Jonathan Bell, AIA of KITE won a Merit Award from the AIA Rhode Island Design Awards program for his "Couple-Three House" in Brattleboro, Vermont, a single house for a divorced couple with two children.

An amicably divorced couple wished to raise their two young children together, while still living independent lives. The architect was given a program to design a house with two units, where the children could share their lives with both parents.

The sloped, wooded site lies on a privately developed road, where building covenants (among other design guidelines) restricted new dwellings to "single family" houses only.

The unique program-the task of building two units for one family where only one unit was permitted- led the architect to a solution in the idea of shared space.

Vermont law permits an accessory dwelling ("in-law" apartment) to exist by right within a single family dwelling, provided it occupies no more than 30% of the total area of the building.

Since each parent desired equal living areas, the architect designed a series of overlapping shared areas allow each dwelling unit to occupy 30% of the total area of the house. The remaining 40% comprises common and shared areas. These overlapping spaces are where family life also overlaps: the children's bedroom suite, play room, guest quarters, lavatory, utility areas, storage, and mudroom.

The conceptual diagram for the planning of the house was based on stereoscopic technology. Two similar images are taken from slightly different positions. When recombined through an optical viewing device, the separate images combine into a rich, three-dimensional approximation of spatial depth.

Similarly, the design for the Couple-Three House aims to create a home that is more than the sum of its two separate, adjacent parts.

The house is oriented so that the predominantly glass walls in the two main living spaces face south, towards the woods. Sunlight studies determined the depth of the large overhanging eaves, which protect the living areas from harsh summer sun while allowing winter rays to flood the house. Elsewhere, strategic window placement that often wraps corners frames economical views and emphasizes the connection to the outdoors.

The design also makes use of many sustainable materials, including recycled decking, bamboo flooring, and red cedar siding. Exterior materials reflect local building traditions: standing-seam metal roofing, wood siding, slate. Inside the house, efficient radiant floor heating, and natural ventilation (instead of air conditioning) reduce energy consumption.

Photos by Warren Jagger

Merit Award, Residential, AIA Rhode Island, 2009

Couple-Three House by Jonathan Bell, AIA, Brattleboro, VT

Project Description

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