A team of designers in LPA’s Sacramento office were recognized by the American Institute of Architects Central Valley chapter (AIACV) for their entry in a tiny home design competition.
The competition was a partnership between the AIA Central Valley and the non-profit e49 Foundation, which provides shelter and services to the homeless population. Teams were invited to design a home that was no bigger than 160 square feet which could be built for $10,000 in material costs and could be organized into a village on a local church’s property.
LPA’s winning design, dubbed the Unity House, focused on fostering community and safety, while also providing for an individual’s need for privacy and self. The front doors open into a common space for socializing and dining. The back wall of the house splits apart to create a canopy and semi-private deck; glass French doors bring in light and open the home to the outdoors.
The design elevates the kitchen and bath, places an eco-optimized composting toilet in a cabinet and hides the pull-out bed under the kitchen floor. The solution for the bed, the use of French doors and the sense of community developed in the design set the Unity House apart from the competition, according to the jury.
Hillary Louise Johnson of SacTown Magazine wrote that the design “demonstrates just how many big ideas can fit into an 8-by-16-foot space—for a mere $8,500 in materials.” She labeled the design of the sleeping area “an ingenious solution to the loft bed problem.”
The LPA design is under construction and will eventually become someone’s home in a community of tiny homes planned by e49.
Read more about the project in SacTown Magazine: http://www.sactownmag.com/Augu...
