a new norris house, norris, tenn.
the university of tennessee college of architecture + design
knoxville, tenn.
To mark the anniversary of the model homes that were part of the Norris Dam construction project in Tennessee, a team of students and faculty from the University of Tennessee reinterpreted the structures with green materials, building science, and prefab technology. Our judges were awed with the results: “Super elegantly done,” one said. “A really refined vernacular application that lifts it to another level.”
The original Norris home was an example of modern, affordable, and efficient living. It had a small footprint and was built in various styles, says Samuel Mortimer, a member of the project team. A New Norris House builds on that tradition, adds Tricia A. Stuth, AIA. “These houses are historic and forward-looking,” she says. To exploit modular technology, the home is largely prefabricated and features a completely sealed shell stuffed with batt insulation and wrapped with 1-inch-thick foam board. The team sited the structure for solar gain and included rainwater harvesting and graywater recycling.
Despite its modest lineage, the home is not austere. The designers outfitted the interior with recycled wood flooring and built-in cabinets, and clad the home in a metal roof and a wood rainscreen. The result “is simple architecturally but rich,” one judge said.
project credits
principals in charge: Tricia A. Stuth, AIA, and Robert French, University of Tennessee College of Architecture + Design (UT CoAD); project managers: Levi Hooten, Matthew Lyle, Samuel Mortimer, and Valerie Friedmann, UT CoAD; project team members: Paul Attea, Eric Bennett, Tyler Blazer, Matt Childress, Mitzi Coker, Claire Craven, Katharine Dike, Maxi Tittel Frank, Clint Harris, A.J. Heidel, Daniel Hunter, Michele Jasper, Arya Kabiri, Ben Lamons, Michael Linehan, Daniel Luster, Derek Markee, Allie Ross Matheson, Chris Melander, Mary Miller, Justin Mincey, Joan Monaco, Laws Nelson, Andew Pirtle, Andy Pittman, Tyler Puryear, Patrick Quiessar, Ryan Ray, Nick Richardson, Andrew Ruff, Jimmy Ryan, John Sasse, and Ruyi Shi; general contractor: UT CoAD design/build program with Clayton Homes (modular), Maryville, Tenn., and Johnson & Galyon (on-site support), Knoxville; landscape architect/interior designer: UT CoAD design/build program; project size: 768 square feet; site size: 0.28 acre; construction cost: $189 per square foot; photography: Ken McCown.
product details
bath cabinets: Ikea, www.ikea.com; bath and kitchen fittings: Moen, www.moen.com; bath fixtures: Ikea, www.ikea.com, Kohler, www.kohler.com; cooktop and refrigerator: GE, www.ge.com; doors and windows: Andersen Windows & Doors, www.andersenwindows.com; flooring: Terra Green, www.terragreenceramics.com, Crossville, www.crossvilleinc.com; hardware: Blum, www.blum.com, Baldwin, www.baldwinhardware.com; hot water: Enerworks, enerworks.com; hvac equipment: Eemax, www.eemaxinc.com, Fantech, fantech.net, Mitsubishi, www.mehvac.com; insulation: Johns Manville, www.jm.com, Icynene, www.icynene.com; lighting: Artemide, www. www.artemide.us, Sea Gull Lighting, www.seagulllighting.com, Modern Fan Co., www.modernfan.com; oven: Whirlpool Corp., www.whirlpool.com; paint: Sherwin-Williams, www.sherwin-williams.com, Cabot’s, www.cabotstains.com, Sikkens, www.sikkens.us; roofing: Englert, www.englertinc.com; skylight: Velux America, www.velux.com
