11W11 Church House

Nestled in a historic residential neighborhood this 1950s Baptist Church was outgrown by its congregation.  The building was left unused for 12 years until it was adapted for reuse as a single family home.  The home, for a young family of four, was designed with the healthy building principles in mind.  The completed house is net zero ready, meaning that all of the systems necessary to convert this house to a net zero home are in place, all that is needed are solar panels.  Though the original building was in very rough shape, the design team worked hard to retain as much of the original form as possible.  The addition distinguishes itself from the original through materiality and structural articulation.  The new form hovers on cantilevers, creating a light touch with the ground plane, in contrast to the heavy form of the original masonry structure.  Even though the new building has a modern aesthetic it had to conform to some of the historic neighborhood ordinances of the city.  The completed product is loved by the neighborhood, with many people taking their evening walks to pass by their new favorite house.

Photography by: Nate Sheets (unless otherwise noted)

Existing Building

Existing Form

Form of House Addition

The form of the addition is slid back to open up the entry and give prominence to the existing historic form. The existing building is built of masonry construction, creating quieter spaces for respite.

Cutaways creates overhangs for shade at window locations, protection for wood siding. They also provide additional lateral structural support for the addition and they resist the outward force of the vaulted roof/ceiling assembly. The cutaways also reduce the interior spaces in strategic areas.

Final Form

Section

Floor Plan

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