SLOW ARCHITECTURE HOUSE

CREATING INTENTIONAL DENSITY IN THE CITY

Tucked in between two existing modest single family homes on an abandoned lot, Slow Architecture House provides additional attainable housing within the city limits. We designed and sited the house for simple, quite living in a walkable neighborhood while still maximizing the remaining yard space for gardening and outdoor living.

Cities need to support the creation of additional housing units in all shapes and forms to help alleviate the excessive burden of housing costs and to promote intentional density where applicable and appropriate. One solution is to strategically insert smaller homes into tight, seemingly unusable lots, in backyards as ADUs (accessory dwelling units,) or in existing parking or abandoned commercial spaces. Slow Architecture House is small enough to fit nicely between two modest homes, but large enough to provide ample housing for a couple, a young family or for someone downsizing for myriad reasons.

This house is long and narrow so as to afford both a minimized street presence and allow natural light to penetrate into all of the spaces. The house is designed with a thick envelope assembly and high R-value to reduce energy usage and promote efficiency. The thickened walls and roof also help reduce noise pollution. The concrete floors with radiant heat and thermal insulation under the slab act as a passive heat sink in the winter and feel cool in the summer. The tongue and groove cedar siding is maintenance free and will patina to a cool grey over the years. The house changes slowly with the seasons.

TOTAL AREA/ 1,130 SF