Collaborative Designwork is responsible for some of the more interesting Houston modern real estate. As these pictures prove, their work is visually attractive, but it also possesses a straightforward practicality and urbane attitude. Couple this with a green aesthetic and you’ve got a winner, Houston-style.

The 505 House

From the Collaborative Designwork Web Site:

The 505 honored with Paper City Magazine’s 2007 Design Excellence Award for house less than 3500 SF
Recipient of Grand Award in 2007 Residential Architect Design Awards
2007 winner of AIA Housing Award for 1 & 2 Family Production Housing
Texas Society of Architects 2006 Design Award winner and featured in the AIA Home Tour

The 505 sits near Houston’s rejuvenated downtown on West Alabama Street. The Project is designed within the economic and market constraints of a speculative housing development and achieved financial success while also making responsible use of land, incorporating sustainable design principals, and possessing an Architectural identity.

The property was eligible to hold 5 units, but only 4 were built in order to leave space for yards and to reduce the amount of shared walls, thereby allowing for more windows. The window placement is carefully refined to provide views and an abundance of natural light without sacrificing privacy. Third floor roof decks located between units engender a sense of community while providing an outdoor buffer between living spaces. The unique form is a simple box that has been activated by a single shift made in plan. This shift allows windows to be placed underneath overhangs and oriented North/South rather than across to the adjacent units. The rotation in plan creates opportunities for flexible yet defined internal volumes that play dual roles: Kitchen millwork vs. wet bar | breakfast table vs. entertainment center | food prep area vs. dining service space.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 13th, 2009 at 1:35 pm and is filed under Contemporary Homes, Houston Architecture, modern architecture. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.