Kit Homes

Location

Style

Modern

CASA BRUJA This picturesque kit house takes on the intimacy and spirit of the archetypal woodland cottage. Its steep roof makes it very suitable for densely wooded areas in cold climates with heavy snow loads. A number of other construction techniques and Passive House technologies bring the Hansel & Gretel cottage well into the 21st Century. A direct air supply fireplace running up through the double-high space, a fresh air energy recovery system, and strategically placed windows ensure continuous warmth and high indoor air quality. Perfect for small families, it includes a full master bedroom, a three-fixture bath, and a sleeping loft for two children or guests.

MINI GLOW HOUSE Similar in form to the MLA Glow House, this cozy lodge is laid out with extreme efficiency in mind. Weighing in at a mere 20’-0” x 21’-0”, it has a very low impact on the land, with minimalism in mind throughout all of the details. Despite the space-saving techniques employed at the stair and circulation, kitchen appliances, and even the furniture layouts, this cabin still maintains a loft-like, open interior. While appropriate for a hilly or flat site, the compact form of the Mini Glow House can be adapted to virtually any site. Despite a small footprint, it comfortably sleeps two with additional room for guests.

HAMMOCK HOUSE This one-story bungalow gets its name from the linear layout of the interior spaces. Strung between two wings, the connected spaces allow views all the way through the house from the front and rear decks. These decks allow almost every space in the house to feel much larger and blur the boundary between the inside and out. Though well suited to coastal or level sites, a multi-post foundation system allows the structure to adapt to a wide range of different terrains. The deep roof overhangs, structural insulated panel construction, and rain-screen exterior finish allow the house to achieve high energy-saving ratings, and the panelized construction can easily be prefabricated and shipped to the site, ready for assembly.

TY UNNOS HOUSE Inspired by the old Welsh Ty Unnos tradition in which it was believed that if a person could build a house on common land in one night, the land belonged to them. The interior is split evenly between public and private space with the exterior deck surrounding the kitchen, living room, and dining room. The house is designed specifically to work with off-the-shelf panels and can be shipped and assembled on-site.

Credits

Posted by

Michael Lewis

Architect

Michael Lewis

From Michael Lewis

The 21st-century home should be an integrated whole that respects a number of criteria such as spatial quality, energy efficiency, intelligent use of resources, and awareness of the site and environmental conditions.

Over the last several years MLA has been developing a series of integrated green small houses to include active and passive solar design, pre-fabricated / modular construction techniques, geothermal energy, cool roofing and siding solutions, water management and conservation, adaptive foundations, and carefully detailed building envelopes.

This led to a series of “Kit Houses” that share the following characteristics:
- Excellent R-values (R-40 walls, R-60 roof and R-30 floors)
- Continuous air seal
- Triple-glazed windows
- Energy recovery ventilation systems that allow continuous fresh air with very little energy loss.
- Rain-screen exterior finish, is an extremely durable exterior treatment that allows the house to control moisture and water vapor in the most advantageous way.
- SIPS prefabricated panel construction. These panels can be pre-fabricated in sizes easily transported and assembled by a small crew, and provide excellent structural and thermal characteristics.

All of these factors contribute to a building envelope that greatly limits energy losses while providing a high level of interior comfort. They also relate directly to standards established by the Passive House Institute and, depending on the site and orientation, can provide for a house with energy consumption at 7-10% of that expected from conventional construction.

Passive House principles offer a highly informed outlook on state-of-the-art construction standards. To this end, Michael Lewis has been certified by the Institute as a Passive House designer. MLA’s work on the Kit Houses is part of the firm’s ever-deepening commitment to the progression of residential architecture.