rockhill and associates, lecompton, kan.
Dan Rockhill’s portfolio contains historic restoration projects, public art pieces, high-design custom homes, and not much affordable housing. So he approached this 55-unit senior housing project with an open mind, going as far as to seek inspiration in a nearby mobile home community. The trailer park model wears a stigma that isn’t entirely unwarranted, he observes, “but you can learn from it and build on it.”
Rockhill’s site plan, which orients units toward pedestrian “alleys” rather than parking lots, reflects the value residents place on connection with the outdoors and with their neighbors. The units employ simple forms and materials elegantly and sustainably. Recyclable metal roofing tops ICF walls; south-facing storefront glazing and concrete floors contribute passive solar heating and daylighting. And each unit opens onto a small private yard.
No matter how modest their circumstances, Rockhill notes, “Everybody wants a little something they can call their own.”
Project Credits
principal in charge: Dan Rockhill, Rockhill and Associates, www.rockhillandassociates.com
project designer: David Sain, LEED AP, Rockhill and Associates
developer: Stephen G. Crozier, Tierra Realty Trust, Ranchos de Taos, N.M.
general contractor: Ron Reynolds and Stephen G. Crozier, Century Communities II, Ranchos de Taos, www.tierrarealty.com/about.php?Page=century
project size: 864 square feet to 1,000 square feet per unit; 2,111 square feet (commons building)
site size: 4.8 acres
construction cost: $144 per square foot
rental price: $246 to $502 per unit per month
units in project: 55
photography: Patrick Coulie
Product Details
bathroom and kitchen cabinets: Cardell Cabinetry www.cardellkitchens.com; bathroom and kitchen fittings, kitchen fixtures: Pioneer Industries www.pioneerind.com; bathroom fixtures: VitrA USA www.vitra-usa.com; countertops: Wilsonart International www.wilsonart.com; dishwasher, oven/range, refrigerator: Whirlpool Corp. www.whirlpool.com; doors: Contract Decor International www.contractdecor.com, Masonite International Corp. www.masonite.com; fencing: Atlantis Products (Metalco) www.fence-system.com; flooring (quartz): Knight Quartz Flooring www.knightquartzflooring.com; hardware: PAMEX (Faultless Locks) www.pamexinc.com/home.aspx; hvac equipment: Ruud Manufacturing Co. www.ruud.com; insulation: NUDURA www.nudura.com; paints/stains/wall finishes: The Sherwin-Williams Co. www.sherwin-williams.com; stormwater system: CULTEC www.cultec.com
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