3rd place
Ben Tillman Design
The versatile living environment created by this design concept provides comfort, security, and intuitive choices to a variety of occupants experiencing diverse situations with opportunities for change. It maximizes flexibility, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use.
The new, simpler layout improves the adaptability of the space for a variety of purposes and configurations by combining the small living rooms into one large space. It also makes the layout more intuitive, allowing clear lines of visibility across the length of the building. Reducing interior walls improves the sense of spaciousness as well as providing fewer obstacles to maneuvering for those with mobility challenges. The new flex room can be used for a variety of life situations. In addition to typical family uses, it is ideal for guests, caretakers, or renters due to its dedicated entry and proximity to the kitchen and living room.
A variety of systems throughout the home allow for customization of mounting heights. The wall shelves in the kitchen and the gardening planters on the new exterior skin have reconfigurable layouts (vertically and horizontally) that can be easily changed based on occupants’ physical needs and preferences, reducing the effort required to use them effectively. Both of these systems operate in a clear and intuitive manner, allowing the occupants to easily move shelves and planters with a few safe and easy steps.
One bathroom is larger, using a pocket door to eliminate the intrusion of a door swing, either inside the bathroom or into the bedroom. The extra space and the curbless shower can accommodate family members now, or if they use mobility equipment, or if their balance or stamina is a problem. Blocking in the walls around the toilet and shower area mean that, if needed, support bars can be attached at any time.
The kitchen design includes wheeled cabinets housed underneath the countertops. The countertop design is integrated into its vertical supports, showing a bright color along the vertical edge that draws the eye towards the cabinet wheels, encouraging movement and experimentation. Moving these cabinets opens up space below the countertops (some of which sit under lowered worksurfaces), effortlessly creating workspaces for seated users.
The design uses sliding barn doors which take up much less space than swing doors, thus well accommodating the smaller spaces that are available in this modestly sized house. These doors are designed with translucent glazing to increase light transmission into the center of the home, maintain occupant privacy, and improving interior visibility.
The emphasis on flexibility, intuitive choices, and room for growth and change come together to enhance the usability and comfort of the spaces for a wide range of lifestyles.
The concept minimizes the initial design and construction costs by favoring incremental shifts over radical transformations, which utilize simpler, cheaper, and more durable components. The operating costs over the lifetime of the family are greatly reduced through the creative use of inexpensive materials and assembly systems, each of which can be easily maintained and replaced with minimal effort and expense.
Additionally, the passive sustainable systems help to lessen long-term utility costs by reducing solar heat gain, collecting rainwater for reuse, providing opportunities for cross ventilation, and increasing the amount of daylight within the spaces.
The versatile living environment created by this design concept provides comfort, security, and intuitive choices to a variety of occupants experiencing diverse situations with opportunities for change. It maximizes flexibility, low physical effort, and size and space for approach and use.
The new, simpler layout improves the adaptability of the space for a variety of purposes and configurations by combining the small living rooms into one large space. It also makes the layout more intuitive, allowing clear lines of visibility across the length of the building. Reducing interior walls improves the sense of spaciousness as well as providing fewer obstacles to maneuvering for those with mobility challenges. The new flex room can be used for a variety of life situations. In addition to typical family uses, it is ideal for guests, caretakers, or renters due to its dedicated entry and proximity to the kitchen and living room.
A variety of systems throughout the home allow for customization of mounting heights. The wall shelves in the kitchen and the gardening planters on the new exterior skin have reconfigurable layouts (vertically and horizontally) that can be easily changed based on occupants’ physical needs and preferences, reducing the effort required to use them effectively. Both of these systems operate in a clear and intuitive manner, allowing the occupants to easily move shelves and planters with a few safe and easy steps.
One bathroom is larger, using a pocket door to eliminate the intrusion of a door swing, either inside the bathroom or into the bedroom. The extra space and the curbless shower can accommodate family members now, or if they use mobility equipment, or if their balance or stamina is a problem. Blocking in the walls around the toilet and shower area mean that, if needed, support bars can be attached at any time.
The kitchen design includes wheeled cabinets housed underneath the countertops. The countertop design is integrated into its vertical supports, showing a bright color along the vertical edge that draws the eye towards the cabinet wheels, encouraging movement and experimentation. Moving these cabinets opens up space below the countertops (some of which sit under lowered worksurfaces), effortlessly creating workspaces for seated users.
The design uses sliding barn doors which take up much less space than swing doors, thus well accommodating the smaller spaces that are available in this modestly sized house. These doors are designed with translucent glazing to increase light transmission into the center of the home, maintain occupant privacy, and improving interior visibility.
The emphasis on flexibility, intuitive choices, and room for growth and change come together to enhance the usability and comfort of the spaces for a wide range of lifestyles.
The concept minimizes the initial design and construction costs by favoring incremental shifts over radical transformations, which utilize simpler, cheaper, and more durable components. The operating costs over the lifetime of the family are greatly reduced through the creative use of inexpensive materials and assembly systems, each of which can be easily maintained and replaced with minimal effort and expense.
Additionally, the passive sustainable systems help to lessen long-term utility costs by reducing solar heat gain, collecting rainwater for reuse, providing opportunities for cross ventilation, and increasing the amount of daylight within the spaces.
For more information
on this winning design, contact Helen Malani at
hmalani@nnwa.us
Ben Tillman
Ben Tillman is currently an Architectural Designer at Pope Architects in St Paul, and has previously worked for Wold Architects, DLR Group and NORR Architects. His professional design experience includes educational, commercial and civic projects, as well as branding, graphic and web design for a number of businesses across the country. He received his Masters of Architecture from the University of Kansas with a personal focus on sustainable design in urban environments. A passionate young designer, he strives to create designs centered around the idea of social sustainability in terms of architecture, in which the building elements work in unison to enhance social and emotional well-being, especially in residential and educational settings.
Tillman Design
Minneapolis, MN