Performative Dwelling

Project idea

Diverse housing, affordable housing, and workforce housing are among Portland’s most pressing needs. Recent changes in the city’s Re-Code initiative have expanded the potential for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) to help meet those needs.
The Portland Society for Architecture (PSA) put forth the idea to visualize and test the limits of Portland’s new ADU policy by designing an ADU that addresses one or multiple of the new codes.
Scenario Chosen :
13 Howard Street (R-6)

Project description

Scenario 1 - 13 Howard Street (R-6)
Two-family structure in the high-density neighbourhood. (Backyard ADU)
•Principle Structure Setbacks - Front 5’/ Side 5‘/ Rear 10’
•Max Lot Coverage - 60%
•Max Height - 45’

ADU as a performative dwelling :

1. The ADU has been divided into two floors based on the time a room will supposedly be used :

2. The ground floor being, the living, dining and cooking area; will be spent less time in. It's a public space for interaction with guests, thus there is no wall segregating these spaces.

3. The first floor however is a more private space. With a bedroom, bathroom, storage and working space, the floor demands segregation. And this segregation remains free to be altered as a user/s needs, thus maybe making the bedroom wider, open storage, etc. This alteration would still make the floor a private one.

Technical information

Can be made load-bearing or a complete RCC framed.
Maximised proper natural ventilation towards lawn thus maintaining privacy from neighbours, thus also maximising solar tempering.

Skillion/Shed roof's one-way slope can be used for rainwater harvesting for the lawn and lavatory purposes.

Reclaimed wood can be used for furniture, storage and other household items.

The grey palette has been chosen here as a colour palette for wall and trim finishes, as it has good neutral properties, and can be either toned down or up as per user preference. The only other change in colour preferred indoors would be the original material finish for furniture/ other household stuff.

Proposed ADU seeks to connect the primary build in the form of a more progressive manner in the architectural field rather than a sheltering need for a tenure of time.

This maintains and pushes forward the performance of the dwelling as a whole.