MP1 Calendar

9/2 - 9/8
Finalize background information, design brief, specifications, limitations, testing proecdures, and summer research. Contact mentor. Update WebBlog.

9/9 - 9/15
Finalize brainstorming/alternative solutions. Fill out mentor fact sheet.Contact mentor. Update WebBlog.

9/16 - 9/22
Devolop calendar. Contact mentor. Update WebBlog.

9/23 - 9/29
Research annual income. Contact mentor. Update WebBlog.

9/30 - 10/4
Research all materials for house and model. Begin model. Contact mentor. Update WebBlog.

10/7 - 10/13
Work on model. Develop Selection/Rejection/Intention Report.Contact mentor. Update WebBlog.

10/14 - 10/20
Work on model. Finalize Selection/Rejection/Intention Report.Contact mentor. Update WebBlog.

10/21 - 10/27
Finalize model. Finalize mentor contacts.Contact mentor. Update WebBlog.

10/28 - 11/3
Prepare for formal presentations.Contact mentor. Update WebBlog.

11/4 - 11/10
Contact mentor. Update WebBlog.

11/11 - 11/13
Contact mentor. Update WebBlog.

MP1 Assignments

MP1 Assignments

Background Information-9/6/2007
Design Brief, Specs and Limitations-9/6/2007
Testing Procedures-9/6/2007
Summer Research-9/6/2007
Participation/Schedule/Calendar and Log Sheet-9/20/2007
Brainstorming/Alternative Solutions-10/3/2007
Mentor Contacts-10/31/2007
Selection/Rejection/Intention Report-10/31/2007
Model-10/31/2007
Webblog Portfolio-Work on throughout marking period
Formal Progres Update Presentation-11/1/2007

Work-Cited

1. 350 Affordable Home Plans. Washington: Hanley Wood, 2006.
2. Affordable Home Plans. Tucson, Az: Home Planners, 1997.
3. Affordable Housing Design Advisor. 7 Jul. 2007 . (AHDA)
4. Altman, Adelaide. Planning Your Best Home Ever. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green, 2002. (BHE)
5. Eck, Jeremiah. The Distinctive Home, A Vision of Timeless Design. Newtown, Ct.: Taunton
   Press, 2003. (DH)
6. National Building Museum. 7 Jul. 2007 . (NBM)
7. Residential Home. 8 Jul. 2007. (RH)
8. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. 8 Jul. 2007 . (HUD)

Testing Procedures

1. Finalize all floor plans.
2. Finalize model.
3. Take photograph of model placed on level surface to depict realism.
4. Test if model is aesthetically pleasing through survey of 25 people.
5. Submit all items to the TSA competition in order to be evaluated by several judges.
6. Evaluation is based on points earned for the notebook, the architectural model, and the finalist interview.

Research

Affordable Housing

• The generally accepted definition of affordability is for a household to pay no more than 30% of annual income on housing.
• Many families whose housing payments exceed this percentage cannot afford such necessities as food, clothing, transportation, and medical care.
• Well-designed developments can offer new opportunities for the least wealthy Americans, while creating real value and assets for their surrounding communities. (NBM)
• Good design can make a world of difference for the people who will live in the affordable housing you help build, and for the neighborhood surrounding it.
• Can provide the people who live there with everything we all expect from our home: comfort, security, and an atmosphere to thrive and do our best in.
• A project that strives for good design -i.e., which consciously and aggressively tries to meets user needs, enhance its neighborhood, respond well to its context and be built to last
• Generates occupant satisfaction and pride, sparking ongoing concern for and care of the project.
• Enhances and helps stabilize its neighborhood, primarily through the pride and commitment of its occupants and the respect afforded the project by the community
• Is easy to maintain and lasts longer.
• Appreciates in value, all other things being equal
• A project is well designed if it meets the following four basic criteria: Meets User Needs, Understands and Responds to its Context, Enhances its Neighborhood and is Built to Last
• Quality materials and finishes, on the other hand, contribute to the longevity of a project and to its ability to appreciate - not depreciate - in value. They also make a project easier to maintain, potentially reducing operating costs.
• "Building in" energy and environmental efficiency - through better windows, insulation and equipment - reduces operating costs over the life of the building.
• Not every product or system can be top of the line. In these circumstances, consider favoring exterior materials and finishes over interior ones when making tradeoffs. Likewise, consider favoring products and systems which are permanent and hard to replace over those that the occupant can replace on their own.
• Consider utilizing a variety of building forms and roof shapes rather than box-like forms with large, unvaried roofs.
• Maximize window number and size (within budget constraints) to enhance views and make spaces feel larger and lighter.
• Ensure that all building entries are prominent and visible and create a sense that the user is transitioning from a public to a semi-private area. Avoid side entries and those that are not visually defined. At all entries consider issues of shelter, security, lighting, durability, and identity.
• Ensure that stairs are durable, attractive and safe.
• Provide enough space to accommodate a large table and enough chairs for occupants and guests.
• Provide visual screening of bathrooms from the entry and from the living and dining areas.
• When more than one bedroom shares a bathroom, consider separating the lavatory from the toilet/tub area to allow use by more than one person at a time.
• Access to natural light in all bedrooms and the living room is essential and cross ventilation throughout the unit is encouraged.
• Consider layouts that allow natural light to the kitchen and allow the natural ventilation and lighting of bathrooms.
• Provide as much storage space as possible. At a minimum provide an amount of bulk storage commensurate with the size of the unit and the number and ages of residents it is expected to accommodate, including: coat closets in the entry area, large closets in the bedrooms, linen closets, pantry spaces, and storage rooms adjacent to exterior balconies or patios.
• Avoid materials that require frequent maintenance, especially by specialists. Consider materials that residents can maintain themselves.
• Provide floor coverings appropriate to use in room - generally use resilient flooring in kitchens, bathroom, laundries, dining rooms and entries.
• Evaluate selection of materials in terms of lifecycle and environmental cost. (AHDA)
• The economic expansion of the 1990s obscured certain trends and statistics that point to an increased, not decreased, need for affordable housing.
• The generally accepted definition of affordability is for a household to pay no more than 30 percent of its annual income on housing.
• Families who pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing are considered cost burdened and may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, transportation and medical care.
• An estimated 12 million renter and homeowner households now pay more then 50 percent of their annual incomes for housing, and a family with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage cannot afford the local fair-market rent for a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the United States.
• The lack of affordable housing is a significant hardship for low-income households preventing them from meeting their other basic needs, such as nutrition and healthcare, or saving for their future and that of their families. (HUD)
  

Architecture plans/design

• Quarter-inch scale, generally used for residential planning, means that ¼ inch on a standard American ruler equals 1 foot of actual space and is written ¼” = 1’-0” (one inch would equal 4 feet of actual space)
• Walkways should be continuous from the driveway to the house, or from a detached garage to the house, and at least 36 inches wide
• Minimum width of a single door is 32 inches; minimum door height is 6 feet, 8 inches
• Door handles should be a bout 42 inches from the ground for most people , but measure for your own comfortable height
• Closet for outerwear should be located near the entrance door and be fitted with reachable shelves or compartments
• Hallways should be minimum 42 inches wide
• One operable door or window is required in each sleeping room below the fourth floor, and in basements, as follows: Minimum net area: 5.7 square feet; minimum openable height, 24 inches; minimum openable width, 27 inches; maximum sill height, 44 inches
• Minimum headroom for stairs is 6 feet, 8 inches above the nosing; the minimum width, 44 inches. Risers should be no higher than 7 inches ; treads a minimum of 4 inches
  Stair handrails should be 1 ¼ inches to 1 ½ inches in diameter and installed on both sides. Should extend 12 inches plus on tread beyond the bottom step railing height is to be 30 to 34 inches above stairs; spaced away from wall 1/1/2 inches minimum to 3 inches maximum
• Doors should not open into hallway
• Folding doors for closets provide easy access and visibility
• Raised toilet seat should be 18 to 19 inches from floor centered 18 inches from the side wall (BHE)
• Distinctiveness of a home lies in the balance between the site, the floor plan, the exterior, elements, and the details.
• Four essential features of every house that can have a lasting impact: how it occupies its site, how the floor plan maximizes efficiency and comfort for today’s living, how the exterior is balanced and blends naturally with the site (or neighborhood), how selected exterior and interior details transmit an enduring sense of quality care and thought.
• Make use of space underneath a stairway for a sitting area, or niche ( holds books) (DH)

Limitations

• Nothing that identifies the participant’s name, school, chapter, or state can be included on the model or notebook.
• Each drawing to be submitted on maximum drawing sheet cut size B- (11”x17”) with appropriate scale size noted on the drawing.
• Materials should not be applied (to the model) that are intended to illustrate or simulate the appearance of regular construction materials. A variety of commercially produced materials is available that may be used to illustrate or simulate the appearance of regular construction materials. Although these materials may be used to enhance a model, they are not recommend for use or required. Participants choosing to use any of these materials are reminded to pay close attention to the scale of the materials as they relate to the scale of the model.
• No glass or liquid may be used as part of any model.
• Must be started and completed during the 2007 to 2008 school year.

Specifications

• Designed for a single family residential home
• Family of six including two grandparents
• Follow the principles and guidelines established for the development of affordable housing in America
• The architectural model must be placed on a site board no larger than a 24” square.
• A design notebook [use a standard three ring binder with clear plastic insert cover] must be submitted with the model
• Design notebook must include the following and be arranged in this order:
  1) One page that includes a description of the style and merits of the design concepts
  2) One page that includes a schedule of finish materials for all exterior and interior surfaces of the architectural design (this is not a list of the model construction materials)
  3) A reproduction copy of original hand drawings and printer/plotter generated copies of CAD drawings for the following required drawings:
  a. Original floor plan(s)
  b. Sectional detail drawing
  d. Foundation plan
  e. Roof plan
  f. Landscape plan
  4) 3D drawings/renderings, if included
• Model construction materials and techniques:
  1. Balsa wood, illustration board, or similar materials are to be used for all interior walls, exterior walls, and roof construction
  2. Foam-core board is to be used for the model base
  3. Dowels may be used to represent columns or circular components
• Model Construction- All participants in this event are encouraged to contact a local architect or a school of architectural design to research and observe actual models in order to gain a greater perspective on how to approach the construction and assembly of an architectural model
• The architectural model must be aesthetically pleasing (tested through survey)
• Walls must be 6" in width
• Floor plan must be built with rooms flowing in a sensible manner and amount of space used must be kept to minimum
• All doors must be 3' wide and 6' 8" tall
• All hallways must be atleast 3' wide
• All tops of windows must be placed 7' tall on walls
• All closets must be atleast 2' wide
• All walls must be 8' tall
  

Background Information

The need to design and construct affordable housing in America is urgent. Twenty-five percent of all American households face severe housing problems. Among these are lack of sufficient funds for monthly payments, maintenance, and repairs; overcrowding, both within individual dwellings and in high-density multi-family developments; and structural deficiencies.
These 30 million households include not just the poorest individuals and those without jobs, but also teachers, librarians, firefighters, health-care workers, and many others who make significant contributions to our communities.

Figure 1 H.U.D. Banner

According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the generally accepted criteria of affordability is that a household pays no more than 30% of its annual income on housing. In many localities across America, an increasing number of families are earning less than 50% of the median income in their respective area, assuming they spend no more than 30% of their income for housing.

Figure 2 H.U.D. SEAL

The economic expansion of the 1990s obscured certain trends and statistics that point to an increased, not decreased, need for affordable housing. Families who pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing are considered cost burdened and may have difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, transportation and medical care. An estimated 12 million renter and homeowner households now pay more then 50 percent of their annual incomes for housing, and a family with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage cannot afford the local fair-market rent for a two-bedroom apartment anywhere in the United States.


The lack of affordable housing is a significant hardship for low-income households preventing them from meeting their other basic needs, such as nutrition and healthcare, or saving for their future and that of their families. (HUD)

Research will be conducted on the guidelines established for affordable housing. After sufficient information is collected, brainstorming for a single family home will begin. Several floor plans will be drawn and finalized, and one solution shall be chosen. An architectural model will be constructed based off of the final floor plans. An understanding and aptitude for the process of architectural design, development of plans, and basic modeling techniques will be demonstrated throughout the course of the project.

Figure 3 Floor Plan

Design Brief

Develop architectural plans and construct an architectural model for the 2008 TSA Architectural Model competition.

Test Post

Test Post