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We present the TPJ article “Modular House. Coastal Typological Prototype.” In this article the author Eric A. Gartner explains: “Climate change requires new approaches to coastal settlements at all scales. The architectural community must respond with solutions not only at the urban scale, but also at the scale of the single-family home.” Aiming to meet AIA’s 2030 goals for all new construction to be carbon neutral, the juxtaposition of the modular house on the site and passive design strategies are considered. In the above image, the design utilizes perforated vertical planes for the house to create a lighter, more transparent surface allowing the structure to closely connect with its surrounding landscape.
Then, we share information from the recently published book The Future of Modular Architecture (2021).
>> We encourage you to browse The Plan Journal and explore for yourself
In the article “Modular House. Coastal Typological Prototype,” the author Eric A. Gartner explains:
“At 2,000 total sq. ft. [185 m2] and about 1,750 sq. ft. [162 m2] of gross interior conditioned living space, this house is significantly smaller than the average US home being built today, which according to census data has almost double that interior area. This qualifies the design for USGBC’s Home Size LEED credit, as it is a three bedroom with a smaller than 2,200 sq. ft. [204 m2] conditioned floor area. This small size would also, by extension, allow the Modular House to be constructed on a much smaller plot of land than a traditional home. This would result in a higher than average unit density per acre of buildable land, and thus making the project eligible for USGBC’s Compact Development LEED credit.”
The glass doors and windows of the recessed walls welcome winter sunlight into the interior and prevent summer solar heat gain. Pilotis not only respond to coastal storm conditions, but also allow structures to be built on land that might not otherwise have been considered for construction.
Seaside View. Image by courtesy of © the Author.
Based on where the site is located, the modular design allows for customization such as the addition of bris-soleil and/or solar panels on the roof that track the path of the sun. Additionally, the system of the modular home innately suites itself to a wide variety of family types.
We encourage you to investigate Gartner’s thought-provoking contribution to the typology section of TPJ!
We thank the author!
Eric Gartner is a Partner at SPG Architects as well as Trustee and Foundation Board Member of the School of Architecture at the University of Virginia.
>> The abstract is available in THE PLAN Journal vol. 3/2018, no. 1
The book The Future of Modular Architecture is written by David Wallance and includes a foreword by Susan Szenasy. Wallance promotes mid- and high-rise modular housing that can be produced and dispersed around the world. The author’s modular standard promises affordable housing as an industrial product. The book discusses how architectural practice might soon be significantly transformed.
English
302 pages
Routledge
April 20,2021
7.25 x 0.75 x 10 inches
ISBN-10: 0367467224
ISBN-13: 987-0367467227
To learn more, check out: The Future of Modular Architecture
David Wallance, FAIA is an architect, author, and educator. He founded the architectural practice DRA/W in Brooklyn, New York.
Susan Szensay is the former long-term Editor-in-Chief of Metropolis Magazine.
Gartner’s “Modular House. Coastal Typological Prototype,” and Wallances’ The Future of Modular Architecture give the reader pause to think about how modular building may impact the future of the construction, design, and manufacturing industries.
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The Plan Journal is intended to disseminate and promote innovative, thought-provoking, and relevant research, studies, and criticism related to architecture and urbanism. The journal grew out of an awareness that academia is all too often engaged in research that’s disconnected from the real-world challenges that face different professions, and that research is only possible for a small number of professional organizations, and, even then, with limited platforms for its dissemination. The overarching aim of TPJ is therefore to enrich the dialogue between researchers and professionals so as to foster both pertinent new knowledge and intellectually driven modes of practice.
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Prospective contributors are encouraged to submit proposals or complete manuscripts to the Editor-in-Chief. Subject to positive feedback, proposals can then be developed into complete manuscripts and submitted for review, using the dedicated portal on the TPJ website.
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