Come Home Chicago Rowhome with Latent Design

Latent Design + FGA, 2023

It was a pleasure collaborating with Latent Design on this local housing competition for Chicago Architecture Center and the City of Chicago. With a project brief focusing on the “Missing Middle”, we were tasked with envisioning a healthy, safe, multi-generational approach to medium density housing in the city. ‘Generation Next’ is a rowhome concept that imagines a future of shared wealth and space using three unique dwelling types: split-level rowhomes, aging in place rowhomes, and coach house ADUs. Each home offers a unique type of private outdoor space raging from roof decks, sunken courts or at grade patios. 

Our team proposed that long term affordability includes keeping energy utility bills down for the inhabitants. Accordingly, FGA studied (4) energy use case studies. The baseline concept was a rowhouse and ADU that would meet the current Chicago Energy Conservation Code minimums with gas space and water heating (IECC 2021). With a standard established, we studied energy use and annual household utility costs if we increased insulation and home airtightness with an all-electric home featuring heat pump heating & cooling and balanced ventilation. This model was based on the DoE’s Zero Energy Ready Home & Energy Star programs (42% reduction from IECC). And then further beyond that, the more stringent Passive House Certification (54% reduction from IECC). Our findings showed that long term affordability for Chicago homeowners greatly benefits from the sort of long term energy savings inherent to Passive House design.

images courtesy of Latent Design