Suburban housing: living between walls

TR Number
Date
1996
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Abstract

The site, located in Alexandria, Virginia, is three acres and bounded by a road to the north, existing single family homes to the east and west, and a wooded area to the south. The slope falls away from the road and there is a swale running down the center of the site. The site strategy has three elements. The first is a private drive running along the western site boundary which will allow access to all six dwellings. Large site walls, dividing the site for each dwelling, comprise the second element. The third element is building walls set perpendicular to the site walls which begin to establish each dwelling.

Following the site strategy, the dwellings are composed of three basic areas. The public side includes a carport which is set close to the drive, and alongside of it the beginning of the major axis leading through each dwelling. The dwelling itself exists in the space created by the walls established upon the site. The living rooms are composed of indoor and outdoor space separated by large glass walls set into and between building walls. On the private side outside rooms are established, between and beyond the frames created by the building walls, which terrace down the slope.

The materials, concrete masonry units and poured in place concrete are utilized as different building elements so the walls reveal their purpose through their form.

Description
Keywords
Citation
Collections