NONYA GRENADER & DANNY SAMUELS, A RICE BUILDING WORKSHOP PROJECT: Extra Small (XS) House
Our program focuses on a segment of today’s housing market that is often neglected—an extra small house for one or two people. The challenge was to design and build a dwelling of modest size (500-square feet) with a small projected budget ($25,000.00) while implementing innovative design and construction techniques. The building process had to allow for primary construction by students and volunteers with varied skill levels. Our project is set in a neighborhood in need of affordable housing-- where traditional shotgun style structures are being torn down and occupants displaced. The goal was to suggest that this house type was still desired, viable, and could serve as a prototype for use in various Houston communities.
The house is a modern interpretation of the shotgun-style structures. An adjustable footing/foundation system lifts the building off the ground (like its neighbors on concrete block footings) and if needed, may be adjusted for Houston’s expansive soils. Hardiplank walls and metal windows are used instead of wood to reduce future maintenance. The core of the house is wrapped in polygal (which distributes light from the center of the house) and contains a bath with kitchen preparation on its outside edge. The core placement divides the building envelope into “large” and “small” rooms that may be furnished in a variety of ways. All storage and services are collected in the thickened west wall so that living spaces may remain uncluttered. Porches offer places for gathering, extending the interior living areas.
