pOrTicO
Location - Lowell, MI
Client - The Vanderwarfs
Type - Addition
Status - Design
Brief
Nestled in the Midwest is a typical post-war home that the longtime residents realized needed tinkering for their good friend to access via wheelchair and for shelter while entering their home. The project includes both an updated ground treatment and a portico that fulfills residential needs while also providing a fresh look to the 1970’s property. The project began by asking, “what is a portico?” “what are its limits?” and “what is an ancient architectural typology doing in suburbia?”
The final design merges a deep conceptual focus with a down-to-earth simplicity to provide a subtle addition while giving the home a newfound distinct character, but it additionally acts as a larger study of the portico itself.
Portico
The portico’s have a distinct conceptual drive that disrupts perceptions of the typology. Generally, the new faces continue the horizontal siding to give the elevation a new shape. Where it distinguishes itself is the porticos contain only one column in order to provide free space for a wheelchair to move but also as a place to hang out. The column is mirrored on the other side but as a hanging element - like an inverted column (represented by the pendant light) - to show an odd balance that is not like usual porticos (with monumental columns on either side). It is simple, yet the more it is viewed the more one notices its out-of-the-ordinary elements and argumentative dialogue with the existing home.
Ground
The ground treatment attempts to merge the resident’s desire for steps with wheelchair access. The steps are therefore longer for the wheelchair to rest and shallower for an easier flight. The walk to the front door is abnormally long and away from parking, explaining the greater usage of the side door, so the longer steps and integrated planters are designed to encourage its use.
