go to:
https://www.durasupreme.com/become-a-dealer/
Dura Supreme CabinetryExplore this thoughtfully designed mudroom and laundry room sanctuary that is filled with both functionality and personality.
On the mudroom side, there is personalized organization for every member of the household. Thoughtfully integrated divided shoe shelves beneath a cozy boot bench, along with open storage perfectly sized for decorative baskets, and decorative coat hooks ensure every essential from seasonal accessories to everyday items (i.e. gloves, hats, scarves, shoes, jackets, etc.) has its designated place. Overhead, elegant closed storage conceals and organizes, maintaining a pristine aesthetic that endures.
On the laundry room side, experience the ultimate in ergonomic design with raised washer and dryers, seamlessly integrated for effortless access and reduced strain and bending. Below the machines, a locking roll-out shelf glides out smoothly creating a perfectly positioned platform to set a laundry basket at an easy-to-reach height for loading and unloading. All designed to transforming loading and unloading the washer and dryer into a seamless, comfortable task.
Design by Cedar Design Build, Minnesota. Architectural Design by Becky Watson of Niche Design.
Cabinetry and mudroom lockers featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s Reese Inset skinny shaker door style in an Evergreen Fog painted finish with accents of Natural Cherry wood.
Request a FREE Dura Supreme Brochure Packet:
https://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochures/
Find a Dura Supreme Showroom near you today:
https://www.durasupreme.com/find-a-showroom/
Want to become a Dura Supreme Dealer? Go to:
https://www.durasupreme.com/become-a-dealer/
Dura Supreme CabinetryExplore this thoughtfully designed mudroom and laundry room sanctuary that is filled with both functionality and personality.
On the mudroom side, there is personalized organization for every member of the household. Thoughtfully integrated divided shoe shelves beneath a cozy boot bench, along with open storage perfectly sized for decorative baskets, and decorative coat hooks ensure every essential from seasonal accessories to everyday items (i.e. gloves, hats, scarves, shoes, jackets, etc.) has its designated place. Overhead, elegant closed storage conceals and organizes, maintaining a pristine aesthetic that endures.
On the laundry room side, experience the ultimate in ergonomic design with raised washer and dryers, seamlessly integrated for effortless access and reduced strain and bending. Below the machines, a locking roll-out shelf glides out smoothly creating a perfectly positioned platform to set a laundry basket at an easy-to-reach height for loading and unloading. All designed to transforming loading and unloading the washer and dryer into a seamless, comfortable task.
Design by Cedar Design Build, Minnesota. Architectural Design by Becky Watson of Niche Design.
Cabinetry and mudroom lockers featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s Reese Inset skinny shaker door style in an Evergreen Fog painted finish with accents of Natural Cherry wood.
Request a FREE Dura Supreme Brochure Packet:
https://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochures/
Find a Dura Supreme Showroom near you today:
https://www.durasupreme.com/find-a-showroom/
Want to become a Dura Supreme Dealer? Go to:
https://www.durasupreme.com/become-a-dealer/
Sponsored
Plain City, OH
The Creative Kitchen Company
Columbus Area Kitchen Remodeling and Refacing Professional
Harmonic Horticulture and ConstructionI think that many carpenters today consider nails and screws to be what holds a structure together. As a result, I think that many structures today are held together by little more than nails and screws. I often see knee braces bolted to the side of a post for a pergola when they should be positioned between the post and beam to take the load directly. Fasteners should not be load-bearing! They should be used to pin a piece of lumber into a position that allows it to shoulder the load directly.
Nails and screws are fast. When used appropriately, they can keep costs down by reducing the time it takes to build something. But they are not the answer to everything. Joist hangars do little to stop a deck from pulling away from a house, just as nailing from the side is not a replacement for putting a post directly under a beam.
On more than one occasion I've solved a challenging framing problem by employing lap-joints. I've used lap-jointed framing to build curves without having to bend wood, and in the example shown I've used them simply to avoid having to look at an unsightly beam underneath a raised section of deck.
I cut notches half way through my beam where the joists will go, then I cut a corresponding notch into each joist that allows it to fit into the notch in the beam. This allows the joists to cantilever 'through' the beam, which gives me a number of advantages. Using this technique, I can build deck frames tight to the ground without having to rim the structure with joist-hangared beams. I can also use the cantilever to sculpt the edge of the deck into nearly any shape.
As the lumber is locked in from every direction, it is also a far stronger joint than a joist-hangared butt-end, as it resists pulling away, and it is stronger than joist-on-beam because it does not allow for any twisting or 'flopping' of the joists. The beam and joist are locked together, and they each replace the missing pieces of one another, so there is no strength lost in either member.
-Tyler Collins, Operations Manager
Harmonic Horticulture and ConstructionI think that many carpenters today consider nails and screws to be what holds a structure together. As a result, I think that many structures today are held together by little more than nails and screws. I often see knee braces bolted to the side of a post for a pergola when they should be positioned between the post and beam to take the load directly. Fasteners should not be load-bearing! They should be used to pin a piece of lumber into a position that allows it to shoulder the load directly.
Nails and screws are fast. When used appropriately, they can keep costs down by reducing the time it takes to build something. But they are not the answer to everything. Joist hangars do little to stop a deck from pulling away from a house, just as nailing from the side is not a replacement for putting a post directly under a beam.
On more than one occasion I've solved a challenging framing problem by employing lap-joints. I've used lap-jointed framing to build curves without having to bend wood, and in the example shown I've used them simply to avoid having to look at an unsightly beam underneath a raised section of deck.
I cut notches half way through my beam where the joists will go, then I cut a corresponding notch into each joist that allows it to fit into the notch in the beam. This allows the joists to cantilever 'through' the beam, which gives me a number of advantages. Using this technique, I can build deck frames tight to the ground without having to rim the structure with joist-hangared beams. I can also use the cantilever to sculpt the edge of the deck into nearly any shape.
As the lumber is locked in from every direction, it is also a far stronger joint than a joist-hangared butt-end, as it resists pulling away, and it is stronger than joist-on-beam because it does not allow for any twisting or 'flopping' of the joists. The beam and joist are locked together, and they each replace the missing pieces of one another, so there is no strength lost in either member.
-Tyler Collins, Operations Manager
Dura Supreme CabinetryExplore this thoughtfully designed mudroom and laundry room sanctuary that is filled with both functionality and personality.
On the mudroom side, there is personalized organization for every member of the household. Thoughtfully integrated divided shoe shelves beneath a cozy boot bench, along with open storage perfectly sized for decorative baskets, and decorative coat hooks ensure every essential from seasonal accessories to everyday items (i.e. gloves, hats, scarves, shoes, jackets, etc.) has its designated place. Overhead, elegant closed storage conceals and organizes, maintaining a pristine aesthetic that endures.
On the laundry room side, experience the ultimate in ergonomic design with raised washer and dryers, seamlessly integrated for effortless access and reduced strain and bending. Below the machines, a locking roll-out shelf glides out smoothly creating a perfectly positioned platform to set a laundry basket at an easy-to-reach height for loading and unloading. All designed to transforming loading and unloading the washer and dryer into a seamless, comfortable task.
Design by Cedar Design Build, Minnesota. Architectural Design by Becky Watson of Niche Design.
Cabinetry and mudroom lockers featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s Reese Inset skinny shaker door style in an Evergreen Fog painted finish with accents of Natural Cherry wood.
Request a FREE Dura Supreme Brochure Packet:
https://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochures/
Find a Dura Supreme Showroom near you today:
https://www.durasupreme.com/find-a-showroom/
Want to become a Dura Supreme Dealer? Go to:
https://www.durasupreme.com/become-a-dealer/
Harmonic Horticulture and ConstructionI think that many carpenters today consider nails and screws to be what holds a structure together. As a result, I think that many structures today are held together by little more than nails and screws. I often see knee braces bolted to the side of a post for a pergola when they should be positioned between the post and beam to take the load directly. Fasteners should not be load-bearing! They should be used to pin a piece of lumber into a position that allows it to shoulder the load directly.
Nails and screws are fast. When used appropriately, they can keep costs down by reducing the time it takes to build something. But they are not the answer to everything. Joist hangars do little to stop a deck from pulling away from a house, just as nailing from the side is not a replacement for putting a post directly under a beam.
On more than one occasion I've solved a challenging framing problem by employing lap-joints. I've used lap-jointed framing to build curves without having to bend wood, and in the example shown I've used them simply to avoid having to look at an unsightly beam underneath a raised section of deck.
I cut notches half way through my beam where the joists will go, then I cut a corresponding notch into each joist that allows it to fit into the notch in the beam. This allows the joists to cantilever 'through' the beam, which gives me a number of advantages. Using this technique, I can build deck frames tight to the ground without having to rim the structure with joist-hangared beams. I can also use the cantilever to sculpt the edge of the deck into nearly any shape.
As the lumber is locked in from every direction, it is also a far stronger joint than a joist-hangared butt-end, as it resists pulling away, and it is stronger than joist-on-beam because it does not allow for any twisting or 'flopping' of the joists. The beam and joist are locked together, and they each replace the missing pieces of one another, so there is no strength lost in either member.
-Tyler Collins, Operations Manager
Dura Supreme CabinetryExplore this thoughtfully designed mudroom and laundry room sanctuary that is filled with both functionality and personality.
On the mudroom side, there is personalized organization for every member of the household. Thoughtfully integrated divided shoe shelves beneath a cozy boot bench, along with open storage perfectly sized for decorative baskets, and decorative coat hooks ensure every essential from seasonal accessories to everyday items (i.e. gloves, hats, scarves, shoes, jackets, etc.) has its designated place. Overhead, elegant closed storage conceals and organizes, maintaining a pristine aesthetic that endures.
On the laundry room side, experience the ultimate in ergonomic design with raised washer and dryers, seamlessly integrated for effortless access and reduced strain and bending. Below the machines, a locking roll-out shelf glides out smoothly creating a perfectly positioned platform to set a laundry basket at an easy-to-reach height for loading and unloading. All designed to transforming loading and unloading the washer and dryer into a seamless, comfortable task.
Design by Cedar Design Build, Minnesota. Architectural Design by Becky Watson of Niche Design.
Cabinetry and mudroom lockers featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s Reese Inset skinny shaker door style in an Evergreen Fog painted finish with accents of Natural Cherry wood.
Request a FREE Dura Supreme Brochure Packet:
https://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochures/
Find a Dura Supreme Showroom near you today:
https://www.durasupreme.com/find-a-showroom/
Want to become a Dura Supreme Dealer? Go to:
https://www.durasupreme.com/become-a-dealer/
Dura Supreme CabinetryExplore this thoughtfully designed mudroom and laundry room sanctuary that is filled with both functionality and personality.
On the mudroom side, there is personalized organization for every member of the household. Thoughtfully integrated divided shoe shelves beneath a cozy boot bench, along with open storage perfectly sized for decorative baskets, and decorative coat hooks ensure every essential from seasonal accessories to everyday items (i.e. gloves, hats, scarves, shoes, jackets, etc.) has its designated place. Overhead, elegant closed storage conceals and organizes, maintaining a pristine aesthetic that endures.
On the laundry room side, experience the ultimate in ergonomic design with raised washer and dryers, seamlessly integrated for effortless access and reduced strain and bending. Below the machines, a locking roll-out shelf glides out smoothly creating a perfectly positioned platform to set a laundry basket at an easy-to-reach height for loading and unloading. All designed to transforming loading and unloading the washer and dryer into a seamless, comfortable task.
Design by Cedar Design Build, Minnesota. Architectural Design by Becky Watson of Niche Design.
Cabinetry and mudroom lockers featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s Reese Inset skinny shaker door style in an Evergreen Fog painted finish with accents of Natural Cherry wood.
Request a FREE Dura Supreme Brochure Packet:
https://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochures/
Find a Dura Supreme Showroom near you today:
https://www.durasupreme.com/find-a-showroom/
Want to become a Dura Supreme Dealer? Go to:
https://www.durasupreme.com/become-a-dealer/
UserAnchored by the homeowner’s 42-foot-long painting, the interiors of this Palm Springs residence were designed to showcase the owner’s art collection, and create functional spaces for daily living that can be easily adapted for large social gatherings.
Referencing the environment and architecture in both form and material, the finishes and custom furnishings bring the interior to life. Alluding to the roofs that suspend over the building, the sofas seem to hover above the carpets while the knife-edge table top appears to float above a metal base. Bleached and cerused wood mimic the “desert effect” that would naturally occur in this environment, while the textiles on the sofa are the same shade as the rocks of the landscape.
Monolithic concrete floors connect all of the spaces while concealing mechanical systems, and stone thresholds signal vertical level changes and exterior transitions. Large wall masses provide the optimal backdrop for the homeowner’s oversized art. The wall structures ground the interior, while the opposing expanses of glass frame the desert views. The location and use of operable doors and windows allows the house to naturally ventilate, reducing cooling loads. The furnishings create spaces in an architectural fashion.
Designed and fabricated for flexibility, the pieces easily accommodate the owners’ large social gatherings. The dining table can be split into two and the sofas can be pushed out along the walls, opening the center of the space to entertain. The design of the interior spaces and furnishings seamlessly integrates the setting, architecture, artwork and spaces into a cohesive whole.
Dura Supreme CabinetryExplore this thoughtfully designed mudroom and laundry room sanctuary that is filled with both functionality and personality.
On the mudroom side, there is personalized organization for every member of the household. Thoughtfully integrated divided shoe shelves beneath a cozy boot bench, along with open storage perfectly sized for decorative baskets, and decorative coat hooks ensure every essential from seasonal accessories to everyday items (i.e. gloves, hats, scarves, shoes, jackets, etc.) has its designated place. Overhead, elegant closed storage conceals and organizes, maintaining a pristine aesthetic that endures.
On the laundry room side, experience the ultimate in ergonomic design with raised washer and dryers, seamlessly integrated for effortless access and reduced strain and bending. Below the machines, a locking roll-out shelf glides out smoothly creating a perfectly positioned platform to set a laundry basket at an easy-to-reach height for loading and unloading. All designed to transforming loading and unloading the washer and dryer into a seamless, comfortable task.
Design by Cedar Design Build, Minnesota. Architectural Design by Becky Watson of Niche Design.
Cabinetry and mudroom lockers featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s Reese Inset skinny shaker door style in an Evergreen Fog painted finish with accents of Natural Cherry wood.
Request a FREE Dura Supreme Brochure Packet:
https://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochures/
Find a Dura Supreme Showroom near you today:
https://www.durasupreme.com/find-a-showroom/
Want to become a Dura Supreme Dealer? Go to:
https://www.durasupreme.com/become-a-dealer/
Dura Supreme CabinetryExplore this thoughtfully designed mudroom and laundry room sanctuary that is filled with both functionality and personality.
On the mudroom side, there is personalized organization for every member of the household. Thoughtfully integrated divided shoe shelves beneath a cozy boot bench, along with open storage perfectly sized for decorative baskets, and decorative coat hooks ensure every essential from seasonal accessories to everyday items (i.e. gloves, hats, scarves, shoes, jackets, etc.) has its designated place. Overhead, elegant closed storage conceals and organizes, maintaining a pristine aesthetic that endures.
On the laundry room side, experience the ultimate in ergonomic design with raised washer and dryers, seamlessly integrated for effortless access and reduced strain and bending. Below the machines, a locking roll-out shelf glides out smoothly creating a perfectly positioned platform to set a laundry basket at an easy-to-reach height for loading and unloading. All designed to transforming loading and unloading the washer and dryer into a seamless, comfortable task.
Design by Cedar Design Build, Minnesota. Architectural Design by Becky Watson of Niche Design.
Cabinetry and mudroom lockers featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s Reese Inset skinny shaker door style in an Evergreen Fog painted finish with accents of Natural Cherry wood.
Request a FREE Dura Supreme Brochure Packet:
https://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochures/
Find a Dura Supreme Showroom near you today:
https://www.durasupreme.com/find-a-showroom/
Want to become a Dura Supreme Dealer? Go to:
https://www.durasupreme.com/become-a-dealer/
Dura Supreme CabinetryExplore this thoughtfully designed mudroom and laundry room sanctuary that is filled with both functionality and personality.
On the mudroom side, there is personalized organization for every member of the household. Thoughtfully integrated divided shoe shelves beneath a cozy boot bench, along with open storage perfectly sized for decorative baskets, and decorative coat hooks ensure every essential from seasonal accessories to everyday items (i.e. gloves, hats, scarves, shoes, jackets, etc.) has its designated place. Overhead, elegant closed storage conceals and organizes, maintaining a pristine aesthetic that endures.
On the laundry room side, experience the ultimate in ergonomic design with raised washer and dryers, seamlessly integrated for effortless access and reduced strain and bending. Below the machines, a locking roll-out shelf glides out smoothly creating a perfectly positioned platform to set a laundry basket at an easy-to-reach height for loading and unloading. All designed to transforming loading and unloading the washer and dryer into a seamless, comfortable task.
Design by Cedar Design Build, Minnesota. Architectural Design by Becky Watson of Niche Design.
Cabinetry and mudroom lockers featuring Dura Supreme Cabinetry’s Reese Inset skinny shaker door style in an Evergreen Fog painted finish with accents of Natural Cherry wood.
Request a FREE Dura Supreme Brochure Packet:
https://www.durasupreme.com/request-brochures/
Find a Dura Supreme Showroom near you today:
https://www.durasupreme.com/find-a-showroom/
Want to become a Dura Supreme Dealer? Go to:
https://www.durasupreme.com/become-a-dealer/
Paula McDonald Design Build & InteriorsRemoving or reducing barriers helps add light and create a better flow between spaces. To achieve an open kitchen, dining-living room and entertaining space, this small Upper East Side apartment required a gut renovation. By removing the walls, changing the sink location, creating custom cabinets to maximize storage, adding seating as an Island Table and upgrading lighting and finishes, we created a glamorous and highly functional contemporary apartment.
Thomas Roszak Architecture, LLCPhoto credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing
7RR-Ecohome:
The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together?
The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot.
Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.
Thomas Roszak Architecture, LLCPhoto credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing
7RR-Ecohome:
The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together?
The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot.
Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.
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