Project Description
2008 RADA
Multifamily / Merit
Edward M. Baum, FAIA, says the design for this prototype duplex housing is a creative solution to the 50-foot-by-150-foot infill sites common in Dallas, and he’s optimistic it can be adapted to other cities. Instead of a conventional single-family house or a low-rise multifamily building, “these smaller homes fit more gracefully on a site,” he says.
The linear-shaped, two-bedroom units are aimed at smaller households or live/work arrangements, without sacrificing the precious amenities of a single-family house. Owners use garage doors to enter their units, passing through inviting crushed-rock courtyards. “This really does reconsider how you enter the house,” said one judge. “And it’s handled in a beautiful and pragmatic way. When you open the door, it’s a fantastic experience.”
Inside, the main public space consists of a combination kitchen/living/dining room; a narrow gallery leads to the private rooms and additional outdoor spaces. Baum designed the homes for affordable construction using typical lumberyard materials, such as painted 2×12 rafters, waxed concrete floors, and drywall. Even the roof—tapered rigid foam insulation installed on the outside—is a typical commercial spec. “The only custom products are the windows,” Baum says. Our judges admired the project’s modesty and praised its “elegant, simple moves.”