Micro-Housing : How Small is Too Small?

This 108 square foot pre fab Bunkie comes complete with fireplace and chimney.

Whether it be a Bunkie, a LoftCube or a Micro Compact Home these tiny homes are providing affordable, efficient, Eco-friendly options to buyers willing to give up a little space. But how small is too small? Could you live in a home totaling 108 square feet? That's smaller than most people's bedroom!

LoftCube with awesome views.

 Micro Compact home with interior shots.

Although smaller homes with flex spaces made for multiple uses are trending right now, these tiny tiny homes are most likely too small for most people. It's probably a safe bet to say most buyers still want a designated sleeping area and although Micro-Housing is giving a new look to open concept living, these cute little houses are still too modern a concept for the masses.

Godden|Sudik Architects Win Four MAME Awards!!

Century Communities luxury home collection  Montecito at Ridgegate wins Project of the Year!

 

Gary Godden, Kellie Rowan & Paul Brady celebrate at the 2013 MAME Awards ceremony.

Winners of the 35th annual MAME Awards, hosted by the Home Builders Association of Metro Denver, were announced Saturday night at the Seawall Ball Room at the Denver Center for Performing Arts Complex. Godden|Sudik brought home four trophies including:

•  Best Architectural Design of a Model Home - Attached for Villa 220 - Century Communities at Stapleton
• Best Architectural Design of a Model Home - Detached 2,201 - 2,600 sq ft for the 4014 Plan - Century Communities at Candelas
• Attached Home of the Year for the Porto Model - Verona
• Project of the Year for Montecito at Ridgegate - Century Communities

We would like to thank our wonderful team and amazing clients for the continued success of our growing firm. We look forward to many more years, and hopefully a few more awards!

Denver MAME Finalist Announced!

Godden|Sudik Architects Could Win 13 Awards at Denver MAME Awards September 14th

 

This beautiful modern home built by Century Communities at Candelas in Aurora is in the running for Detached Home of the Year

 

Now in its 35 year, the Denver MAME Awards recognizes excellence in new home sales, marketing, merchandising, design and production. Godden|Sudik is honored to be finalists for 13 awards including Attached Home of the Year and Detached Home of the Year. Please check back after the ceremony at Seawell Ball room on September 14th, 2013, to see how we did!

For more information about the MAME Awards click here.

For a full list of finalist please click here.

Godden Sudik Project Published in Denver Life Magazine

Scott Sudik, AIA and Lead Designer at Godden Sudik Architects, was the mastermind behind this award winning one of a kind Tuscan home.

 

The beautiful rear elevation of this stunning Tuscan Villa.

Built for custom clients wanting a true Tuscan Villa, this stunning home is as authentic as they come. Scott Sudik, principal at Godden Sudik Architects, worked closely with the home owners, builder and interior designer to achieve a cohesive Tuscan look and feel. He says in the recent article published in Denver Life, " the clients has strong ideas about what they wanted. They desired a strong Tuscan theme and a house that would take advantage of the views of the golf course." Mickey Ackerman of AMIROB Interiors also commented to say, "The plan was to create different environments - different generations - of architecture. That is keeping with the true Tuscan style."

To view the full article in Denver Life please click here.

To view more images of this amazing home please click here.

A 47 Story Skyscraper Without an Elevator?

Forty-seven flights of stairs? Who wants to live in the penthouse?!

In Benidorm, Spain, a  47 story skyscraper is being constructed without a working elevator. The Intempo skyscraper, a supposed symbol of hope and prosperity, was originally conceived as a 20 story building. When developers decided  to double the building's height no one considered redesigning the elevator to accommodate the additional 27 floors. Now they are stuck with a 47 story building with not enough space for the elevator lifts and motor equipment. A plan to remedy this massive problem has not be developed yet. 

To view this story in it's entirety click here.

Wildfires and Home Design: Decks and Patios

Materials for outdoor decks need to be considered when designing for protection, as decks are usually where fires originate. Before a product for the deck is even picked, it is smart to consider a concrete patio underneath the deck and possibly even a concrete wall along the side and then install mesh around any opening, in order to stop embers from igniting your deck from underneath. Products like Fire-Retardant Treated (FRT) Wood can provide protection from flames and smoke while still having the natural wood look. Composite decking is another option for protection and is usually made from a mixture of pvc and wood fibers. If a natural wood deck is what you are looking for, there is a product, TimberSIL, which is a lumber that is baked after being soaked in liquid glass. Want to see how their product holds up compared to the typical deck and wall? Watch this video. Finally, there are wood products that have been soaked in fire-retardant chemicals, providing robust fire protection, but may require more maintenance.

In the first post of the series we mentioned the maintenance of the site and the different offsets of the trees and vegetation from the house. The same thing applies to the deck, making sure that dead leaves and trash don’t collect in the corners or under your deck. Trees shouldn’t hang over the deck in order to protect it, which should include any steps or railings that are attached to the deck which in turn attaches to the house, making it more vulnerable.  

Ultimately, no home is fireproof, but there are many different design decisions you can make to help protect your home from potential fires, while still achieving the look you desire. Designing a new home should be an amazing opportunity to make a house fit your needs and desires, even if you are reconstructing upon an existing foundation.

Wildfires and Home Design: Windows and Doors

Did you know that windows are one of the weakest points in your structure’s survivability? Standard, single-pane windows fail pretty easily from the strong onset of heat. If the heat from a wildfire breaks the glass of your windows, it will allow embers quick and easy access to the interior of your home. Also, if your window frame fails or ignites, the interior curtains or structure may ignite as well, again, sending your home up in flames from the interior. By investing a little money, you have the possibility to save your home.

Although Tempered glass will shatter it will not break.

Some different options for windows include tempered glass, windows clad in steel, double pane glass, triple pane glass and even single-pane Pyrostop glass windows. Also remember that the larger the windows of your home, the less chance of them holding up against the extreme heat. All of these options come with different price tags and fire resistance properties, but they can be big players in the protection of your home. SaftiFirst has a couple of products with fire ratings up to 120 minutes for both radiant heat and fire rating capabilities which would last through the quick, hot burst of a wildfire. Tempered glass is made to withstand the heat of a fire, but can sometimes be pricey. If you don’t want to shell out a lot of money for specialized windows, double and triple pane windows will provide you another barrier of protection against fire. If one pane does break due to heat and fire, then the idea is that the other panes will stay intact.

Windows clad in steel have less of a chance of catching fire and in turn catching the house on fire than if the windows had wood frames. Metal blinds and shutters can help your home's defense against an oncoming fire as well.

Exterior doors can also be beefed up in order to protect the home. Steel doors can provide a high fire resistance rating, but may not be the look you are hoping for. In that case, a wood door with a fire resistant core can be the best of both worlds. There are even some fiberglass doors that look like wood, but have a longer fire rating.

One last measure of protection against wildfires when it comes to doors and windows is to install shutters, shades or have home protection gel on hand. All of these things can be used right before evacuation to try to protect your windows and ultimately your whole home.

Our final post will be about construction of your outdoor deck or patio. Stay tuned!