Tim has been working on a pro-bono effort called the “Appleseed” house for a couple of months now. The Appleseed house is slated to be an affordable housing model home for North Minneapolis. The group behind the Appleseed house is currently working on a website. In the meanwhile, we’ll try to post some info on the progress on this blog.
Here are a few architectural goals that we are looking to achieve:
- Simple beautiful design
- Spatially interesting (interior and exterior)
- Accessible design
- Flexible, adaptable floor plan
In terms of health and safety, these items were identified:
- Healthy Indoor Air Quality
- Low VOC materials and finishes
- Welcoming and safe place
These are goals in regards to durability and impact on the environment
- Durable and reparable materials and finishes
- Good natural daylighting and “dark sky” night lighting
- Passive House Standard, LEED Gold, Energy Star, MN Green Star, Green Communities
- Renewable energies
- High energy efficiency
- Grey water recycling
In terms of the community, these goals were identified:
- Affordable project (in regards to the total cost of ownership)
- Local involvement
- Design relationship with context
- Scalable approach
- Teaching
- Reproducible
- Security
- Neighborhood energy system
- Neighborhood stormwater management
- Strategic neighbors
- Community garden, edible garden, urban farm
This is of course a very rough draft list. The following weeks will help prioritize and solidify.
July 10th, 2008
