kling street townhomes
modern sustainable on a budget
design objective 1
Maximizing allowable area within the required building envelope and creating an unique multilevel living experience with effectively using the shaded rooftop terrace as a living room extension and cooling shadow box, promoting natural ventilation.
Overview

  • type6 unit townhouse complex on 4 levels and underground garage
  • year | size2015 | 10,200 sf
  • locationnorth Hollywood, California
  • statuscompleted 2019

project statement
This 6 unit complex is another sustainable modern multi-housing complex in North Hollywood.

Outdoor living is promoted throughout the composition, which features 3 stories over semi-subterranean garage, which has good natural ventilation and also a glimpse of surrounding landscaping and lighting at night. The first floor of each unit features a 2-story living room with exterior BBQ deck to the West. The overall spacey interior blends functional divisions into a fluent overall connection between day and night tracts. The mezzanine doubles as a media room or even guest quarters when needed. Two-story windows to the west are shaded by built-in exterior louvres, while a composite wood plank ceiling adds warmth along with the eco fireplace. Both bedrooms above have a full bath with wall-hung dual-flush toilets and ample closets. The laundry room is conveniently located a this level with built-in ironing and sufficient storage. The rooftop access is through the next set of open riser stairs, which ensure natural air circulation to the room. It doubles as a passive sustainable vent enclosure, naturally drafting hot air up and out of the dwelling with cross ventilation at both sides and an an operable skylight with humidity sensor. The small room a useful appendage as a home office or a gym, even for a daybed or occasional guests.

MODEL 1 FLYAROUND STUDY | 20016

project statement (cont)

The large rooftop patio has sufficient privacy dividers up to 6' and features wide space for outdoor furniture, a table for 8 and BBQ cooking. The large roof overhangs provide year-round ventable shadow cushion over the bedroom ceilings, thus lowering the overall energy balance of the building. The rear yard houses the required common outdoor area along with a small zen garden with trees, flowers and permeable paving. Landscaping throughout is drought resistive and irrigation is strictly spotted, ensuring more than 20 times savings over traditional sprinkler systems. Overall, the units showcase a budget oriented approach to modern limited space multi-housing, climate coordinated accommodations and form a spacious, contemporary, yet easy and warm environment with direct sustainable features, full indoor-outdoor integration, home entertainment and automation.

design objective 2
Balancing out aesthetics, finction and budget
The rooftop terraces are a natural outdoor extension of the homes' interior, which captures the specifics of SoCal living and climate - a sustainable, functional and attractive feature.
from the architect