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Custom Builder Design Challenge Winners Tackle Urban Infill
By Susan Bady, Senior Editor, Design
September 1, 2007
Custom Builder
Picture your new clients: a professional couple who work outside the home. They have two young, active sons whose primary passions are sports and music. The boys' grandmother visits frequently, and it's likely that she'll move in at a later date. The parents often bring work home at night and sometimes on the weekends. They cook for the children whenever time allows and like to entertain informally.
But here's the kicker. Tired of living in the suburbs and commuting to their jobs in the city, the couple has purchased an urban infill site where they plan to build a home for their soon-to-be-extended family. There are no alleys in this particular neighborhood, so the garage has to be front-loaded. Due to municipal height restrictions, the home can't be more than two stories, and total living area cannot exceed 2,800 square feet.
That, in a nutshell, was the program for what will become Custom Builder's annual Design Challenge. Entrants struggled to minimize the impact of the front-loading garage, find the right location for an in-law suite that offered both privacy and accessibility, and incorporate spaces where the kids could play and the parents could work, entertain and chill out after a long day. Like all designers, they labored over traffic patterns, noise issues, security, natural light and ventilation. But due to the city location, concerns about privacy and security were greater and opportunities for outdoor space fewer.
Entries were submitted from across the nation. Because there were no limitations on architectural style, some elevations reflected the vernacular of a local market while others were eclectic or downright suburban. Except for the second-place winner, the judges agreed there were no designs that really screamed "urban."
Nevertheless, three designs rose to the top for their successful integration of public and private spaces, functional outdoor areas and attention to detail.
...
Third Place - Gary L. Fowler, Architect, Chicago
The grandmother's suite is also on the second floor, at the rear of the home for greater security. A terrace links her quarters to the kitchen and great room and provides a private relaxation space. A residential elevator and 3-foot doors throughout the home gives her easy access to all areas.
The children's bedrooms are on the first floor with the master suite to the rear, adjacent to the pool and hot tub. The main entry is at the side of the house, defined by a large covered porch, and office space is tucked into an alcove off the foyer.
Mom and Dad have several places in which to entertain their guests: the porch, which is suitable for small gatherings; the family room, with its folding doors that open to a patio overlooking the pool; and the great room — ideal for inclement weather.
When the adults crave peace and quiet, they can retreat to the roof terrace with its retractable shade awning and lush garden plantings. The children have their own grassy play area behind the house, where they can wrestle or kick a soccer ball around without having to play in the street or trek to the nearest park.
Judges gave high marks for the green ideas incorporated in this home. In addition to the green roof terrace, there is "cool" metal roofing, cellulose wall insulation, insulated foundation walls, a stormwater retention system and energy-efficient mechanical systems. The stormwater cistern in the basement captures, stores and reuses rainwater to irrigate the green roof and other landscaping. Materials can be recycled from the existing structure on the site, and scrap generated by construction can be used in the new home, such as recycled glass countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms.
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