borden partnership and atelier andrews, los angeles and san marino, calif.
Architects Gail Peter Borden, RA, AIA, and Brian Delford Andrews, RA, covered all the bases—affordability, sustainability, and energy efficiency—in this prototype Houston house. Designed to withstand the trials of Houston humidity, the fiber-cement-clad structure mixes the regional typologies of the shotgun and Charleston floor plans. The long layout captures cross-breezes, which chase the heat upward to 11-foot ceilings and out clerestory windows. Screened porches extend the living space outdoors while offering protection from mosquitoes.
The building was designed for stock materials—no cutting, no waste—and the inverted roof collects rain into a cistern, the source for landscape irrigation. Inside, each room has its own air-conditioning unit, plus space-efficient beds and desks that slide into the wall. “It’s about being able to tailor space to the function you’re currently doing as opposed to compartmentalizing,” Borden explains.
Innovative and environmentally savvy, “the strictly layered concept mediates inside and outside and sends the right messages,” said one judge.
Project Credits
principals in charge / project architects: Gail Peter Borden, RA, AIA, Borden Partnership, and Brian Delford Andrews, RA, Atelier Andrews
project size: 1,316 square feet
site size: 0.16 acre
construction cost: Projected $75 per square foot
sales price: $99,000 (lot donated by city)
renderings: Courtesy Borden Partnership and Atelier Andrews
Product Details
bathroom fittings and fixtures: American Standard www.americanstandard-us.com; dishwasher, oven/range, refrigerator: GE Consumer & Industrial www.ge.com; doors, windows: Milgard Windows & Doors www.milgard.com; exterior siding: James Hardie Building Products www.jameshardie.com; hardware, kitchen cabinets, lighting fixtures: The Home Depot www.homedepot.com; hvac equipment: Amana www.amana.com; kitchen fittings: Delta Faucet Co. www.deltafaucet.com; kitchen fixtures: Sinks USA www.sinksusa.com; paints/stains/wall finishes: BEHR Process Corp. www.behr.com
View the next 2010 rada winner.
