a break from the rain

yesterday we took advantage of the recent stretch of dry weather to visit our project under construction at the coast.

the exterior siding is installed and awaits a few final details and paint.  the body and trim will be painted a dark warm grey and should recede nicely into the landscape.

the open stair is flooded with south light and draws you up from the entry into the main volume of the house.

the spectacular view to the west required a nice long deck to take it all in after a hard day of playing on the beach (insert drink in hand).

the tiny east elevation.

the cozy bedroom tucked into the east end.

the future 3-star ping pong room on the lower level.

a small taste of the main living room - more on this space later.

the bathroom with soaking tub and skylight above.

the west elevation in its partially finished state.

the north entry elevation from the road.

for more on the construction process so far, see the previous posts here, here, and here.

for more on the design, see the previous posts here and here.

www.insituarchitecture.net

passivehaus planning

we're planning a passivehaus.  for a quick intro see the previous post.  our desire is to create a modern sustainable house that suits our modest needs and lifestyle.  our site is a 50' x 140' flat lot with the street to the north, and great south exposure to the back.  we want a 2 bedroom house for us, our animals, and the occasional guest.  in addition, we need a small architecture office with direct client access, a small art studio with internal access, and a workshop with storage.  living and working all in one.

our solution:

the plan takes a simple rectangle composed of the three primary program pieces, pulls it apart into two volumes, and shifts the smaller volume to form south facing outdoor space on grade and a roof terrace accessed from the second floor.  the gap between serves to break down the mass from the street by allowing views through to the back, while providing separate access to the office.  although the simple shifts in plan create more surface area and a less efficient envelope, we feel the spatial effect is important and justifies the added effort and cost.

service functions such as bathrooms, laundry, storage, and kitchen are placed to the north (shown in gray).  a two-story living room and architecture office are placed to the south on the ground floor; each with direct access to the south yard.  the art studio is placed to the south on the upper floor with direct access to a roof terrace.

openings are primarily located to the south to maximize solar gain, while openings on the north are sized to satisfy the code minimum for street side glazing.  east and west openings are limited to minimize heat loss, while providing a balance of light and natural ventilation.  exterior roll down shades will be outfitted on the south facing openings to prevent overheating during the hottest days.  exterior materials include aluminum clad wood windows, charred juniper siding, and cement stucco.

view from the south (back)

interior looking south through living room

with our preliminary design in hand, our generous friends at brute force collaborative crunched the numbers using the passive house planning package, and have verified that we can achieve the passivhaus standard.  check back soon for a first look at the assemblies and details that will make it all possible.

www.insituarchitecture.net

small project update

we recently completed work on a small bathroom remodel with some pleasing results.

the existing dropped sheetrock ceiling was removed to expose the original wood decking.  a carbonized bamboo cabinet provides a nice complement to the wood ceiling.

the existing shower compartment was replaced with a curbless all glass shower surround outfitted with a linear slot drain.

a duravit wall hung dual flush toilet is mounted on a background of simple white 3x6 tile in a stacked bond pattern.

a linear glass tile backsplash above the white quart countertop provides a hint of color.  trimless mirrored doors conceal a wall to wall medicine cabinet.

linear porcelain tile provides a beautiful cost effective floor.  a perimeter soffit conceals new piping and accommodates uplighting.

another bathroom remodel project is in the works.  check back soon for the next small project update.

www.insituarchitecture.net

beach house skin

the siding progresses. outer skin of hardie panels with vertical battens (to be painted).

inner skin of western red cedar shingles.

previous posts on the construction of the oceanside beach house here and here.

previous posts on the design of the oceanside beach house here and here.

www.insituarchitecture.net

pondering passivhaus

we're planning a passivhaus.  in this country called a passive house.  super energy efficient.  it's a german system.  it's pretty rigorous.  there are a few built, a few more under construction.  even more being planned. the concept is to create a house that is comfortable year round without a traditional heating system.  it pretty much heats itself.  heat from the sun, people, appliances, animals, etc.  probably a small electric heater or two to supplement.

how do you do it?  create a super insulated building envelope.  make it super tight.  maximize the solar gain.  use incredibly efficient windows.  minimize the losses.  use mechanical ventilation and recover the heat.  that's pretty much it.  seems simple in concept.

we already have a site.  it pretty close in.  we like the neighborhood.  it has great south exposure.  opportunity for a garden.

the existing house is very small (not a bad thing), but in not such good shape.  it's barely insulated.  the windows are rotting.  some glass is cracked.  the rooms are oriented all wrong.  we think it's time for a change.  passive house is our future.

here's what it looks like now:

come back soon and i'll show you more.  details.  drawings.  models.  maybe some calcs.

it'll be a struggle, but we're up for the challenge.

rainscreen installation

open joint cedar rainscreen siding aligns with existing lap siding

building paper for color only installed over air infiltration barrier

battens run behind belly band to maintain continuous airspace

view of battens and siding at corner in preparation for butt joint

pre-primed rough sawn cedar siding with open joints

closed cell spray foam against underside of roof deck

previous entries on this project:

construction progress

under construction

under construction

framing is underway for a new single story addition to a 1908 four square home in northeast portland.

the new addition will feature 8' tall full lite doors opening onto a new deck, a cantilevered bay with windows on 3 sides, an open joint rainscreen siding system, and an extensive green roof.

construction is expected to be complete by the end of the year.  more progress photos to come.

hill houses

a look at a few houses built along fairmount boulevard, and how they maneuver the slope.

i love this simple elevation.  architect unknown.

one of the few houses on the down slope that is built on grade.  this house nestles into the hill beautifully and has a notch in the roof to allow the tree to grow through right at the building wall.

the detached garage for the same house is also notched to allow for a tree.

will martin architect.  simple and timeless in a 70's way.

green metal barn on stilts.

parking the car is a huge challenge on these sloping sites.

big house and mini-house.

it's as if they forgot they were building on a slope...

van evera bailey architect showing how to do it.

frankfurt kitchen

Just after the first WW, Enrnst May, Frankfurt's city architect initiated an ambitious project to house millions of soldiers returning to Germany, as well as thousands of war widows. May brought into his office a young but experienced Viennese architect, Grete Schütte-Lihotzky, to  design a modern, rational, work kitchen.

frankfurt kitchen | 1927 | grete schütte-lihotzky

The kitchen's organizing principle is similar to that of the design of galleys in ships and trains of the era.  Its tiny size reflected a desire for efficiency and to save room for the living spaces of the flat.

frankfurt kitchen | 1927 | grete schütte-lihotzky

The kitchen's innovative features included continuous work surfaces, a table for preparing food under a large window, storage bins with handles and spouts, an adjustable ceiling light, a movable stool, a concealed pass-through, drop-down ironing board, and cabinetry painted a deep blue to naturally repel flies.

frankfurt kitchen reconstruction | 1990 | MAK vienna

Lihotsky apparently drew endless diagrams of how cooks move in a kitchen to understand how to maximize efficiency.  The surfaces are at sitting height, so the cook didn't have to be on her feet the whole time.

frankfurt kitchen reconstruction | 2006 | v+a museum

Probably the biggest innovation was to take the dining table out of the kitchen.  This simple galley working kitchen satisfied the modernists' concern with hygiene and made for a more efficient floorplan.

frankfurt kitchen reconstruction | 2006 | v+a museum

Not only was the layout of the kitchen innovative, but so was its construction and affordability.  The cabinets were made without sides and backs to save cost, and special loans were made available to allow residents to buy a kitchen and pay it off with the monthly rent.

aluminum drawer detail

Over 10,000 versions of the frankfurt kitchen were installed within a four-year period.  This small efficient kitchen became a standard in Europe throughout the 20th century.

in situ prior to dismantle and reconstruction

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbV5tUWhpGg]

thanks patrick