Unassuming from the street, The Hoover House blends in with the Historic character of the Ashland Place neighborhood

A 1924 historic bungalow with a modern addition that was designed by [merz]project and built to be timeless in its innovation, materiality, and simplicity. Named “Home of the Year” by the American Institute of Architects, this sleeper situated in the Ashland Historic District, blends with the fabric of the neighborhood but comes alive with an incredible modern, yet warm and inviting space unlike any other. Materials like walnut cabinetry & drs, thousands of s.f. of blue sandstone, polished conc. flrs, a 24′ moveable wall of glass, plus green features; sprayed foam insul., low flow fixtures, low VOC paint, high velocity HVAC system, & commercial grade glass. The Mstr Suite and Kitchen are outfitted with the highest-end finishes.

See? Some homes have a beautiful secret!

CONTEXT

Downtown Phoenix is a uniquely Western Landscape. While it encompasses vast zones of emptiness and vacancy, it also teems with vibrant and intense activity. The prevalent desert dwelling around Phoenix is unfortunately a stucco box perforated with small openings, located at the end of some freeway or on the fringes of a once prosperous agricultural field. Originally, Phoenix neighborhoods were constructed on the edges of the downtown core, fit with trolley lines, water canals, broad front porches, and deep overhangs. But car-centric/developer-driven development since 1950 broke the neighborhoods apart with freeway construction and the allure of cheap housing in commuter suburbs. Yet, while downtown Phoenix lost it’s pulse, the historic neighborhoods still exist in downtown and retain the character of days past. Today they are contributing positively to the regeneration of the city’s urban pulse. The Hoover House is essentially an urban-infill project within a single-family home property. The site is located in the Ashland Historic District near the downtown core. The project consists of an addition and remodel of an existing 1924 home that demonstrates a common predicament within historic district neighborhoods. They are ideal places to live due to the proximity of transportation, community and civic centers, as well as the integrity of established neighborhoods, mature landscaping, and quality home construction. However, the home sizes are not conducive to modern family requirements and amenities. The clients expressed a desire to remain in their current home but asked for a dramatic increase in living space without reducing the quality of their outdoor living space. In the end, [merz]project maintained a historic treasure and guaranteed its future viability through inventive interpretation of preservation, innovative design, and a commitment to its urban, community, and environmental context.

DESIGN CONCEPT

The Hoover House was designed as a response to the existing historic house, not as an imitation of it. By designing an addition that is clearly different than the original, the value of the original is enhanced. Furthermore, the original 1924 home is historic because it was a result of its time and context, in the same vein the addition was designed and built to be timeless in its innovation, materiality, and simplicity. With this in mind, [merz]project developed a new addition that creates a dialogue with the existing residence through experiences of thresholds, gardens, materials and light. By utilizing similar structural systems and archetypal forms, but clearly different materials, the resulting zinc-clad extension possesses a timeless quality that merges with the traditional character of the original red brick bungalow. The addition is simply a rectangular volume with a gable roof. The home is now entered within the garden space between the old and new house. At this knuckle condition, the resulting glazed vestibule has an indoor/outdoor quality that introduces the common idea inherent throughout the rest of the home: walls always serve a purpose other than merely dividing space. Walls are utilized as storage, space-defining sculptural elements, and masses that contain private functions. The abundant glass on the home’s perimeter obviously dissolves the intuitive structural character of a wall. Additionally, thick masses of blue-stone “float” within the envelope and loosely delineate traditional spaces such as a living room and master bedroom. Rich walnut millwork extends from the old front door to the opposite end of the addition and alternates between utilitarian function and threshold conditions. The old house was cellular with distinct space for distinct functions. Contrary to this, the new addition has clear programmatic conditions that are defined by the presence or absence of functional masses of walnut or blue stone. The voids, such as the 24 foot wide opening in the main living space, reach into the existing landscape creating indoor/outdoor rooms that fully utilize the extraordinary desert climate in the autumn, winter, and spring seasons. Through its responsiveness to location, history, site, and environment, the Hoover House is the first home in the downtown historic neighborhoods to re-vision what “historic” means and creates a new vision for modern, efficient, environmentally responsive urban-living in the fastest-growing city in the United States. It represents the new history of the New American City.

SYSTEMS

The act of constructing a building is the single greatest symbol of our ability to physically affect change in the world and we believe that responsible design and construction processes are as important as the end product. Our commitment to the environment is witnessed through the multiple projects that we have designed and submitted through US Green Building Council’s rigorous LEED accreditation process. The concepts explored through the LEED accreditation process are employed in the Hoover House. This is an infill project where the site was minimally disturbed. There was an existing grade change in the site due to the old water canal located at the South end of the property. In order to direct water away from the house, a raised terrace was constructed at the rear of the property to negotiate the existing slope and the house is situated in a bed of pea gravel and permeable pavers to allow proper drainage. The drought tolerant turf and plantings require minimal watering, monitored by an drip irrigation system and a rain delay controller. Located along the new Light Rail line and near a station, the unique location of the home will allow for the homeowners to reduce their need for an extra vehicle. The family of  four will be able to utilize the new public transportation for daily needs such as getting to and from work and daily errands. Many aspects of the material and systems selection and construction methods employ energy saving ideas. A formaldehyde-free environment was achieved by utilizing the concrete slab as a finished surface, existing wood flooring, and non-toxic custom cabinetry. Non-petroleum bases finishes and sealers were used on the millwork and flooring. Low VOC paint was used on the small amount of drywall utilized in the home. Low-E insulated glass units are installed throughout the new addition. High-density spray-in foam was applied in the new walls and ceiling, as well as in the existing attic space. The orientation and location of glazing on the building increase natural daylighting, reducing the need for artificial lighting. During the majority of the year, the location of window openings allows the homeowners to enjoy the use of cross ventilation for passive cooling. The entire home has been outfitted with a high-volume central heating and air-conditioning system, with programmable thermostats. The home is also equipped with low flow plumbing fixtures and a high efficiency water heater. The exterior skins are clad in high performance recyclable materials including zinc corrugated panels. This cladding system on the addition is a “breathing” skin that traps heat outside of the building envelope and, through convection, exhausts the hot air. The corrugated zinc also effectively “shades” the structure and reduces water and air infiltration. Through a modest selection of natural interior finishes and restraint in size, the home efficiently services the homeowners and has a low impact on the environment.

55 E HOOVER AVE Phoenix, AZ 85004

Beds/Baths: 3 / 3 SF: 2,600 / Owner Year Built: 1924 Pool: None EF: 33FRXOS Approx Lot SqFt: 10,410 / County Assessor Apx Lot Size Range: 10,001 – 12,500 Level: Single Level Dwelling Type: Single Family – Detached

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Comments ( 2 )

This little gem is out of my price range but I really enjoyed reading about it and loved the pictures…Wow is all I can say

bunny added these pithy words on Jan 15 11 at 1:54 pm

WOW is all I can say…..unbelievably fabulous!!!

Saundra Wade added these pithy words on Jan 18 11 at 3:52 pm

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