If you've ever wanted to live in a modern prefab and you're interested in living about thirty minutes north of Duluth, Minnesota, now might be your chance. In 2005, Alchemy Architects designed this seasonal cabin of roughly 840 square feet, and after that, it became a hit in the national media. I noticed it in Kiplinger's of all places! The McGlasson weeHouse has two bedrooms, one and three-quarters bathrooms, a roof deck, and a detached sauna.
Just a quick jaunt north of Dallas right off of Central Expressway, there's a small community called Urban Reserve. In Urban Reserve, all the homes are modern and sustainably designed — the minimum standards require Energy Star and a HERS of at least an 80. This home is just one of several architecturally unique homes in the development. Referred to as UR 45, the LEED Platinum certified home was designed by Shipley Architects for an executive of the development company, Rick Fontenot.
One of Hybrid Architecture + Assembly's most recent projects, Remington Court, is quite stunning. Opting to do everything from start to finish, the company designed, developed, and built the four-unit project — a successful endeavor considering three of the four units sold prior to completion! The interiors are modern and minimalist, relying on products such as HenryBuilt cabinets, Corian counters, Starck-designed Duravit toilets, and some of the following green features and elements:
This newly constructed 3,200 square-foot building, Wetland Discovery Point, is the third LEED Platinum certified structure in the state of Utah, making it one of the greenest buildings around. WDP is part of the Utah Botanical Center of Utah State University and provides an indoor / outdoor learning experience for over 4,000 school children each year. The building was designed by ajc architects and built by Big-D Construction, and here are some of its green elements:
Update: See the completed Breezeway House and our owner interview.
There’s a new site called Our Passive House, where the owners are documenting the design and construction of the first Passive House in Utah. It just so happens that I live in the same general neighborhood, so we’ll try to present a follow up article when the home is complete. Owners Joe and Rebecca, available on Twitter @ourpassivehouse, hired Brach Design, Utah’s first certified Passive House consultant, to design the home.
Project Profiles
