Syracuse, United States of America

R-House

Architecture Research Office (aro), Della Valle Bernheimer

The prototype residence we envision for Syracuse is called R-House. R-House presents an affordable, innovative paradigm for minimal energy consumption embodied in architecture that nurtures the spirit and engages the community. Framed within its iconic exterior are expansive and luminous spaces that require only the equivalent energy of a hair dryer for heating. Its efficient plan can be tailored to meet the needs of different families and is readily adapted as these needs change over time. Designed for high economic and practical performance, R-House strengthens the physical and social structure of the Near Westside neighborhood.

Landscape

Earth excavated from the foundation forms a landscape that grounds R-House to its site. Enclosing the backyard, a berm planted with Little Bluestem, a native grass, shelters the owner’s personal domain. A slight depression in the backyard can be flooded and frozen for skating in the winter. Beside the house are located a terrace and planting beds for a kitchen garden. At the street, a bed for perennials creates a soft buffer between the sidewalk and the property.

Building Exterior

R-House transforms a typical gabled roof into a simply folded surface that recalls the appearance and scale of neighboring houses. Tucked within the house are a front porch and rear deck whose translucent walls cast an inviting glow after dark. Windows and skylights open the interior to views and are optimized to receive south light. The roof and walls are sheathed with corrugated aluminum. The silver color, muted reflectivity and fine texture of this cladding contribute to a sense of vibrancy that counters the gray winter months.

Interior

The interior is airy and bright. A two-story tall space on the south side of the house, lit by large windows that open to a view of the rear yard, is bounded by the stairwell and the Master Bedroom on the second floor. Humble, carefully detailed materials, such as concrete, wood floor boards and plywood panels, imbue warmth and integrity. Translucent polycarbonate panels cover the east wall of the bedrooms, creating a soft, luminous boundary between the “private” and “public” areas of the house. The stair rail and kitchen island, made from the same material, are backlit to illuminate the interior.

SUSTAINABILITY

R-House is a significant opportunity to demonstrate the successful application of innovative, proven building and environmental strategies in Syracuse’ cold climate. The design meets the German Passivhaus ultra-low energy standard. This standard utilizes an extremely well insulated exterior, airtight construction, an efficient heating system, controlled ventilation and windows that optimize solar gain. Sustainable construction materials are used throughout the house. The project’s green design features are more fully described in the technical evaluation form. R-House’s adaptability to different needs over time is fundamental to its sustainability. It is designed to grow from a two bedroom to a three or four bedroom house simply by extending the second floor over the living space. One variation of the design includes a rental unit, which further enhances its economic viability. Based on the Near Westside market, this additional rental income provides financial sustainability for its owner.

COMMUNITY

The scale and form of R-House engage the diversity of the existing housing stock, which includes one- and two-story structures of different styles. In transforming the gabled roof typology, our design provides a vision for the neighborhood that is both familiar and progressive. The design’s intrinsic flexibility to accommodate multiple site, size and layout variations makes R-House attractive to a range of individual owners and facilitates its widespread implementation throughout the Near Westside. The durability of the design and superior energy efficiency, made affordable due to the simplicity of form and modesty of materials, make R-House a vital tool for building a resilient community.

Architecture Research Office, Stephen Cassell and Adam Yarinsky, Principals; Megumi Tamanaha, Associate; Design team: Melissa Eckerman, Jane Lea, Neil Patel, Anne-Marie Singer

Della Valle Berheimer , Andrew Bernheimer and Jared Della Valle, Partners; Garrick Jones, Associate; Design team: Lara Shihab Eldin, Janine Soper

Transsolar Climate Engineering, David White, Senior Engineer and Project Manager

Guy Nordenson and Associates Structural Engineers, Guy Nordenson, Principal; Brett Schneider, Associate

Stuart-Lynn Company, Inc. Cost Estimators, Breck Perkins, Principal; Team members: Daniel Edelstein, Denis Vasin

Coen + Partners, Landscape Architects, Shane Coen, Principal

Europaconcorsi Beta

R-House