PLAN 497-23

This project presented an opportunity to introduce homeowners and the design community to combinations of ideas all aimed at making life better, easier, and more sustainable. Design ideas that embrace sustainability, accessibility, survivability, affordability, and community integration are employed into a series of design solutions that accomplish multiple goals. The goal was to pair diverse design considerations together in an effort to find synergistic opportunities where multiple criteria are satisfied with a single design idea. The outdoor space is not just a place of deck and patios; rather, the outdoor spaces are utilized to fulfill specific programmatic roles. The first platform raised off the sidewalk becomes an outdoor foyer. This buffer space would be great for catching some sun and enjoying a game of dominos or cards with a neighbor. It also acts as a buffer or foyer to the outdoor living room up above. Two large planters frame the space and help with the visual transition between the raised living spaces and the ground plane. The highest outdoor platform, the outdoor living room, features shelves that double as a deck railing. The outdoor living room mirrors the indoor living room and a single TV could be turned around to enable viewing either indoors or in the shaded comfort of the front porch. Gardening is a great hobby but can be backbreaking work. In the front yard the vertical garden includes a series of planter trays that improve the ergonomics of gardening. Potted plants can be dropped into these different sized trays creating a colorful and fragrant wall of flowers or a handy outdoor pantry full of tasty veggies. In the back yard, elevated planting beds raise food crops above contaminated ground plane while also making gardening more comfortable. The great room features a series of ideas that simultaneously save money, generously accommodate a wheelchair and reduce construction waste. Open shelf cabinets allow for easier wheel chair access to counters and an open plan gives space for maximum maneuverability. The kitchen is large enough for preparing a large family meal while also size and budget appropriate for those whose common culinary efforts involve a microwave. The counter to the left of the stove serves as a “flex space” - it could be used as a desk or extra kitchen work surface. Consolidating the microwave, refrigerator, and an open pantry into a single wall makes it is easy to get food out of the refrigerator and into the microwave for a quick, hot meal.