→Exterior Siding

by

Kevin 08/06/12

Installed and ready for fins.

→Cabinets Installed

by

Kevin 08/03/12

Cabinets are finally in on Lot 1:

→Panel Layout

by

Kevin 07/11/12

The cement board panels for the facade are laid out and installation has begun. The cement board has to coordinate with the fin system so getting it right in the beginning is crucial.

→Fin Mock-Up

by

Kevin 07/03/12

We finally got out first fin mock-up installed on site (see top picture below). The system involves a a bracket that attaches to the wall of the building, then a cement board rain-screen is installed over the hardie wrap and behind the fins. The fins will be attached to a horizontal channel offsite and each panel will be installed onto the brackets as the final step.

The fins serve several purposes:
1. They soften the buildings edges so the massing feels lighter (especially in the evening when the project should have a wonderful glow).
2. With the front unit five feet from the street they filter the private interior from the public sidewalk and street.
3. They screen views across the driveway from one unit to another.
4. They create a three dimensional facade on an otherwise flat building surface.


Below are a few of the prototypes we built in the office prior to arriving at this design. The initial versions had welded connections which required some on site fabrication. The final version above is a kit of parts that is only partially assembled on site but there is no fabrication required during installation.

→Drywall installed on lot 1!

by

Kevin 06/12/12

Always one of the most exciting steps, the project evolves from a construction project to an actual habitable space upon drywall installation. While it only took a day and a half after insulation to hang the drywall, it will take another week or so for the taping and mud. The windows and railings aren't drywalled because they will be detailed with shadow molding and solid wood finish for durability.

→Insulation

by

Kevin 06/09/12

Rough framing has been inspected by the city for code compliance and the HERS (Home Energy Rating System) inspector for a tight building envelope. Which means plugging all gaps in the framing so there are no easy paths for air to transfer from the interior to exterior.

The insulation is brown instead of pink because the binder is made from renewable resources instead of petroleum based products. The binder is combined with sand and recycles glass to make the insulation. This results in 70% less energy used to make it and it doesn't contain toxins like phenol,formaldehyde, or acrylics.



R-21 is installed in the walls. 'R' is a measure of thermal resistance so basically the higher the R value the better your insulation is and more energy efficient your home is. The current code is for R-13 but we used six inch framing on the exterior of the building so that we have a deeper cavity for better insulation. Over the life of the building this is a far more significant than something like bamboo floors or other claims at being 'green'.

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