A new two-family house with a wheelchair accessible 3-bedroom flat on the ground floor and a standard 3-bedroom flat above was constructed to replace a side-by-side two-family severely damaged by fire.

Owned by the New Haven Housing Authority, the brief for the new structure included the requirement that it blend seamlessly into the surrounding context of single-family homes, many dating from the 1930’s. There is a small porch at the share front entry. In the angle created by the L-shaped plan, there is a porch for the ground floor unit with a deck above it for the second floor residents. A number of green design features were incorporated. The house has an excellent southern exposure, allowing for some passive solar gain during the cold months of year and the future installation of photo-voltaic panels on the south-facing gable roof. Trees were planted to provide summer shading of the south facade, and the yard was landscaped with drought-resistant, mainly native, species. The large, energy-efficient windows provide ample daylight, supplemented by Energy Star lighting fixtures. The HVAC system has a high efficiency rating and the insulation levels meet or exceed the International Energy Conservation Code requirements.

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