Small House  •  A small house for a small family  •  2008

This modest house replaced a dilapidated "grandmother's flat" on a rural property in central Massachusetts. Working around zoning restrictions that the replacement building not exceed the existing building's height or 640 square foot foundation, the design managed to create bedrooms for a couple and 2 young children, plus a living room, full kitchen, bath, laundry, storage, and mechanical space. An interior loft bedroom above the kitchen overlooks the living room, and cantilevering a platform at the north end of the structure created additional outdoor storage. Interior ceiling joists, paired with spacers, project through the south and west facades to create brise soleil structures. Although propane heat is installed, an airtight wood stove heats the entire house on all but the coldest New England days.