ALONE HOUSE

This small citadel developed through the owner’s desire for a house-as-retreat. After observing a decade of rapid change in their Philadelphia neighborhood— gritty artist studios and open green lots infilled with mass residential development and large-scale construction— the owner’s sought a new home to fortify themselves from their changing environment.

As opposed to traditional rowhome construction where neighbors share a party wall, the building pulls away from its masonry neighbors to produce two buffer yards. This reduces noise infiltration from adjacent properties while offering a continuous belt of outdoor living space. In comparison to the nearly windowless street-facing walls, the house becomes permeable at the rear to maximize solar exposure. Double-stud exterior walls create fourteen inches of sound and thermal attenuation between public street and private interior.  An energy-model informed, integrated design approach led to a right-sized relationship between the building envelope and mechanical systems, laying the foundation for reduced energy use and a healthy indoor environment.