GRAY
GRAY
Team Gray Vision has designed a home centered around the idea of integration. Integration between the two families that will live here, integration between the structure design and the landscape design, integration between a traditional construction type and an unconventional design strategy, integration between the materials we choose and the community we’re building in, etc. Our goal is to use integration to respond to the pandemic as a way to create a sense of community, a reminder that we do not have to go through the rest of the pandemic alone and that we have each other to rely on.
Graduate Architects: Nick Brauer Zoe Rader Yadi Gonzalez Zane Wicker Ryan Rufer Landscape Architects: Krista Walterbusch Stephanie Gates Elise Stueve
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Open play area in backyard Shaded parking pad with bike storage Permeable walkways and patios Rain Garden
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Dwarf persimmon trees to create shade Vegetable gardens Separate patios with living walls for privacy Separate exterior storage units
Site Plan
Front and Rear Elevations
North and South Elevations
Short Sections
Long Sections
Architecture In the contest of architecture judges will evaluate the form, functionality, aesthetics, and overall integration of the design. Specifically, judges will evaluate on overall architectural concept and design, implementation, documentation, and innovation. The team’s design should be creative, innovative, and respond directly to its context, while servicing occupant wants and needs and the surrounding community. We have addressed these evaluation guidelines by designing holistically, a side-by-side two-family home with the ability to receive light from above due to an overbearing southern neighbor, have a tight building envelope while using common 2x6 construction techniques with the purpose of involving community members and businesses, and integrate the two families through an undulating “party wall” that emphasizes space changes upon undulation and extends through the site as “grow walls,” pathways, and native plant placements.
A perspectival section showing how we’ve envisioned a bedroom upstairs while utilizing the space on the first floor as an office as opposed to another bedroom. We’ve also showcased our double-height living room that leads into the kitchen.
Engineering Within the engineering contest area of our project, Team Gray Vision has done extensive research into the various systems to use and where to get them. To the right we have illustrated the specific systems chosen. The PHIUS+ Prescriptive Path has led us to designing a wall system (also illustrated to the right). We have utilized 2x6 advanced stud framing, an airtight building envelope, and the use of LED lights. We have also chosen to require all of our timber materials be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Some of the other eciency and performance factors that we have taken into consideration are stacking the upper and lower level bathrooms along with placing our laundry room above the kitchen and mechanical room in order to simplify our plumbing plan as much as possible.
Market Analysis This contest area has seemed to get thrown by the wayside most of the semester. Market analysis is critical to the success of the project as we need to keep in mind the buildings appeal, aord ability and build ability when designing and selecting materials and methods of construction. This contest will be juried so we need to show that what we have meets the ideas of innovation, scalability, livability, build-ability, and cost-effective. We have to make an argument that the units are aordable to our target market. With the median household income being so low, this idea of cost-eectiveness is critical to complete this contest area. Another big aspect that we should make very prominent in our submission is that we plan to use a penalized wall system that is manufactured o site instead of the traditional way of stick framing.
Durability & Resilience In deciding materials we chose, we not only has to keep in mind the the durability and resilience but also the impact these materials would have on the environment. For instance, we chose LP SmartSide as our cladding material because it is wood-based therefore more environmentally friendly than vinyl siding, or even James Hardie siding. LP SmartSide also has a similar life expectancy of 50 years similar to the James Hardie siding. On a similar note, we chose metal roofing over the more common material of asphalt shingles. A metal roof may be a higher initial cost, but it requires very minimal maintenance, it is very weather resistant, it has a life expectancy of up to 70 years, and it provides easy installation of solar panels. We have also chosen to use solar panels sourced from Tesla (shown to the bottom) for the opportunity to also purchase a battery pack in the case that our budget allows.
Embodied Environmental Impact For Team Gray Vision, embodied environmental impact means that we will be cautious when it comes to sourcing materials. Our goal is to source everything locally whether that means strictly US made or sourced in the Midwest. By focusing on locally sourced materials, we will be able to support the local communities that source those materials. Pertaining to the materials that we will use, we have chosen to use LP Smart siding for cladding, Metal roofing material and other materials all while using advanced wood framing to construct the project. To go into depth, LP Smart siding, for example, is made up of 80 to 95% recycled material, is VOC free, and has an embodied carbon value of 0. On the other hand, using the advanced framing method is environmentally friendly because of the use of a renewable resource. In addition, doing 2x6 stud framing versus 2x4 requires less material because of being able to place the studs 24” apart. Despite the large carbon footprint that metal roofing produces, it requires very minimal maintenance thus requiring less vehicles traveling to the site to make repairs, or even replacements.
Integrated Performance When thinking of the integrated performance of our design, we thought about how our passive and active systems correlate with our floor plan and our wall assembly. For example, because we have chosen to follow the PHIUS+ Prescriptive Path, we need an air-tight building envelope, thus leading us to choose ductless heat pumps and ventilation systems. Instead of large ducts, these systems use refrigerant piping that is only about 2.5” in diameter. This results in less penetrations (that are also smaller) through the wall system. Another important aspect of our design is our skyroof that brings natural daylight into the center of each unit. Without this design element, the core of our home would rely solely on artificial lighting. This skyroof also has a small number of operable windows in order to utilize the stack eect, assisting in ridding these homes of stale air.
Rendering highlighting the daylight provided by the skyroof
Occupant Experience The experience of the occupant is the definition of architecture. The feel when you walk into a building, the atmosphere, the colors, the materials, verticality and spatial vibrance is what creates space. Creates wonder, and life. When you walk into a home you should feel welcome and comfortable. The kitchen should be a utilitarian social space for creating gourmet cuisine and bringing family together. The bedroom should be private and reflect one’s personality to comfort them when they sleep and need time to themselves. The home should also be healthy and innovative. Creating a space that heals the occupant. They come home from the stress of their day to relax and let it all go. With a great home and a great design, it is easy to take a deep breath and have a better, healthier, more deserving life.
Starting from the front door, it’s a clear view all the way through to the back door A view from the kitchen showing the continuity and fluidity of the space
A view from the skyroof looking into each unit
The skyroof allows for the stairwell to be flooded with light
Comfort & Emvironmental Quality Team Gray Vision has chosen to address the comfort and environmental qualities of our two-family home by utilizing a ductless 5-cassette mini-split heat pump system. The cassettes will be mounted in dierent zones. These pieces of equipment have a low sound quality, thus allowing placements in various zones. The plans to the right denote in orange the exterior condensers (one for each unit) along with all of the wall-mounted units (one for each zone). Due to our air-tight building envelope, we have also chosen to use a ductless heat recovery ventilator (HRV) in order to supply fresh air while simultaneously exhausting the stale air within our two units. This system also helps to dramatically reduce the heating and cooling loads of our home. Overall, we have chosen ductless systems to minimize the penetration of our wall system in order to follow the PHIUS+ Prescriptive Path as closely as possible. Because a Variable Refrigerant Flow System allows one to heat and cool dierent zones simultaneously, we have chosen not to use a VRF. Due to the small scale of our project, it is not beneficial (or even energy-efficient) to use a VRF.
Energy Performance The contest of energy performance hinges on one question: how much of the whole-building energy consumption is oset by renewable energy systems? Furthermore, the energy performance contest is measured and is broken down into 4 sub-contests: energy eciency, energy production, energy balance (Net-Zero), and energy value (Solar Energy Utilization). Eciency evaluates the home’s HERS (Home Energy Rating System) score without renewable energy consideration. Production evaluates a testing period to which the home must successfully generate energy over a 24 hour period. Balance (Net-Zero) evaluates if the home has the potential to produce more energy than it uses annually. The last sub-contest of energy value (Solar Energy Utilization) evaluates on-site solar maximization through the calculation of Solar Utilization Index (SUI), the percentage of on-site solar energy that is used at the time of generation for direct use. We have addressed the energy performance contest by reducing our HERS value and EUI as much as possible before implementing any solar gains, by using a PV panel array mounted on the southern side of our roof to maximize solar duration, and by allowing daylight into every space to help mitigate light loads along with using Energy Star appliances to reduce appliance plug loads throughout the home.
Presentation Communicating is the key to success. If you cannot communicate your ideas to another, there is no point to even have ideas. Presentations should be intriguing and exciting, creating wonder and imagination into a world unknown. If a presentation is bland and uneventful, you’ll lose your audience in seconds. You must attract them with excitement and joy; reate something interesting, make them ask a question when they see it and seduce them in for more. One great rendering is better than a million words. The presentation is your marketing, money maker, and chance at the job. It should impress. It’s a time to show the client(s) that you exude passion, interest and care for the project.
A view of an upstairs bedroom showing how the relationship with the skyroof
A view from the front porch looking into the northern unit’s living area
A view from the back of the house showcasing the exterior of the skyroof