Kansas City, Missouri
Distend: To stretch, or extrude.
This home incorporates sustainable design features in a very long and narrow footprint within the urban core. With the ultimate goal of long-term economic sustainability for the home and neighborhood we worked with the existing topography of the site to incorporate (1.) exterior landscaping (lavender plants and switch grasses) that serve as a private barrier providing a pathway to the back portion of the property. (2.) At the eastern end of the site, existing oak trees that provide lush greenery and shade, promoting private natural backyard comfort. In contrast, the modern gable at the front/street facade was chosen as a contextual statement that compliments the existing and historic topology in the neighborhood. It was designed to extrude out beyond the primary facade to define semi-private exterior space that encourages casual visits by neighbors and conversations on our modern interpretation of the common "stoop" or "porch".
The primary building structure consist of Structural Insulated Panels (SIP), which will provide higher effective thermal resistance. In addition, the SIP’s will provide lower air infiltration allowing the HVAC system to run more efficiently. The height of the roof enables Skylights to provide pockets of light on the north side of the home while solar panels have been incorporated in the design to provide an alternate energy source. The primary exterior finish will be low maintenance and will act as a rain screen capturing rainwater stored on site and pumped back into the home for future use.
