This project is a collaboration with GAP School, a skills training program that teaches young adults construction trades by having them build actual construction projects. The four new single-family homes are designed to accommodate multiple generations living under the same roof. The homes have bedrooms, bathrooms, and commons spaces on the ground floor for elderly or disabled family members.
Referencing Passive House design standards, passive systems include a solar chimney, window placement to promote cross ventilation, concrete mass flooring, and large south-facing windows. Since the homes themselves serve as teaching tools, the design prioritizes more labor-intensive processes over expensive materials to achieve performance efficiencies. Simple, time-honored passive design strategies enable homeowners to easily and sustainably maintain their homes.
The first house is certified LEED v4.1 Residential Single Family Homes Platinum.
USGBC Malcolm Lewis IMPACT Award
Client
Change, Inc. | GAP School
Location
Saint Paul, MN
Project Type
Housing
Size
8,400 SF
Certifications
Certified LEED Residential Single Family Homes v.4.1 Platinum (first house)
Role
Architect
Status
In Process
“The GAP School Page Street Houses project is easy to cheer for. . . . This fall, the first completed Page Street House received the equivalent of a standing ovation from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).”
—Chris Hudson, ENTER
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