Harris Residence

Design Study

Sunnyslope hillside:

Can a home be built on a hillside in Sunnyslope for $50/sf???
Oh yeah, it's got to be more energy efficient than a typical tract home, feature modern design cues and manufactured building materials.

Here's my version of budget box on a hill...
to see a higher resolution image follow this link.

I'm using standard sized Structural Insulated Panels for the walls, floor & roof, commercial aluminum storefront window system, concrete over B-Deck on the cantilevered portion and slab on grade where possible leaving the concrete exposed. Most of the plumbing is located in one wall, with the two bathrooms identical in layout. The storage is all handled by pre-fabricated units
I have oriented the building to address the views but minimize exposure to the southern sun. I have opened the west end of the building towards the west to capitalize on the amazing western view, but will need to provide a way to screen some of the afternoon summer sun, possibly with a movable metal screen.

I've tried to utilize open plan living as much as possible for two reasons. At less than 2,000 SF it's got feel bigger than it is. Also, with less walls to construct, there are less building materials and finishes to increase the cost.

So is it possible? Well, as of now, I feel confident a grey box (unfinished shell) could be done for the allowed budget, but as I start to crunch some numbers on materials (owner/builder saves about a third) I'll see how close it is to actually achieving the goal.

Vistancia Pool Building:

I was recently charged with designing a structure for the new master planned community of Vistancia in Peoria, AZ. It was a restroom, storage, gateway building for a community pool located at the end of their beautiful "Discovery Trail". I only had about two working days to research, develop a program, and establish a schematic design for the project. I visited the community taking pictures of the community buildings and getting a feel for the desert vistas and landscape where my building would exist. After a couple of hours of sketching over the site plan, I had developed three distinc forms, most utilizing a similar massing scheme of low roofed structure on either side of a large covered breezeway that provided a landmark for the site.

Lilly Pad

Butterfly Wing

Sunrise