ENTRANT │ Entrant: Brian Baksa | Team Members:

PROJECT TYPE │ Undergraduate / Upper Level Design – Studio

SCHOOL │ Morgan State University - School of Architecture + Planning

FACULTY SPONSOR │ Isaac S. Williams, Lecturer / School of Architecture + Planning

PROJECT COMPLETION DATE │ 10/1/2015

Summary Description of Project

Building from precedent studies and explorations in housing typologies, the next step was to orchestrate all that we've learned in the previous projects by transferring our ideas of single-family detached housing to a site in Baltimore. The design must promote a healthy and sustainable living environment, promote energy efficiency, encourage social interaction, comply with the Baltimore City Building Code and positively contribute to the surrounding streetscape and neighborhood.

The goal of the project is to develop an aggregation of 6-10 dwelling units with a set square footage of 1,400 SF which includes a living/kitchen area, 3 bedrooms/2 baths, and circulation space. Student have the option to choose from single-family housing typologies or create a new typology of their own.

Student's Statement

The concepts behind "Shift House" are simple. A methodical approach was used to create a public ground floor, a private second floor, and a strong connection between the dining and outdoor experiences. Using the row house as a foundation, "Shift House" rotates it's second floor to create dynamic views, textural massing, and to envelope an outdoor amenity courtyard when aggregated along a city block.

The solution was to expand on the row house typology to create a new, vibrant type of single-family housing. The major move in Shift Houses revolves around the shifting of two programmatic masses that create both a separation between public and private, but begin to form exterior spaces as well.

There is a central core that acts as the static element as the private and public volumes pivot accordingly. This core houses both the auxiliary spaces such as the bathrooms as well as the circulatory path from the ground floor to the upper floor. The shifted upper volume enables opportunities for outdoor patios, green roofs, and rooftop terraces or gardens on the upper floor while also providing protection from the sun in the courtyard below by acting as a cantilevered canopy.

With a strong connection from the kitchen/dining area to the outdoor courtyard, Shift House provides families with amenities that friends, family, and guests can enjoy together.

IMAGE CREDITS (if any)

IMAGE 1:  Image #1, Shift House Render, Brian Baksa

IMAGE 2:  Image #2, Shift House Sectional Perspective, Brian Baksa

IMAGE 3:  Image #3, Shift House Section, Brian Baksa

IMAGE 4:  Image #4, Shift House Site & Floor Plans, Brian Baksa

IMAGE 5:  Image #5, Shift House Concept Diagrams, Brian Baksa

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Media For Download

Project PDF