Bienville House
Duplex for Nathan Fell Architecture
Logistics of this working family required them to be home indoors for long periods, which in addition to work and school became disruptive to their wellness. They began to contemplate, like many families, whether a move to the suburbs, exchanging proximity to city amenities for a larger backyard to increase outdoor access was necessary. Rather than moving far away, they decided to build a new house that would reconsider the limitations of indoor home life on a small urban lot. The organizing principle of the project was to create as much outdoor access from communal areas as possible.
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We're happy to provide translations of Bienville House in numerous languages, including: Home Architecture Design EN, Tuisargitektuurontwerp AF, Dizajni I Arkitekturës Shtëpiake SQ, የቤት ሥነ-ሕንፃ ዲዛይን (ዲዛይን AM, تصميم هندسة المنزل AR, Տան Ճարտարապետության Դիզայնը Ճարտարապետության HY, Ev Memarlıq Dizaynı Memarlığın AZ, Etxeko Arkitekturaren Diseinua Arkitektura EU, Дызайн Дома Архітэктуры BE, হোম আর্কিটেকচার ডিজাইন BN, Dizajn Arhitekture Kuće BS, Дизайнът На Домашната Архитектура BG, အိမ်ဗိသုကာဒီဇိုင်းဗိသုကာ MY, El Disseny D’Arquitectura Per A La Llar CA, Kapangidwe Kamangidwe Ka Nyumba NY, 家庭建筑设计 ZH, U Disignu Di L'architettura In Casa CO, Dizajn Arhitekture Kuće HR, Design Domácí Architektury CS, Hjemmearkitekturdesign DA, Huisarchitectuur Ontwerp NL, Hejma Arkitekturo-Desegno EO, Koduarhitektuuri Disain ET, Kodin Arkkitehtuurisuunnittelu FI, La Conception De L'architecture Domestique FR, O Deseño De Arquitectura Doméstica GL, სახლის არქიტექტურის დიზაინი არქიტექტურის KA, Home Architecture Design DE, Ο Σχεδιασμός Οικιακής Αρχιτεκτονικής EL, ઘર આર્કિટેક્ચર ડિઝાઇન GU, Kay Achitekti Konsepsyon HT, Tsarin Gine-Ginen Gida HA, עיצוב אדריכלות ביתית HE, होम आर्किटेक्चर डिजाइन HI, Az Otthoni Építészet HU, Desain Arsitektur Rumah ID, Dearadh Ailtireachta Baile GA, Ihe Eji Ewu Ulo IG, Hönnun Heimabygginga IS, Il Design Dell'architettura Domestica IT, 住宅建築設計 JA, Desain Arsitektur Omah JV, ಮನೆ ವಾಸ್ತುಶಿಲ್ಪ ವಿನ್ಯಾಸವು KN, Үй Сәулет Дизайны KK, ការរចនាស្ថាបត្យកម្មផ្ទះ KM, Urugo Rwubatswe Igishushanyo RW, Үй Архитектурасынын Дизайны Архитектуранын KY, 가정 건축 디자인 KO, Sêwirana Mîmariya Malê KU, Domum Architectura Consilio LA, Heemarchitektur Design LB, ການອອກແບບສະຖາປັດຕະຍະ ກຳ ເຮືອນ LO, Namų Architektūros Dizainas LT, Mājas Arhitektūras Dizains LV, Дизајнот На Домашна Архитектура MK, Ny Famoronana Trano Maritrano MG, Reka Bentuk Seni Bina Rumah MS, ഹോം ആർക്കിടെക്ചർ ഡിസൈൻ ML, Disinn Ta 'arkitettura Tad-Dar MT, He Papaahoanga He Hoahoa MI, होम आर्किटेक्चर डिझाइन MR, Гэрийн Архитектурын Дизайн MN, घर वास्तुकला डिजाइन वास्तुकला NE, Hjemmearkitekturdesign NO, ଗୃହ ସ୍ଥାପତ୍ୟ ଡିଜାଇନ୍ OR, ਘਰੇਲੂ Architectਾਂਚੇ PA, طراحی معماری خانه FA, Projektowanie Architektury Domu PL, د کور جوړونې ډیزاین PS, O Projeto De Arquitetura Doméstica PT, Designul Arhitecturii De Acasă RO, Дизайн Домашней Архитектуры RU, گهر تعميراتي Design SD, Fale Ati Fale Fausaga SM, Дизајн Архитектуре Куће SR, Dealbhadh Ailtireachd Dachaigh GD, Imba Yekuvakisa Dhizaini SN, ගෘහ නිර්මාණ ශිල්පය SI, Dizajn Domácej Architektúry SK, Zasnova Arhitekture Doma SL, Nashqadeynta Naqshadaha Guryuhu SO, Moralo Oa Meaho Ea Lapeng ST, El Diseño De La Arquitectura Del Hogar ES, Desain Arsitéktur Bumi SU, Muundo Wa Usanifu Wa Nyumba SW, Hemmearkitekturdesign SV, வீட்டு கட்டிடக்கலை வடிவமைப்பு TA, హోమ్ ఆర్కిటెక్చర్ డిజైన్ TE, Тарҳи Меъмории Хона TG, การออกแบบสถาปัตยกรรมภายในบ้านเป็นสถาปัตยกรรม TH, Öý Arhitekturasynyň Dizaýny Arhitekturanyň TK, Ang Disenyo Ng Arkitektura Sa Bahay TL, Ev Mimari Tasarım TR, Өй Архитектурасы Дизайны TT, ئۆي بىناكارلىق لايىھىسى بىناكارلىقنىڭ UG, Дизайн Архітектури Будинку UK, ہوم فن تعمیر کا ڈیزائن فن تعمیر کی UR, Uyning Arxitektura Dizayni UZ, Thiết Kế Kiến Trúc Nhà VI, Dyluniad Pensaernïaeth Cartref CY, Ûntwerp Fan Hûsarchitektuer FY, Uyilo Lwezakhiwo Ekhaya XH, היים אַרקאַטעקטשער פּלאַן YI, Apẹrẹ Ile Faaji YO, Ukwakhiwa Kwekhaya ZU, 家庭建築設計 ZY, Ang Laraw Sa Arkitektura Sa Balay CEB, ʻo Ka Hoʻolālā Hale Home HAW, Tsev Tsim Qauv HMN.
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Unique Properties
Forms are configured to accentuate transparency between 1st Floor interior spaces and exterior. Upper floors contain private spaces, wrapped by exterior surfaces forming an echelon of suspended cubes legible from multiple viewpoints. Walls supporting the cubic forms are a series of exposed concrete walls with a gap between the walls and the cubic form to render each (the wall and cubes) distinctly. The static forms juxtapose the animated interior space as a frame, reinforcing the transparency.
Tags
Urban, Outside, Transparency, Frame, Mass, Duplex, Open, Monolithic, Cubes, Communal
Production Technology
The exterior load bearing walls are concrete cast in place board formed ThermoMass walls which help stabilize the temperature through the thermal mass of the inside wall. Due to site constraints it was only possible to cast the 30 feet tall wall in 10 feet pours across the site, then pull the forms and frame floor as the walls cured. Form panels were reassembled above only after floor were framed.
Design Challenge
New Orleans is a city that is often proudly slow to change, and sometimes more romantic about the past than future. This can cast an air of inevitability over new residential development within the city, that tawdry mimicry (more associated with suburban development) is the only possible path for a design. The house is constructed using materials that make sense environmentally even if they may be unconventional regionally while using certain historic paradigms a precedent (such as the poly-entry lowest level).
Project Duration
The project is located in New Orleans, LA (USA) and started in January of 2017. It was completed in June of 2019.
Operation Flow
The duplex maximizes use of a small urban lot with space for or groups of people in each unit. The central goal of the design was to configure communal spaces in a way that best accesses outdoor light, air and volume. The rear unit consists of 4 beds, 3.5 baths and the front is a rental unit with 3 beds, 2.5 baths. The layout orients the rental unit as its public face, actively engaging travelers with the city, while mirroring the position of the primary unit with the rear yard to favor seclusion.
Research
Materials had to be research for practical constructability, affordability and visual appeal. Additionally, the design had to comply with local flood zone requirements, historic, zoning and code provisions without a variance. The original concept had to compressed back due to these regulation and practical restraints, resulting in a more complicated design.
Inspiration
Logistics of a working family requires family members stay tethered to their homes for longer periods than each would prefer. This can become disruptive to your wellness when all your time at school, work and home is spent indoors. The homeowners preferred the city to suburbs, so rather than moving far away, they decided to make a bold change by building a new house that flipped the script on indoor home life on a small urban lot.
Image Credits
All Photographs by Justin Cordova. All Drawings by Nathan Fell Architecture.
Project Overview
Bienville House Duplex has been a Golden winner in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design award category in the year 2019 organized by the prestigious A' Design Award & Competition. The Gold A' Design Award is granted to designs that demonstrate a high level of innovation and a significant impact on their intended audience. Recognized as a major achievement by the A' Design Awards, these designs are characterized by their visionary approach and the exceptional skill of their creators. Winners of the Gold A' Design Award are noted for their ability to push the envelope in art, science, design, and technology, delivering solutions that not only meet but exceed expectations. These designs serve as benchmarks for excellence, encouraging further innovation and inspiring future generations of designers.
Golden Recognition
Nathan Fell was recognized with the coveted Golden A' Design Award in 2020, a testament to excellence of their work Bienville House Duplex.
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