Modern Vernacular House

The Modern Vernacular house is another speculative prototype by nottoscale in which we explore the notion of a modern interpretation of the most ubiqutous of all vernacular homes, the Gable-Roof House.

The shape of the home is that of a traditional Gable-Roof House, but this is where the similarities end. The building sits on a slightly elevated wooden deck that creates a transition between the home and the surrounding environment. The wood pattern of the deck continues over the sides and the roof of the building, making it appear as if the house was literally cut out of the deck and then folded up. Both sides of the house are completely glazed and large center pivot doors visually and physically connect the outside with the inside.

A central core that houses the bathroom and the kitchen is situated in the middle of the space, serving as the separation between the public and private spaces of the house. All partitions are moveable so that the interior can grow or shrink depending on the needs of the user. The breakfast counter is on tracks that allow it to be “rolled” out of the way if more space is needed in the living room. An open second floor further provides space for a family area or office.

One of our main approaches to sustainability is to make spaces more flexible which is why we continue to experiment with spaces that can change according to the user’s needs. Passive and active sustainable systems such as cross and stack ventilation, hydronic radiant heating, solar technology and climate buffers are an integral part of our approach to architecture, just as we strive to use sustainable materials whenever possible.