A building can only be permanent if it provides enough functional flexibility to accept a variety of different users over the course of its material lifespan. To reduce the need for unnecessary demolition and reconstruction, we wanted to create a house whose lifespan, both materially and functionally, would exceed that of its occupants. Greensburg, like many rural towns across the world, faces concerns associated with an aging population. However, given Greensburg’s goal of reinventing it’s identity as a model community for sustainability building and living, it is feasible to imagine a growth in the younger population of the town. The Stuttio Workshop house allows for a wide range of different living situations to be accommodated intelligently and comfortably. The entire first floor of the house is designed for complete compliance with the ADA Accessibility Code. Rather than having to retrofit a non-compliant house at some point in the future, the decision was made to incorporate a universal design strategy from the outset of this project. The bedroom located on the first level of the house could easily be used as a study or home office if the residents did not need an ADA accessible bedroom or simply preferred to only utilize the two lower level bedrooms beneath the garden.
