Diffusing Hut

Diffusing Hut

Small house for a residence/office/personal gallery, 29’x29’ square one-room plan with a loft.

The site is a tiny woody lot in the 1940’s coastal cottages subdivision. The houses are closely hemmed in by boats, sheds, fences. A contemporary house would be an alien in this context. It lets us consider “soft to community and design internally; back to internal architecture.”

No views are expected on the first floor. We located an art display space with a large wall with small windows. The openness is on the upper level with horizontal row of windows to distant Lake view, resembles a crow’s nest with amidst the treetops.

Reflected off a light-shelf under the loft window row, sunlight will be conveyed into the interior, and onto the curved ceiling, which diffuses light to the lower level. Winter sunlight may directly come in and hit translucent railing panels between the storage cabinets, which spread the light toward multiple directions. Summer sunlight may be reflected on the white stained loft floor. Light reflected and diffused through multiple routes mixes a soft indirect light, filling the lower space evenly. Occasionally, however, we see unexpected light shows. We see on the ceiling splash of “light waves”, or lines of “white rainbow”. Small corner windows on the side walls inject shimmering light on the wall or draw a straight line from the wall west end to the east.

A double-walled frame construction incorporates high performance insulation, windows and doors. The all-electric home uses energy-star appliances, LED lights, a hi-performance water heater, an ERV, and WaterSense plumbing fixtures. Inline duct fans draw warm air from the top of the space into the insulated basement, through a dehumidifier, and circulates back. The sanitary system incorporates two septic tanks to isolate the toilet waste to passively contain excess nitrogen.

Project Data:
Design: Hideaki Ariizumi、studio a/b architects
Structural, Mechanical, Electrical Design: studio a/b architects

Project Type: Residential Single Family
Location: East Marion, NY
Code restrictions: R40, Single family residential zone
Completion date: July 2021
Construction: 2x4, double wall platform, cathedral roof/ceiling with curvilinear collar ties
partial 2 story with a full basement.
Thermal Construction: Roof Ceiling: Closed cell spray foam + Mineral wool Batt Hybrid total R49
Wall: Closed cell spray foam + Mineral wool Batt Hybrid total R48.9
Basement wall: External mineral wool Board R12
Under slab: Rigid insulation R10
Windows: Alpen ZR-6/625, U=0.19, SHGC=0.24
Swing Doors: Alpen TR-6, U=0.17, SHGC=0.24
Finishes: Exterior: Aluminum panels on roof, walls
Interior Ceiling, wall: GWB, partially MDF, painted
Interior Floor: Oak flooring, stained
Site Area: 6,812 sq. ft. or 0.16 acre
Building Area: House: 841.00 sq. ft.
Porch & Deck: 79.06 sq. ft.
Garage: 380.23 sq. ft.
TOTAL: 1,300.29 sq. ft.
Floor area: 1 FL + Loft (2nd Floor) = 1,050 sq. ft.
Height: 2 story, 21.1 ft