The Custom Builder Design Challenge
The winners of the first design challenge present creative solutions for a busy couple and their two young sons moving into the city
Picture your new clients: a professional couple who work outside the home. They have two young, active sons whose primary passions are sports and music. The boys' grandmother visits frequently, and it's likely that she'll move in at a later date. The parents often bring work home at night and sometimes on the weekends. They cook for the children whenever time allows and like to entertain informally.
But here's the kicker. Tired of living in the suburbs and commuting to their jobs in the city, the couple has purchased an urban infill site where they plan to build a home for their soon-to-be-extended family. There are no alleys in this particular neighborhood, so the garage has to be front-loaded. Due to municipal height restrictions, the home can't be more than two stories, and total living area cannot exceed 2,800 square feet.
That, in a nutshell, was the program for what will become
Entries were submitted from across the nation. Because there were no limitations on architectural style, some elevations reflected the vernacular of a local market while others were eclectic or downright suburban. Except for the second-place winner, the judges agreed there were no designs that really screamed "urban."
Nevertheless, three designs rose to the top for their successful integration of public and private spaces, functional outdoor areas and attention to detail.
Praised by the judges for its effective use of the site and strong spatial connections, this design features a formal living room off the entry. An island kitchen opens to the dining room, foyer and great room, creating a comfortable and inviting space for entertaining. From the front door, there is an unobstructed sight line to the great room, which has a fireplace and sliding doors to a large patio. Pocket doors can be used to close off the great room from the adjacent dining room if desired.
A second, smaller patio off the dining room, accessed by sliding doors, can be transformed into a garden where the family can enjoy dinner on a cool summer night.
The mudroom off the garage has benches and cubbies where the kids can stash their backpacks and the entire family can shed muddy shoes and wet coats.
Upstairs, each boy has his own bedroom and bathroom. Their parents are ensconced in a roomy master suite with a private balcony and fireplace. The second-floor laundry room is conveniently close to the bedrooms.
On the lower level is a suite for the boys' grandmother with a living room, kitchenette, bedroom and bathroom. Space is set aside for an elevator that can be installed later to help her get around the house safely and easily. Mom and Dad have a large home office next to the grandmother's living quarters, and the boys can listen to music or play instruments in the recreation room. The in-law suite can double as a guest suite until Grandma moves in permanently. A patio off the lower level provides a cozy outdoor retreat that one judge described as "English garden-like."
The design also calls for an optional bonus room in the attic that can serve as a guest bedroom, a study area or a place for the kids to kick back as they get older.
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