Young family turns parking lot into stunning eco-home (DC alley)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 13 พ.ค. 2023
- On a back alley in Washington DC where only a few weed trees grew between derelict cars, Andrew and Hannah Linn erected a totally compostable house of bamboo, cork, wool and wood as a healthy, and affordable, home for their growing family.
“For over a century, people lived in hundreds of wooden homes in DC's alleys until the Alley Dwelling Authority "developed" and "renovated" the alleys by demolishing them in the 1930's and 1940's,” explains Linn’s website BLDUS. “Seventy years later, in 2016, DC's zoning regulations were removed, once again permitting alley living in the District.”
There are over 3000 alleys in DC, many of them currently parking lots or trash storage, that could become homes. Calling his a farm-to-shelter building, Linn used local materials, even trees felled and milled at the site. The primary wall material is BamCore, hybrid bamboo-wood plywood panels that eliminate studs in walls, thereby eliminating thermal bridges and improving the home’s insulating performance.
There’s no space for a backyard so, inspired by the Roman Domus, Linn and architecture partner Jack Becker, created a center of the house open to the exterior with a huge skylight that illuminates both the second and first floor by using net flooring on half the second floor. Nearly everything material in the home is natural: from the wood pavers to the milk paint.
bld.us/
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I'd like to add Kristen that I really appreciate the quality of your videos. From the the 'feel' of them, the content, shooting, editing, sound, etc...they feel so much 'more' than all the others on TH-cam. And then, of course, there is the fact that you go to so many different and interesting places and talk to so many interesting and different people. I also like that your husband is a part of this and so are the kids sometimes. The kids are great and I think it's wonderful that you bring them to so many places most kids do not get to visit and experience. Thank you.
The house is nice enough and I admire the commitment to environmentally-friendly building materials, but that brown fence ringing the house feels oppressive - more like a prison compound than a home.
Maybe if it had plants hanging on it in various places it wouldn't seem that way. To each his own. I'd like to know who owns the land it's sitting on.
@@annwithaplan9766 the family in the home own it..they bought the land to build on
it is a compound, people built a suburban home in an alley in a city. how much crime happens in alleys? but it seems its mostly for blocking other houses views of their inner yard
I bet the presence of the home reduces the likelihood of crime compared to what was there before. Just needs a bit more greenery.
Put some art on the walls and potted plants out in the little patios, and it’s ready to go. What a nice place. I love that it’s a non-toxic home.
They just moved in in the past year so it will be interesting to see how it evolves.
@@kirstendirksenGood one young lady..... this will be an interesting reveal over time.... have a good week, and thanks as always! 🕊️
Idk about non toxic since they used known cancer causing material in construction (sassafras) but guess the root beer smell is worth it for them.
It never ceases to amaze me, the vision, ability and creativity of the guests on this channel. Amazing home.
It reminds me of traditional Japanese Houses, but at the same time it's so inventive and new and stylish that I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. What an amazing accomplishment to use a once lost inner city space this way.
I love everything about this house ....at first seeing the outside I thought I would hate it , but after seeing the inside I totally understand why they had to make it like this . Amazing !
In case it's helpful to the homeowners or anyone else who sees this, I'm a big fan of unlacquered brass too, but found out after my youngest child had lead poisoning that all brass consists of a significant percentage of lead, and especially when left unlacquered on items regularly handled or the like, that lead can make its way into our systems and, even in microscopic amounts, cause significant and permanent damage, especially to the neurological development of little ones. Much love.
Whoa, thank you for letting us know! I had no idea.
I hope, that your child is okay now!
I was thinking that, because I thought brass was toxic to skin. Thanks for mentioning that. I wonder if they did something to mitigate that.
He talked about the off-gassing of sheetrock, but plywood also off-gasses from the glues used. He didn't mention the finish on all that plywood. I'm not sure about all black in the bathroom. The humidity there creates an environment for mold, and with black, you can't see it.
I'm not sure about those off gassing claims about the drywall. It's made from paper and gypsum. I had a teacher that would plow it into his farm field to compost.
@@drooplug He was the one who mentioned off-gassing of sheetrock. I would suspect it would be the glue used to adhere the paper to the gypsum. Plywood uses a lot more of the glues. Some even use a formaldehyde-based glue. I have a bigger concern for the all black room. Super hard to clean and can't see mold.
when he opened his closets, I TOTALLY expected it to be full of brown sweats and hoodies....whew!
Black locust isn't a weed tree. It's the fence post tree. The wood wears like iron. It grows mostly straight. It also fixes nitrogen in the soil. Bees and other pollinators rely on the fragrant blossoms in the spring.
Maybe he meant it grows quickly and renews itself quickly after harvesting it. Many "weeds" are important to their eco system. And some are invasive and deadly to their eco system. Many invasive plants are not considered weeds. "Weed" has a nebulous definition
i kinda hope some of the wasted alleyway space can be turned into lawn / veg patch for the community. like some others have said i miss greenery. it's really a very interesting house but i need greenery
It was NOT wasted space. It was well used and needed parking for that community.
You don't live there lol so why do you need anything?
@@jenniboo9441lighten up dearie…we are commenting …‼️
Their creativity and proof of concept is off the charts - but I honestly felt a prison vibe with the close high fences, large power line cable mere feet from their roof, and stark lack of decoration. They channel a modern hippie ethic with bare feet, all clad in basic brown clothing, and use of bark and the large pivot door on the house. The white sectional sofa pops because it is surrounded by a sea of brown. I like wood, but with the heavy monochromatic brown theme I find this color scheme very drab. I'm not sure about the blackout room. Super creative play space, fun for the kiddo. There does appear to be mold along a lot of the bottom foot of the fence - I think they goofed on airflow/gaps. This house reminds me of a Chinese nail house, stubbornly standing in an alley area. Definitely one of the more unique homes you have showcased!
I wasn't aware that drywall off gases, but plywood 100% off gases as well. The glue contains formaldehyde. Not sure why he thought one was better than the other besides aesthetic.
That's beyond his comprehension. Don't bring it up.
@@user-wv5fq8di2m yea. He came off as the type that enjoys the smell of his own farts. Bottles them up and tries to resell them
There are plywoods and MDFs made with non-toxic glues. A friend of mine, a mushroom grower here in France, has patented an MDF board made with straw and Pleurotus mycelium, and various myco-materials are being developed around the world.
@@apex007 😂😂😂
I appreciate that they dressed like bears.
😂😂😂
I was gonna say with all that design knowledge, the man has no fashion sense.
the only thing that i am really missing in this home its plants and greenery. It feels a little too cold for me i guess.
I love brilliant infill contruction--like this! Lovely, fun, warm home.
I think i would have put some live greenery in the surrounding yards. Its very healthful to have greenery cleansing our air in the middle of the city.
Thought the same ..they may have given all emphasis on the home ..maybe the greenery will come later...a Japanese maple
in would work..
@@lydiarowe491 yes, that would be lovely. The house shows a lot of Japanese influence, especially in the eaves and the privacy factors.
Maybe some vertical gardening on the walls?
Lovely house. Just add some plant.😊
Cool aspects. Just don’t understand why it’s sooo large. Build smaller and fit a garden for children to play in, and food to be grown ❤ American house sizes with 2 bathrooms with 4 (!) sinks for one family just seems crazy. In Europe, most of us grew up with one bathroom and one sink per family, and we’re doing just fine 😂 less cleaning and less waste and resources
The use of mdf in the interior surprised me. If there is one toxix material to avoid it is mdf...
Wonderful.... just lacking plants! It would look (and feel imagine) gorgeous with plants inside and out.
Agreed. Greenery in and out would soften all of the drab, built structures.
And some colorful artwork on the walls.😁
This is the most amazing house I’ve ever seen. The workmanship and ingenuity in the materials used is incredible. Frankly it was relaxing to watch. Great show.
Definitely an interesting Building Concept. There are a lot of very interesting features inside the home as well. I noticed he spoke of honesty in this video and I've got to be honest and say that I was getting kind of a cultish vibe from the couple
My favorite aspect of the house is Roman architecture inspires peaked roof with the atrium, giving light access to the space. Very insightful for future builders. Thank you for sharing!
Like in Pompei
Interesting. I can’t decide whether this is optimistic or dystopian living.
I felt the same.
There's plenty to like, but ultimately for me it just feels too much like a bunker - as if it's shutting itself off from the community rather than connecting with it and promoting dialogue with the surrounding buildings.
It’s right in the middle of all these buildings….it makes sense to safeguard their own privacy rather than “promote dialogue” with the other buildings. I think “promoting dialogue” with the other building would make more sense if this was a commercial space
@@James-In-Exileit’s like having a bunker in a very public space!
@@rosita3671compared to what was there before?
that baby is showing guests around the house quite as effectively as his dad.
Fascinating, creative use of previously unused space. I like their son's name too.
I love the creativity and thoughtfulness that went into this home. Excellent. I don’t think I could do the black bedroom and bathroom…but I love how they enjoy it. Building houses is an art!
The lack of vegetation and views and the very present fence gives a claustrophobic prison feeling.
Nice. I would also like to see the mini-splits (25:34) and the HVAC/mechanical components of these places in addition to the architectural elements.
BTW, this family understood the monochromatic assignment.
😂😂😂re monochromatic assignment ‼️
the way you have filmed these places... amazing work as always
I do agree with some of the comments regarding greenery - it's a great house that would be made even better with at least some climbing plants in the side yards climbing either the fence or the wall.
Cool and weird at the same time, the brass is interesting and incorporating the demo trees brilliant. Curious how they procured the land, what it cost and how they got all this past DCRA
Exactly, shocked DC allowed this!
This actually makes me sad. I feel bad for all those DC neighbors that get to look at a cork house and 2x4 fence.. Nothing neoclassical, no architecture, no trees, nothing for the neighbors to see. This house could be in any corn field. Maybe they can put vines over the entire fence. Enough about the junk cars like they did the neighbors a favor...and all the talk about toxic materials when they have no plantings for oxygen. Breathing rootbeer from the 2x4's doesn't really count.
Feel bad for them? Before the house the entire yard was a junkyard for unwanted cars…..feel bad for what?
Also their own yards look a bit trashy. They’re more than capable of beautifying their own yards.
Looks nice but... the lack of greenery. For something branded as "natural" it seems very unnatural to me to lack plants. I'm all for plain, easy on the eye textures. But for some reason it's overwhelming plainness.
I agree, it's missing green space, live plants.
I agree - couple of small trees between house and fence would make it feel way better
Good point, it’s very Japanese in that way. Lots of natural woods, not little in the way of vegetation decoration. Also no art on the wall is interesting, I kinda like it but it definitely feels subliminal.
I totally get that this house would be perfect for some people, but I'm pretty sure I would lose my mind and redrum my family if I lived here. Even just seeing on my phone makes me want to scream
Expected some greenery in the house
This guy is a really great designer! Wow, what a surprise! I really like what he’s done with the place, it’s so understated, bordering on ugly outside, and inside is fantastic.
It is a lovely home but I wonder why I didn’t see a single plant somewhere inside, living plants.
It is a well built consciences home, but it reminds me of a frontier fort from the old days. What about plants and flowers and a pet?
That bath would be really awesome with a constellation. Showering in space!
We have serious rat problems in DC alleyways. they are where garbage is placed for pickup. Be shocked if they don't chew their way into this lovely house. Not exactly what I call a safe playground with rat droppings everywhere
I love the play net, it’s so rare you see floors connected so effectively. Although as a parent of young children, the white sofa makes me nervous 😂
Incredible how the house design matched their clothing.
Unbelievable!
😂😂😂😂😂 A love of mustard is essential.
😂 … they staged it all oh so almost too well … or maybe it’s the easy on the eyes home costumes appropriate IS how they always dress at home
So much space has been created internally to make up for what a garden could provide.... intregraty is what has been emphasized in the amazing home..love the brass sinks..thanks for this one.
personal opinion, don't know why but this for me was one of the best video, beautiful house & lovely family, bless
Yes! Beautiful! It would be amazing to see how container gardens and hanging plants in the exterior spaces could further their vision of honesty, warmth and privacy for their family. Imagine the softness & sensory input it would allow their family to experience.
I think this house is perfect. The layout and use of space and light is superb.
This is so beautiful! love the use of all-natural materials. Thanks for showing this wonderful home & happy family!
It's nice, but having the fence entirely around the house would bother me.
I could live there if it had dozens of plants and trees in and around it.
I love the healthy part of it.
Also clearing out the junk that was in the space prior to breaking ground.
That would have likely grown.
Thanks Kirsten for sharing this interesting home with us.♡
It makes the place look like a compound which is really aggressively separated from the community it's built in.
Agreed
@@Francoberry That is exactly what I felt the moment the video focused on the exterior of the house. Compound! I would not like to live in one of the surrounding homes with a view of this house. This space could have housed 3 small homes - or 4 'tiny homes' if you like, along with some needed green space! I'm pro- 'less is more' re living space. I also find the interior a bit cold, aesthetically. I wonder what the taxes are on this place.
Love the house. Wish there was a way to change developers on how they build and build track homes like this. Love how natural materials were used.
I like when everyone's saying the master bedroom is a quiet soundproof space, yet there's a dog barking.
LOVE this house, love the cladding, the different types of wood, the lighting, the matching outfits, the adorable family, the use of wasted car space to build in, the style everything. Two things though imo... They DESPARATELY need some greenery... a few plants in that outside space and around the house... it's weird to see a wooden-clad space as sterile. And I'd have to do some color on that fence. With the gray bark cladding its a lot of gray, imo.
The barking dog throughout the video added an element of tension and forboding. Beautiful house--hope it generates peace and calm beyond its property lines.
This house has one of the most incredible bathrooms I have ever seen ❤ Hopefully i will replicate this in my own home one day.
How did zoning let you get away with a 9-ish foot fence?
Considering what was there before it was the good decision.
I like the design concept, but to use such a large alley space for a single family house seems contrary to the solution for solving the housing crisis. I’d rather see a multi family unit being built to accommodate more families.
It's still an alley, where they need to allow for the circulation of residents' cars and the garbage trucks.
I disagree. It's a suburb, it's not a squatter camp
I love Yuppie Millennials. They make Hippie Boomers seems like cavemen.
They didn't show were the laundry is- Was it on the first floor you can see door in the foyer area and a door in his office area- is that the laundry Hvac area? The outdoor part of the splits could be in that fenced off area... Then it looks like there is a patio door also.
Total oad of crock about that space being unused. That plot provided incredibly important, useful, and constantly used parking for the people who live on that block. It was NOT full of junk and trashed cars! I know this for a fact as I lived and parked there for six years before that monstrosity was constructed.
Its quite interesting how much they talk about not wanting neighbours looking in, when they've literally inserted themselves into the rear area of like 20 properties..
Its like walking into someone's line of sight and insisting you not be looked at!
Yeah, I’ve lived in DC since ‘99 and have a lot of questions about how all this came to be. I also heard that the city is trying to eliminate parking spaces 🤷🏻♀️
Excellent idea using that Black Locust. Terribly-underused / underappreciated wood. That'll last forever.
Nice place. Maybe fewer shots of the cute baby crawling around and more shots and info about the house because it was a very unique structure.
Love the way their clothes match the house colors! Pleasant house and outdoor area.
Love the mindfulness of this home for city living!🎉❤
This is my favorite house of all your videos. I love the design and natural décor.
Permanently relocating nearby makes this home design number one in my book!
Really love the materials this house built on. First time that I heard about milk paint. The entrance door is unique.
Loving this. Wonderful home . Great ideas of use of space from inside of the home and outside to the location where the house is built. Beautifully done.
Fabulous design. I love pale lemon walls for warmth and light but I love the darker bedrooms. I struggle with the ultra bright,noisy world these days.
Nice. Do they have a construction cost and land cost breakdown? Couldn’t see it in the transcript
Yes, the cost. My thought was, there is no way the house they built/how they built it was cheaper than an older row home they could have bought and fixed up. You have to hire specialist due to the materials they used to built that compound. I am no expert, but....
Uffff just beautiful…. Thank you ….Kirsten …. 🙏🙏🙏
A Mulberry tree is not a weed tree :)
seriously!!
Well, one can actually say this parking lot went to a wonderful home and not a parking lot garage… Beautiful creation …
I like it very much. But I wonder why they have no plants anywhere. Cultural perspective I guess - homes have plants in my world.
The house is a collection of trees.
@@rcmrcm3370 indeed. But not living trees ☺
Good question… perhaps they will send a message….
for me, the house feels unfinished…hardly any plants and no paintings and pictures of any kind.
Bland….Right now everything is in its place but unless they’re going to run around tidying up constantly …where are building toys etc the child is growing and will need spaces where things can be left out. Did you notice they’re all dressed in similar outfits in the same colours?!Oh well… to each his own.
Maybe they're like me... black thumb. I love them, but I don't want to sentence them to death trying to live in my dark house.
Hard floors, no gardens, no plants....weird
Love the use of natural light and the way it changes through the day. Not sold on the black bathroom yet.
theres a popular trend of teasing people for having "sad beige babies" but this home seems full of life and love and a happy nourishing environment for all the occupants. i like a little more stuff on my walls, but you can feel all the care they put into their environment
This may be my favorite house you've shared to date....!!
I deeply respect this very thoughtful design within lots of limitations is brilliant … but could never live here.
Love your place. So amazing. You both have done a great job as a lot of thought has gone into this home. Well done.
Congratulations, extremely unique & inspirational. 👀👀👍🏾👍🏾👏🏾👏🏾
He said it'd a sassafras fence that smells like rootbeer when it rains. 🤯
Their color palette consistency is equally satisfying and intimidating... Is that just jealousy?
I'd love my fence to smell like rootbeer when it rains🌧
Love this home so much. The Root Beer add on is quite a bonus! :-)
Innovative ideas, but I couldn't live in a space like this. Being devoid of plants is the #1 issue for me, but high fencing as well as the netting used around the staircase makes the space feel like it's a cage. I kept thinking "this feels more like a prison than a home".
I felt that too
Love this use of land and only wish that it had some greenery like a very vertical tree planted in the courtyard or something in a planter. Well second thought that was blocked sunlight.
I love everything about this home! It’s amazing architecture and warm yet breathable! Bravo!
architecture in its best light
Wow! That’s truly amazing. So well thought out. Just lovely.
Love the house , especially the bathroom. With the tub being inside with the shower. The darkness for restful eyes
And one can't see if there is a dirty rim around the bath, excellent....
They sure do like the color brown!
My only concern would be the smells wafting in from trash pickup day.
The obsession with 'natural' and 'healthy' materials is really weird, whilst you live in the city, next to waste bins.
Mentioning 'toxins' when talking about drywall vs plywood and plywood is glued using formaldehyde.
Whole family is dressed the same color...
There's nothing wrong with being different. If everyone was the same it would be quite boring! You have some odd complaints, not liking the way the family dresses??
@@nerdette314159 Its not about not liking it, its about the dissonant nature of it.
Beautiful! This is another artist-chitect! I wonder how they found the alley and what they paid for it. I absolutely love the central light well, clerestory windows, enclosed yard spaces, and the dark bedroom and bathroom are gorgeous!
I'm getting a major "keeping up appearances" fibe from this video.
But I do like the materials and way of thinking they used.
Definitely not a house you would light candles in 😮
This house is almost perfect. Where are the greens? Please add little plants, trees, or veins. 🏵🌻🌲🌳🌴🌿☘🍀🌾
The Best EVER!!! THANK you!!!!
For being such "earthy " people, I'm surprised there's no plants or greenery. . .it's very inventive, but I prefer a cozy home and nature over just a lot of wood. Tto each their own! It's great how they utilize the lot.
Love it. So unusual but looks entirely comfortable.
Nice. But how monotonic beige it all is. And the family all dress to match it....
From the beginning concept of utilizing the alley way through your house design, I think you have really cracked this one. A lovely home
Everything works, the alley problem of dumping is resolved and you have yourself a nice spot.
Your house internally is great. Think though, that you can green it a bit at the bottom, even with fruiting types and diversify your options. But still a great job.
What would it take to make the exterior design of the build charming, pleasant, or attractive.?
I think some potted trees 🌲 would make all the difference, also I would remove at least half of the rope netting. I don’t have littles so I don’t need the baby-proofing. Other than that it’s WAY more cozy looking on the inside than at first glance.
Great video, Kristen. Love the "we like honesty" and "we want the house to age well without us." Great comments by the owner/architect. 😊
Very, very, very, cool. I really appreciate the use of all natural materials with zero off-gassing. They used milk paint, but it kind of reminds me of the natural earthen walls in old Japanese homes. He referenced Japanese building methods and they certainly had/have a very keen understanding of keeping Nature in/as the home. I liked that they walked barefoot through their whole property. I love all the brass and that it costs the same as aluminum, which I feel is very cold and off putting. The netting in the center w/b a bit for me to use...not sure I'd do that one. I guess I'd have to be there to see/feel it for myself, but the upstairs rooms feel too dark for me. I don't have a lot of light happening in my place, but it's a bit more than theirs. All in all I think it's a very sympathetically thought out and constructed home. The only thing that surprised me was the cork. I had no idea that it was that durable. Thanks Kristen for the Vid.
Wow, absolutely love this home (the interior) . And I would love to know where the sofa is from, looks soooo comfy