Moser Design Group, Inc. was chosen as one of
the firms to participate in a series of articles on
how the housing market is evolving. This is a
year long series that is being published monthly
in Professional Builder Magazine. It has been an
honor to work with this magazine and everyone
involved and has been a lot of fun for us to put
together! Keep checking back as we update
monthly.
Designing for Our Evolving Marketplace
The House Review feature provides our
group of design professionals a forum to
present innovative and timely solutions to
the challenges faced by residential builders.
builders
Our society is faced with adjusting to the
new reality of building and buying a home
primarily as long term shelter rather than a
short term investment that, in the recent
past, could be easily
p
y flipped
pp
for a huge
g
profit. This realization will most certainly alter
the way we design and build homes. In this
monthly feature, we have the opportunity to
present our ideas and concepts regarding:
• the importance of creating truly sustainable buildings
• designs that allow for aging in place
• creating homes in context with the surroundings
• the value of smarter and more efficient use of space and materials
• creating homes that respond and respect local climates
• affordability and practical design features, with truly green principles,
not gizmo green (Steve Mouzon’s term)
• adjusting our designs to the reality that our typical home buyer is no
longer the traditional household with
parents and 2.5 children”
“2 p
• flexible homes; those that can grow and adapt as the owner’s
lifestyle changes.
• multi-generational homes
• homes that respond to the growing cultural diversification
• creating neighborhoods of smaller homes (with courtyards and
compounds)
d)
• the concept of a “live/work” residence for both urban and rural
markets
JANUAR
RY –
INFILL PROJECTSS
The example illustrated is a fairly typical urban infill lot with alley
access. The building nestles to the sidewalk, offering the front
porch as a “gift” to the street. The size and form of the building
are designed to allow for the creation of meaningful outdoor
spaces with room-sized courtyards, food production, runoff
collection, and ancillary unit opportunities as top priorities.
The building
Th
b ildi
iis ffrom our TTraditional
diti
l Neighborhood
N i hb h d Home
H
S i
Series,
PC-01A-2. Designed by the cubic inch to celebrate living small,
it reveals and utilizes much of the wall and floor framing
cavities. Sustainable interior finishes are designed to last and
withstand wide temperature and humidity swings (e.g., no
sheetrock) to allow for natural ventilation much of the year.
FEBRUA
ARY –
NARROW LOT SOLUTION
NS
This month’s concentration on narrow-lot solutions offers the opportunity to think through not only
the efficiency of a particular design, but also whom the design may actually serve. Households
are changing: 43 percent of Americans are single, baby boomers are retiring, and family size
continues to decrease. Because space is limited, narrow lots often lead to smaller designs, and
efficiency without compromising quality is paramount. However, when considering household
trends,, fewer more flexible spaces
p
may
y also be in order. We believe one- and two-bedroom
designs will be an important solution for the emerging market. The example illustrated is TNH-B08C-3 plan from our Traditional Neighborhood Home series. Here are some of the design
approaches we employ in this plan:
1. Redundant spaces are eliminated, leaving the remaining rooms larger and more flexible.
2. The home is designed for the long term — clear expansion zones allow the building to evolve
over time for changing
g g needs and uses.
3. Spaces are open to one another, extending views and light transfer while making rooms feel
larger.
4. Outdoor rooms effectively double living space while encouraging natural ventilation.
5. The plan takes advantage of vertical spaces with higher, well-proportioned ceilings. Like great
urban lofts, a 12- to 14-foot ceiling can make an amazing difference.
6. The home is designed by the cubic foot and utilizes all building cavities.
Examples: We carve into walls for storage between studs and have exposed
ceilings and upper floor framing to gain character and perceived height.
Our goal is to provide an efficient, economical building with lower operating
and maintenance costs, but huge character.
MARCH
H–
EXPAND
DABLE DESIGNS
The American household is changing. In fact, 2005 marked the first year since 1940 that
household size actually grew. Studies suggest this is principally a result of multigenerational households. After reaching a low of 12% in 1980, households of three
generations or more have grown to 16%, or 49 million! Conversely, single person
households have also grown from roughly 1% to 10% over the last several decades.
Whether driven by necessity or desire; the market segments of aging in place retirees,
boomerang children, and non-traditional families are growing.
Dwelling alternatives that include the adaptability, flexibility and expandability required
by this market may be an important new market consideration. One such alternative is
our Evolution Cottage series, consisting of 3 different modules with varying living, sleeping
and service spaces. By simply aligning the openings, an infinite number of designs can
be crafted to meet specific living, budget and contextual requirements. Once the plan is
set, porches, details and elevations are developed for the appropriate architecture,
climate
li
t and
d context
t t off the
th site.
it This
Thi flexible
fl ibl off the
th system
t
allows
ll
designing
d i i
for
f the
th future,
f t
but building for today keeping costs low while assuring that future needs can be easily
met. Please visit www.moserdesigngroup.com for more information.
Please note that these modules are copyright protected and may not be used without
the expressed written permission of Moser Design Group, Inc.
APRIL –
FOCUS ON KITC
CHENS
The role of the kitchen has evolved. Most recently it has become the
prep
p
p center for the “farm to table” p
philosophy
p y of urban agriculture.
g
For a neighborhood, and therefore the homes in it, to be truly
sustainable, the land must be able to nourish its residents. This idea is
about not only food, but the health of the residents and cost savings
to the residents in today’s new economy. The outdated idea of
centering neighborhoods around golf courses have given way to
community gardens, rainwater collection ponds and the occasional
chicken coop.
The side kitchen of the TNH-SC-44A (shown here) lends itself well to
being the hub of the home but also flows into outdoor food
processing and prep areas. The rear porch serves as a “shucking
station” and pantry for harvested produce. The attached screened
porch becomes an area for growing seedlings, and could easily be
glassed in for a true greenhouse, depending on climate. These
processing and prep areas extend the indoor kitchen to the outside.
The courtyard includes boxes for growing herbs and connects out to
the shed and garden areas. The presentation kitchen houses a large
working island where the cleaned produce can be prepared and
opens directly
di
tl into
i t the
th di
dining
i
area where
h
the
th food
f d is
i consumed.
d
By taking ideas from the ways in which communities historically
sourced and consumed food, and adapting those ideas to modern
times, the farm to table philosophy provides a sustainable model for
the way we grow and prepare our food. This in turn shapes the way
that we design and utilize our land and buildings.