Good to see you old friend

Ran across this as I was searching for a old needed cad file on an old hard drive. A sort of homecoming. I missed this one.

This is a rendering for a home plan set that I created back when people actually were wanting these and building things.

Hey economy – lighten up already!

 

Residential Remodel – Phoenix, AZ

Here are some progress images of a project we are designing to the master suite of a cool house in Phoenix. The Owners have some great requests and want an “everyday spa” feel – not too indulgent, but certainly comfortable and usable. This really has turned into a fun little project, and I thought the developing images were worthy of a post.

Energy Efficient PreFab: Huf House

From the Inhabitat blog, this is a great prefab system now being represented out of Cleveland, OH. I’m interested to see what the prices per square foot are, but the system really allows some beautiful spaces.

German company HUF HAUS is offering gorgeous green houses to the masses by bringing Bauhaus style to factory-made green homes. The company’s signature post-and-beam construction allows for big open spaces, and they serve them up with solar panels and even an optional geothermal heating system.

Read the rest of From Bauhaus to HUF HAUS: Energy Efficient Prefab Homes

Green Building – Coolidge, AZ

Here is an update on an exciting project in Coolidge, Arizona. Coolidge is a town of about 12,000 people 50 miles south of Phoenix. I’m working with a landowner there to develop about 60 acres into about 48 new 1 AC home sites. The houses will take on the rural character of the area, but will have a considerable amount of environmental systems included. Passive cooling strategies, orientations directed by solar panel applications, sensibly building smaller, use of easily maintained and long lasting materials, and clear connections to outdoor areas are all the main design goals.

There will likely be 3 plan options, and the initial sales price targets are in the $249,000 to $299,000 range. Here are some of the initial studies that were generated for the latest meeting with the City Officials.

Keiser Residence – Progress Photos

Hard to believe, I know, but there are actually people in town that are building things.

Yesterday I received a set of progress photos from Debby Keiser, and I was so excited to see them. I’m glad she agreed to let me post them here. This project included adding a 400 sf casita, a 500 sf game room and an additional 450 sf garage to an existing house in Surprise, Arizona. The independent buildings were placed to take advantage of the large yard and frame a coutyard, and to allow the desired uses of the yard to exist in a more defined way. There is also a new ramada that makes the used-to-be-regular pool feel instead like it is at a resort, and plans for a tennis court to complete the backyard. It is turning out really well, and once the incredible landscape (by Tom Snyder of EPS group) is finished, this new house with a focus on outdoor living will be an amazingly comfortable place to call home.

View of casita and game room from the ramada

Happy homeowner in her new snail shower

Tom's landscape plan

HFH LA – New designs

Here is an interesting way that another Habitat for Humanity location is solving their design problems. In addition to the typical HFH plan books, these additional designs have been created to deal with the LA vernacular. These look great, and are a real upgrade to the plans they typically have available to them.

The link to the full story is here:

http://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=204&articleID=1033454

New home plan set – “The LEO” available

In the spirit of shifting practice in a post-MKD world (see “changing architectrual landscape” post  – 6/3/09),  I spent some time this weekend wrapping up something that was long overdue. The design and construction sets for “The LEO” are just about finished, and I’m currently figuring out which of the online plan services fits this best, or if we should just make them available ourselves.  I’ll update the blog once I decide on that, but for the time being, here are some images and descriptions of what this house is all about. I’m also still deciding on prices for the set. I want them to be affordable so more people can have them. If you are interested in sets now and just can’t wait until I decide, send me a note and we can discuss getting you the sets you need now.    

The building is designed with SIPS panels, and far exceeds the current envelope requirements set by the DOE. I’ll post the calculations in a separate posting for review for anyone who is interested.

 

“Though in development for 9 months, the inspiration for “the LEO” was actually more of a flash. That inspiration came the day we found out we were having our third child. With our family of four already cramped for space, (and with a cramped pocketbook), we started doodling on napkins, and had this arrangement in about five minutes. Named after the new baby that started all this, we think “the LEO” solves typical problems in atypical ways for regular folks, just like us. 

Designed to fit on a typical “builder lot”, this project is intends to fill a void in the market by providing a competing, and we think better, voice. Instead of settling for a typical builder house, we propose a solution that is modular. Modern in look and feel, but far from cold. This house is  about everyday living, natural light, and community. It is our intention to utilize the modular building system to provide a housing solution that is competitive in price to the median house prices in any particular area.  

The programmatic spaces are as follows:

4 bedrooms:1 master suite on second floor, 3 on first  floor. Possible separate quarters for MIL suite.

Kitchen: Open plan with serving bar

Dining: Formal with connection to kitchen.

Powder room: Serves as bathroom for 4th bedroom. Always clean.

Optional studio: Could double MIL suite. Detached structure. Easily phased.

Living room: Center of house. Connection to patio and entry. Double-sided fireplace.

Pool: Vibrant outdoor living. Xeriscape plantings.

Utility room: Stackable washer and dryer. Plenty of Costco-like storage.

 We have designed this to fit on a 60’-0” wide site. The house is 2,800 s.f. with the optional studio, and 2,500 s.f. without. The design strategies that have been used can be summarized as follows.

1-Create a street presence that helps establish community. How might a community act differently if the front face of every house wasn’t about a painted double garage door? What if instead, entry gardens lined streets, and the public functions of the house were visually connected to the street? Furthermore, what if there was the ability to have a home office not only connected to the entry, but out in front in a scale that actually added to the personality of the street scape?   

2-Create indoor/outdoor connections that allow the house to breathe. Though the house is a comfortable size, we have also created opportunities for outdoor patios and multiple roof decks. This philosophy creates space where there wasn’t any before, and increases the livability of the smallish site.

3-Use the modular building system efficiently. Though this design can be created with traditional construction methods, the intention is that a modular builder be used. Efforts are made to leave the structure exposed as much as possible, and in locations that are appropriate.”