PIONEER VALLEY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY FOR AMHERST COLLEGE
ALL PHOTOS BY ANITA LICIS-RIBAK
AIA NEW ENGLAND DESIGN AWARDS Project Type: Residential Affordable 1000 SF, 3 Bedroom, 1 1/2 Bath Home Amherst, Massachusetts Our firm was responsible for architectural design. Special Constraints include sustainable, affordable design solutions simple enough to be built by volunteer labor. The site plan had to accommodate wetland setbacks, provide shared access and open space, and allow for optimal solar orientation. This is an original design solution meant to act as a prototype. The project makes innovative use of standard building components and donated materials. Slab on grade construction minimizes entry steps and enhances universal design. The project takes advantage of a range of sustainable approaches to design including active and passive solar systems, 8” thick walls filled with dense pack cellulose, high efficiency single point source heating, fiber cement siding for durability, clustered siting with minimal impervious surfaces, shared open spaces, and a shared driveway. A full year of energy data has not yet been collected, but is being tracked. Construction Budget $160,000 Cost/SF: NA; Donated Labor Collaboration with Amherst College, Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity, home owners, and local volunteers including students from Amherst College, Hampshire College, and the University of Massachusetts. Completed 2008—2009
This project is the result of a collaboration between Amherst College, Habitat for Humanity, and the architect. Amherst College donated the land for the houses with the caveat that they should challenge the standard notion of what a Habitat for Humanity house is while still being affordable and buildable by volunteer labor. In addition, all collaborators agreed to make the houses as sustainable as practical, given financial and skilled labor constraints.
The site is located about two miles outside of Amherst Center, in an open field with unobstructed views to the south. The collection of four small houses comfortably creates a neighborhood, integrates with the existing community, and leaves open green space for play and group activities. The clustered siting and slab-on-grade construction were chosen to minimize site disturbances.
The houses are sited along an east-west axis in order to maximize solar gain. Living spaces face south, while circulation and utility spaces act as buffers to the north. The shed roof shape slopes south to accommodate photovoltaic and passive solar hot water arrays.
PHASE 1 FIRST FLOOR PLAN
PHASE 2 FIRST FLOOR PLAN
This neighborhood project is to be completed in four years, with one house built per year. The first house was built with the Phase One Plan. Following its construction, the Habitat building managers asked us to simplify some of its elements for ease of volunteer labor construction and to tighten the footprint. Pioneer Valley Habitat For Humanity maximum square footage allowances are slightly less than the national guidelines. Phase One was designed to national standards; Phase Two was designed to local standards, which meant reducing the square footage by 100 SF. We were able to accomplish both of these goals, while maintaining the original design concept.
PHASE 1 SECOND FLOOR PLAN
PHASE 2 SECOND FLOOR PLAN
This View is taken on the second floor looking towards the open stair, as shown in the Phase Two Floor Plan. The opening is positioned directly above the point source heater and serves as a convection port to bring warm air upstairs.
The massing of the houses is a series of simple sheds that revolve around one another, expressing the various interior functions of the house. The house was designed to allow for graceful expansion, by the future joining of additional volumes.
The walls are 8� thick, composed of 2x6 framing with 2x2 strapping filled with blown cellulose insulation. The house is heated by a centrally-located, propane-fired highefficiency Rinnai point source heater. Hot water is provided by an electric on-demand unit. The absence of a complex heating system meant that volunteer labor could participate more fully in the project, while the reduced HVAC expenses helped to offset the cost of additional framing materials and insulation.
Exterior finishes evoke the detailing and appearance of local farm buildings and sheds. Fiber cement panels and clapboards were chosen to reduce material costs and minimize long-term maintenance. The two volumes are clearly differentiated by the color and texture of the siding.
Initial Concept Board