BUIldINg UsE: single-family residential, community
wOrK: new construction
sIzE: 141 sqm
COmplETEd: September 2008
The Special No 9 House was designed for the Make It
Right Foundation to provide storm-resistant, affordable
and sustainable housing options for the residents of New
Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
It is poised for mass production, anticipating a shift from on-site to off-site fabrication as more homes are scheduled for
construction. The design challenge was to create a prototype
that can be customised easily and inexpensively. It is essential
for rebuilding a neighbourhood of individual homes.
Most important was energy performance through the
efficient application of better insulation, workable systems
and non-toxic materials, rather than through complex and
expensive technologies.
TwElvE|wEs T, pOr TlaNd
BUIldINg UsE: restaurant, office, retail, multi-unit
residential
wOrK: new construction
sIzE: 51,300 sqm
COmplETEd: July 2009
Twelve|West is a 23-storey mixed-use building designed with
sustainability and ongoing learning as goals.
The building includes street-level retail space, office space,
17 floors of apartments, and five levels of below-ground
parking along with three roof-level terraces and gardens.
It is in an emerging neighbourhood of Portland surrounded
by vibrant suburbs, the city’s business centre and the arts and
university districts. The site was chosen because of its potential
to help connect these districts and revitalise Portland’s centre.
innovation
21
Environmental gains
Twelve|West was designed to achieve the highest levels of
urban sustainability. The design team selected low-impact
materials, including salvaged, reclaimed, and wood from
sustainable forestry. Much of the concrete building structure is
exposed on the interior, minimising the use of finish materials
and providing ample thermal mass.
Energy savings of 45 per cent are due to a combination of
passive approaches such as daylighting, natural ventilation
and night-flush of thermal mass. A large solar thermal array
for domestic hot water and building-integrated wind turbines
add to the efficiency. A 47 per cent reduction in potable water
use is predicted through use of efficient fixtures, low-water
roof plantings and rainwater reuse.
Environmental gains
Key goals were to create safe, healthy and dignified housing
to residents in a flood-prone area, and to empower residents
to return to improved living conditions that take advantage of
the New Orleans climate and express the city’s deep cultural
heritage. The core design has two main options: a Garden
prototype that includes a roof deck and a Gable prototype that
includes sunscreens and slatted trellis. The chassis is the
same for both options.
wind turbines semaphore a green message from the roof of TwelveIwest.
One big idea
To achieve flexibility, floor plans consolidate “dry” and “wet”
spaces into zones. Plumbing systems are consolidated into
a linear cluster of “wet” rooms that are treated as modules.
Similarly, the quantities and types of “dry” living spaces
can be grouped linearly. Many variations allow the house to
accommodate a range of homeowners’ personal tastes.
New Orleans residents will never forget Hurricane Katrina ...
One big idea
Siting the building on a ground-level central parking lot gives
occupants a car-free lifestyle, minimising parking needs,
increasing density and improving stormwater quality.
The American Institute of Architects has been a force for good
design for over 150 years.
more information: www.aia.org n
