ARCHITECTURAL RENOVATION
2015 PR0BLEM STATEMENT
At the beginning of the twentieth (20th) century, a number of companies, including Sears and
Montgomery Ward, offered kit houses (also known as pre-cut houses, ready-cut houses, or catalog
homes). These houses were prefabricated houses available through mail order sales. Some of these
companies also offered rudimentary "industrial" houses, summer cottages lacking bathrooms,
garages, duplexes, apartment buildings, barns, other farm buildings, and even “outhouses.”
Over 100,000 kit homes were built in the United States between 1908 and 1940.
Today a simple Internet search of Sears or Montgomery Ward kit houses provides a plethora of
information about this aspect of American architectural and construction history.
The High School Architectural Renovation event for 2015 will feature a Sears Roebuck & Co.
Honor-Built Kit house from 1935. Students wishing to compete in this event should complete
the following steps.
1. Review the information about kit houses in the Unites States on Wikipedia or other
Internet website.
2. Visit the Sears Archives Homepage (www.searsarchives.com) to review information about
Sears mail order houses.
3. Access the 1935 house offerings and create a file, as well as hard copy of Plan #3281, The
Lorain, for use in the competition this year.
Now you are ready to begin.
Consider this fact: of the more than 100,000 kit homes that were built across the United States, many of
these houses still exist, some as they originally were built, with the exception of a few modern
modifications and necessity changes. (Of course, and unfortunately, there also are many that have
undergone insensitive renovations and additions.) The Sears Plan #3281 has been selected this year for
its simplicity, practical design, and fact that it has remained the same since it was bought and built many
years ago.
Imagine that you have inherited this house, a piece of history and Americana from the estate of your
grandparents. Through their generosity, you also have inherited sufficient funds that will allow you to
fully renovate and enlarge the home to meet your current and future needs. (Your grandparents’
expressed desire was that you would be able to design and create a home with these goals in mind.)
One stipulation from your grandparents is that you must strive to maintain the integrity of the original
exterior design as part of your renovation and any additions. However, you may make changes to the
interior layout of the floor plan to suit your needs. The house is located in a residential suburb of Dallas,
Texas and is situated on a lot (a parcel of land) that measures 96' x 96'.
As the new owner of this house, you wish to transform it into a home that meets the needs of your
family. You are married and have a son, a daughter, and a set of twins on the way. You live a relaxed life
style and have no desire for a formal living or dining room. (“Formal” refers to a time when houses had a
parlor for receiving visitors and a dining room for serving meals to family and guests.) Your renovations
and additions to the existing structure must include the following:
2-car garage with a breezeway or an open-covered connection
Great room living area
Family kitchen with an inclusive dining area
Laundry/utility room
Powder room/half bath
Master bedroom with a master bath
Nursery
Den/study
Upstairs separate bath
Pool house with bath, kitchenette, and combination sitting/guest sleeping area
In-ground swimming pool
Although zoning and construction guidelines can vary across the country, some nationwide standards
exist. Your lot (at 96' x 96') is 9216 square feet. This square footage allows you to use a 24" x 24" site
board at 1/4” scale. A typical Residential District lot size of 10,000 square feet would qualify as an R-10
designation. You will assume that this is the zoning designation for your residential property and,
therefore, will use the following setback guidelines for your design:
Lot width - 96'
Lot depth - 96'
Front yard setback - 30'
Side yard setback - 10'
Side yard setback for accessory structures - 5'
Rear yard setback except for accessory structures - 20'
Rear yard setback for an accessory structure no larger than 150 square feet - 5’ (variances to this size
restriction may be granted through proper application and justification)
Be sure to visit the TSA website on a regular basis to review the Updates and Clarification section
under the menu item, Competitions. Any additions or changes relative to the Architectural Model
event will be posted there.