Site.
R-House was created in full collaboration with Architecture Research Office. The prototype residence that these two design firms envisioned for Syracuse, New York, is called “R-House”, a winner of Syracuse University’s “From the Ground Up” competition, held in conjunction with the Syracuse Center of Excellence and Home Headquarters as part of their initiative to revitalize the Near Westside neighborhood of Syracuse. R-House won an Award of Merit from the AIA NY Chapter, 2010.
Diagrams and programs
R-House is a significant opportunity to demonstrate the successful application of innovative building strategies in a cold climate. The residence was designed to meet the German Passivhaus ultra-low energy standard, utilizing an extremely well-insulated exterior envelope, an efficient recirculating heating and ventilation system, and high performance windows that optimize solar gain.
Model.
For an increasing number of architects the future of the profession relies on green design, and even though the fear that a truly green building leads to either economic or aesthetic compromise may still be haunting some clients’ choices, the housing competition launched by Home HeadQuarters, Syracuse University Centre for Excellence and Syracuse University School for Architecture, single-handedly proves that this need not be the case.
Model.
Invited to the competition, the winners are New York-based Architecture Research Office (ARO) and Brooklyn architects Della Valle Bernheimer. This is not the first time the two practices worked together, as they had collaborated in a similar project in the past, an award-winning low-cost housing development in Brooklyn.
Project.
The scale and form of R-House engage the diversity of existing housing stock. Humble materials such as concrete and wood imbue warmth and integrity. The interior is airy and bright; a two-story tall space is lit by large south-facing windows. The 1,100 square foot plan is designed to grow from a two-bedroom to a three- or four-bedroom house, simply by extending the second floor over the living space.
The durability and adaptability of the design, as well as the superior energy efficiency, are made affordable due to simplicity of form and modesty of materials. This makes R-House a vital tool for strengthening the physical and social structure of the Westside neighborhood, and for building a resilient community.
Project credits.
Architect:Della Valle Bernheimer, Brooklyn, N.Y., and Architecture Research Office, New York. Della Valle Bernheimer team: Andrew Bernheimer (principal); Jared Della Valle (principal); Garrick Jones (studio director and project manager); Lara Shihab-Eldin, Janine Soper (designers).Architecture Research Office team: Adam Yarinsky (principal); Stephen Cassell (principal); Megumi Tamanaha (associate); Melissa Eckerman, Jane Lea, Neil Patel (designers).
Engineer: Guy Nordenson Associates—Brett Schneider
