CHALLENGE #1
Affordable, Green, Housing of Good Design
CHALLENGE #2
Snow Belt Climate, Short building season, Good Building Envelope
CHALLENGE #3
Sprawl, Preservation of Space, Walk-able cities
Initiated by the Vermont Chapter of the Congress of Residential Architecture which is focused on advocating for and enhancing residential architecture, the Manufactured Housing Colloquium was organized to research and generate solutions to the challenges listed above.
To meet these challenges head on a supportive landowner and site were selected where each challenge could be addressed clearly and directly. The site is in Manchester VT where affordability, sustainability, density, infrastructure, open space, and community are all concerns of the town.
Members of the Vermont Chapter felt that Manufactured Housing was the best way to meet the challenge of affordable, green housing. After extensive interviews and facility tours the Colloquium paired architects with regional manufacturers to form teams. Through the team approach of fabricators and architects, the colloquium aimed to maximize the problem solving skills and knowledge of both to meet the housing needs in the northeast.
In the end five teams completed the year long process of open meetings, design review sessions, Mid Project Conclave and Final Peer Review. Each of the five teams researched, designed, documented, analyzed (cost ad energy) and presented their own response specific the site and manufacturing type.
Energy audits and consultation were generously performed by Efficiency Vermont.
COLLOQUIUM: A conference or assembly in which a particular topic is discussed and information is SHARED, often among similarly focused professionals.
