Why Built-Ins?

Over the last year, Albertsson Hansen has been working closely with Joanne Kellar Bouknight and Taunton Press to contribute to the newly-released All New Built-Ins Idea Book. We were excited to see it on shelves - it is available at local booksellers like Barnes & Noble and online at Amazon. Here is a small taste of what you can expect of this great idea book and guide to built-ins for every purpose.

You can’t overestimate the value that built-ins add to a house. Certainly a house will cost more to build when you add more elements to its bare bones. So why use built-ins at all? Todd Hansen and Christine Albertsson of Albertsson Hansen Architects in Minneapolis answer that question with this description of how built-ins simply make life easier.
“We like to add the word ‘well’ to 20^th-century architect Le Corbusier’s famous statement so that it reads, ‘A house is a machine for living well in.’ We think of rooms not merely as linked boxes with holes in them with furniture and casework lined up against the walls, but rather as spaces that are surrounded with the equipment for living well. When you reach out in a well-designed house, a cabinet or shelf is there to hold the materials for that life activity, be it a built-in buffet, a window seat, built-in bookshelves, or even an entire storage room hidden behind a cabinet door. The goal is to have the equipment and material support for living well readily at hand. With this approach, the cabinetry and other built-ins become an integral part of the architecture itself. Walls are thickened where needed to accommodate storage and display for the stuff of everyday life. A built-in banquette with lift-up seats becomes furniture as well as storage. The configuration and design of these elements becomes a significant part of the character and expression of the interior of a house, and when successful, contributes to the ability to live well in a home.”  -JKB

A handful of images of our past projects were also included in the book.



"This bright walk-in closet with smart and understated built-ins is part of an addition to an early 20th-century Tudor house." (photo by Adan Torres)

"Although these open shelves screen the view from a backyard entry porch, they also allow in plenty of daylight. The thick shelves are built of two layers of MDF with  a solid wood nosing and are supported by solid wood brackets." (photo by Adan Torres)

"In a renovated 19th-century home, space between kitchen and dinig was reclaimed to make roll-out pantry shelves for wine bottles and a variety of beverages." (photo by Dana Wheelock)

"A kitchen for a working farm was renovated to create more space, with a butcher-block island that doubles as space for five to eat of for two to prepare dinner. The hutch at left has a flip-down door that becomes a desk; the house phone is inside the niche. Cantilevered shelves on the back wall are supported on brackets." (photo by Susan Gilmore)



"A well-fit butler's pantry mixes traditional and modern details. Furniture-like cabinet feet, reclaimed Southern yellow pine flooring, oiled and waxed Southern yellow pine countertops, tongue-and-groove paneling, and a hefty apron sink convey the look of an early 20th-century country house. Ideal for reaching top shelves in this 9-ft. high space, the ladder can be rolled from the pantry into the kitchen." (photo by Dana Wheelock)

LEED Gold House with Principles of Universal Design

photo by Albertsson Hansen Architecture

  For several years, our clients dreamt of building a new home in an urban environment, centrally located with sidewalks and shopping, with easy access to both public transportation and highways. When they purchased this property in St. Paul, they got one step closer to their dream of creating a home they could live out their lives in. As the existing house on the lot was in very poor condition, it made more sense to tear it down and build a new home. This was further reinforced by the client’s mobility issues that required the house to be handicap accessible. The goal was to create a home that is warm, inviting and comfortable while accommodating the clients’ current and future needs.

photo by Albertsson Hansen Architecture

photo by Albertsson Hansen Architecture

In addition to being environmental scientists and conservation volunteers, our clients came to the table with a commitment to quality design and architecture. They had previously built an energy-efficient, off the grid cabin and understood the value of hiring an architect who can ask the right questions, while being mindful of budget, environmental and aesthetic goals. The aim was to build responsibly – for them and for the environment. They came to Albertsson Hansen Architecture with these clear objectives and a well-defined budget. Together, we spent the next several months developing a home that met these goals.

photo by Albertsson Hansen Architecture

photo by Albertsson Hansen Architecture

As the design began to evolve, it became clear that this project was a great candidate for certification under the LEED for Homes program as well as the Minnesota Green Star program. Here was an opportunity to create an example of how to build sustainably and accessibly, and the team agreed to share the cost of having the project certified under both programs. The project became a learning experience for the homeowners as well as for the project team, as we balanced the sometimes competing goals of achieving both the construction budget and certification. Sustainable initiatives started with the design of the thermal envelope and the mechanical system. A more efficient thermal envelope could significantly reduce the size of the mechanical system, but would also incur much greater cost. Careful consideration was given to finding the appropriate balance between these two goals. We are happy to report that since the project’s completion, energy bills for the house are averaging $160/month for gas and electric combined. The home is also solar-ready, and plans are in place to install these panels in the next few years.

photo by Albertsson Hansen Architecture

photo by Albertsson Hansen Architecture

 

photo by Albertsson Hansen Architecture

Albertsson Hansen’s research into sustainable and universal design was an integral part of the process of creating this home.  Special consideration was given to the kitchen and master bath - counter heights were lowered and knee space was provided to allow for cooking and clean-up in a seated position.  In the master bath, the shower features threshold-free, roll-in access and continuous custom towel bars that double as grab bars. Benches were provided at the sink and the shower, while the toilet area accommodates the full turning radius of a wheelchair. All interior and exterior doors are wide enough to meet accessibility requirements, and where passage doors were not necessary they were eliminated. The house includes a residential elevator at the center of the floor plan to provide barrier free access to all levels.  The architect worked closely with the landscape architect and the general contractor to set the relative heights of the main floor and outdoor living areas as close to each other as possible to minimize thresholds, while still allowing the ground to slope away from the house for optimum site drainage. 

Landscaping was installed at the end of the summer (2011) and includes no-mow fescue, dwarf honey suckle, grow-low sumac and other native plants. LEED standards calculate a 48% reduction in water use. A French drain was incorporated in the front of the lot to naturally infiltrate water from the roof and blue stone pavers were set up to allow for water to filter between exposed pavers on the front patio and courtyard. 

 


photo by Albertsson Hansen Architecture

The building has now received LEED Gold certification and Bronze level certification through MN Green Star. The result of all this work is a home that fits well in the neighborhood and is loved by its owners. Though the project had several constraints to work through – budget, urban site, environmental goals, and accessible design, each of these have provided a richness to the project. The house stands as a testament to the power of design leadership in creating home that promotes the well-being of it occupants.