| Why design small? As homes increase in
size more energy and resources are used, more land is occupied
and more impermeable surfaces are created, resulting in more
storm-water runoff and increased construction costs. In new,
single-family houses constructed in the United States, living
area per family member has increased by a factor of 3 since the
1950’s. Parallel to this housing increase is the fact that the
average household has dropped from 3.67 members in 1950 to 2.62
members in 2002. The 12’ House was developed to curb the
unnecessary growth of single family dwellings and to utilize the
current city grid; the grid is set at 24’ x110’ lots. Two 12’
Houses could be placed within the city framework to utilize
existing infrastructure, densify fragmented city blocks, and
serve as a growth management tool to protect outlying space.
This study examines the challenges of developing on a narrow lot
and provides potential solutions for this investigation. |
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