Open Architecture Network

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

FAMILY:
Karen Parker is a single mother of six. Her oldest two daughters are in school at near by universities while her youngest four are busy with their middle school and high school sports teams. Karen has worked at Keesler Air Base for over 20 years. Karen was renting a house in East Biloxi and was in the process of transferring the deed and moving into her late grandfather’s home into her name when the home was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina.

DESIGN:
The Blox is a long, narrow, rectilinear wood-frame structure inspired by two Southern prototypes: the shotgun and the dogtrot. Constructed from standard wood members and common construction materials with a minimum of cutting, the Blox is a flexible kit of parts that can be customized easily to the particular needs of a family. Just as a train can be assembled by adding or removing individual cars, a Blox house can be planned by choosing just the right elements to meet the space needs of its residents. The basic Blox module is 16-feet wide and is elevated above flood-hazard levels on two rows of wood piers, placed at 12-foot intervals along the outer length.

An optional 400-square-foot rental or master-bedroom unit, known as the “Studio Blox,” can be added to the back (as demonstrated in the “i” plan) or the side (in the “h” plan) of a larger Blox unit, separated by an eight-foot-long deck. Both the “i” plan and the “h” plan create appropriate public and private zones critical to successful homes and neighborhoods. Each features a front porch facing onto the public street as well as more private spaces for gardens, lawns, and patios that are visible from inside. The “h” plan has a back yard; the “i” plan has a side yard as well. Homeowners can choose either configuration they prefer no matter the height-above-grade requirements of their site.

ARCHITECT:
Brett Zamore was born in 1971 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He began his training as an undergrad at Yale University (1994) and received his Masters of Architecture at Rice University School of Architecture (1999). Brett has worked for the renowned offices of Michael Maltzan Architecture in Los Angeles, California and Carlos Jimenez Studio in Houston, Texas. In 2003, Brett established Brett Zamore Design. The office has been awarded several residential architectural design awards and also has appeared in many national magazines and newspapers, books and TV. Work can be viewed at www.brettzamoredesign.com

                       

                  
              

Homes get Furnished The Sun Herald - June 5, 2008
Design Steps Up in Disaster's Wake New York Times - August 2, 2007 Showing what can be at home dedication: Affordable doesn't mean 'low-income' Sun Herald - June 21, 2007
First Model Home Completed WLOX ABC News - June 21, 2007
Inhabitat visits the Parker residence - March 1, 2007