Homestead mailing list

[tvoivozhd <tvoivozd AT infionline.net>]

Lisa Perry wrote:

> Architect Sarah Susanka, author of  The Not So Big House series, was 
> featured this morning in an article in The Roanoke Times.  Roanoke was 
> chosen as the city to host the international C2C Home Design 
> Competition (C2C stands for Cradle to Cradle, from a book entitled 
> Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way we Make Things).  She was one of 
> the architects to judge the winning design which will be built in 
> Roanoke.
>
> www.notsobighouse.com/
> www.*susanka*.com/
>
> tvoivozhd---yeah, I wish I were in good enough shape to go talk to 
> her.  I agree with Gene---the houses she actually builds are  two 
> times or more larger than my mental picture of a good small house, and 
> the damned things have a too-complicated roof structure, in addition 
> to two stories---hardly a Usonian clone.  I suspect giantism is still 
> too firmly imbedded in the housing market for an architect to make a 
> living designing small houses in the 1000 to 1300 square foot range.. 
> When I was in the land development and tract housing business, most of 
> my houses were 1000 to 1200 square feet.  Used an onsite mobile home 
> for sales, and it was so busy it looked like a doctor's office.


Here is my favorite, which my oldest daughter will probably build on 
this property---The view unfortunately is north, so those windows will 
require some type of ihsulation---I favor double glass with a 
foam-generator.  Years ago I would have gone for a Zomeworks beadwall.  
A foam-generator is a lot less complex.



http://www.orderhomeplans.com/main.asp?hspos=HOWNET&action=plandetail&hsgv=1&sessionid={40BBC2C4-F81B-4073-AB8C-FFD6A9B04B2D}&view=main&planid=11025

Plan No. K-688-D  1340 square feet.


http://www.orderhomeplans.com/main.asp?hspos=HOWNET&action=plandetail&hsgv=1&sessionid={40BBC2C4-F81B-4073-AB8C-FFD6A9B04B2D}&view=floorplans&planid=11025#views

(floor plan)

I would make some changes---no basement and use the stair well as a pantry.

Also, take out the partition between kitchen counter and dining room.

The main entry should point straight south and a greenhouse wall run 
from the corner of bedroom #2 to the far corner of the garage.

The fireplace should be removed---and at the corner of that wall and 
bathroom wall, a bricked corner to receive a small backup woodstove, 
with double-wall stainless stovepipe going through roof above.  Nobody 
needs a fireplace stuck in the center of the best view, and nobody needs 
a fireplace anyway.  I might add a tip-in firewood container to feed the 
backup woodstove---but would add it later in any event.  The greenhouse 
and house slab thermal storage should do sufficiently well to heat the 
house even in our coldest weather.

I would probably also alter the eyebrow ---the plan says it is a 
clerestory (a good idea) but it really isn't. Clerestories are great for 
light and ventilation, with enough overhang to keep out the summer sun.  
I guess the eyebrow thing  is supposed to be cute---I do not find it to 
bel  I would extend it to light the interior better and forget about 
being cute.