Shotgun Over And Under Residential House

Shotgun Over And Under Residential House

Shotgun Over and Under Residential House is an innovative architectural design that reimagines the traditional shotgun house typology through a contemporary lens, featuring two stacked volumes that create a unique residential space in Houston's Lower Heights neighborhood. This architecturally significant structure, designed by William Price, draws inspiration from the historical shotgun houses of Houston's Freedman's Town in the Fourth Ward, while introducing a vertical dimension that challenges conventional residential design paradigms. The dwelling consists of two distinct zones: a private lower volume and a public upper volume, each responding differently to natural light and environmental conditions. The structure, spanning 26 meters in length and rising 7 meters in height, employs a sophisticated combination of materials including wood framing, laminated veneer lumber beams, steel moment frames, and a concrete structural slab with piers. The architectural finishes feature a carefully curated palette of polished concrete, washed and pickled white oak, blackened and white stucco, and galvalume siding. The design's innovative approach to environmental and cultural sustainability earned recognition with an Iron A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category, acknowledging its contribution to contemporary residential architecture. The project's significance lies in its ability to maintain essential characteristics of the traditional shotgun house - such as natural light access and cross ventilation - while introducing modern architectural elements that address contemporary living requirements within an urban context. The lower volume's treatment of nature as a televised element through carefully designed walls, contrasted with the upper volume's curated approach to natural elements, creates a dynamic interplay between interior and exterior spaces, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of spatial relationships and environmental integration.

residential architecture, sustainable design, urban housing, contemporary architecture, cultural preservation, architectural innovation

— Adam Dawson