Green House

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A new model of housing for multi-generational families and intentional communities
Green House brings a new model of communal living to Boston, one that is equally relevant to two distinct audiences: multi-generational families that want to cohabitate & people looking for the affordability and companionship of co-living.

What would typically be three separate homes share a communal ground floor that contains dining, living, laundry, and either a “grandmother flat” or a home business. Each unit can be accessed from the first floor by a private stair that leads to their bedrooms.

The housing is paired with a public greenhouse promenade that creates a mid-block shortcut, extending the community beyond the dwelling. This greenhouse allows the residents to grow a significant amount of food or flowers and could be used to provide garden plots for neighbors as well. In Boston’s cold climate, it gives a taste of the tropics year-round.





One-Third Greenhouse + Two-Thirds House, as viewed from the East side






A site diagram showing the arrangement of the greenhouse & the house
This reconfiguration allows families to eat together and have a greater variety of social interactions while saving on kitchen costs





The site has two back-to-back lots that create a mid-block pass-through. The dimensions, 170’ long by 14’ wide at its narrowest, resist traditional development models



Year-round tropics within the greenhouse arcade, which can be opened in the warm months




First Floor Plan, Living Room Zoom




The building is constructed of cross-laminated timber (CLT), a low-carbon mass timber structural system that has the warmth & beauty of wood




The upper floors house the majority of the bedrooms and bathrooms.
The shower is separated from the toilet and sink to help mitigate the morning / evening rush. The three separate volumes & the location of the closets create additional privacy



A third of the ground floor is given over to an in-law unit or a small business (or a hybrid of both, as shown here)




The greenhouse arcade creates a mid-block cut-through with year-round tropical plants. It:
  • Creates a privacy buffer for the residents
  • Makes use of a long, narrow site, &
  • Generates revenue for the residents through rentable garden plots





A long section cut through the greenhouse promenade





The height of the greenhouse alternates from one to three stories, in step with the housing. This creates opportunities for trees & hanging plants while establishing a human-scale




Each bedroom has one window into the greenhouse and one to fresh air. Window sizes & heights reference the context




A short section cut through the roof deck, bedrooms, living room, and three-story greenhouse.

A short section cut through the communal kitchen, showing the windows of the bedrooms beyond




Client

Competition

Timeline

2018

Location

Boston, Massachusetts

Stats

  • 3-stories
  • 13 bedrooms
  • Lot Size: 5,610 sf (0.129 acres)
  • Bedrooms per Acre: 101
  • Amenities: Greenhouse Promenade, Storefront for Home Business, Communal Gardens, Communal Kitchen, Shared Laundry, Bike Parking


Tags

Multigenerational, Communal, Housing, Chosen Family

Status

Complete

Services

  • Architecture
  • Landscape Architecture
  • Interior Design
  • Furniture Selection




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