100K House
2008-2012 / Philadelphia PA
POST-BUBBLE HOMES
What if housing behaved more like other consumer goods, competing for buyers not just through visual appeal but also metrics for performance criteria and word-of-mouth marketing? The 100K House prototype — an early ISA experiment in attainable urban housing — was conceived in response to the unsustainable and dated approach to American developer housing that values size above all else. Developer Postgreen Homes challenged ISA to design a 1000 SF, $100/SF, LEED Platinum home for urban dwellers at the height of the housing bubble. Eight were built during the subprime mortgage crisis and its aftermath, providing sustainable, affordable options for first-time Philadelphia homebuyers.
HIGH PERFORMANCE, LOW ENERGY
The 100K strategy upends the typical approach to sustainable construction, targeting a tight, well-insulated building envelope which requires a smaller HVAC system and lowers energy costs in lieu of expensive, high efficiency systems. A simple, open plan with a single interior door to provide privacy to the bathroom minimized construction costs while appealing to contemporary lifestyles.
SUPERFLAT
Each home provided a canvas for experimentation with pattern, texture and color. Inexpensive, sustainable fiber cement panels and lap siding were painted and silkscreened by local artists, and exposed interior finishes showcased plywood, OSB and concrete elements with playful textures.
