bloc house prototype.

Rental units across the country and increasingly in Dallas are becoming unattainable for many. It is increasingly built in large developments that do not support a sense of community among its residents and fail to reflect the character of the surrounding neighborhood.

Bloc House establishes a new prototype for attainable housing which builds both internal and external community connections. It studies the use of a central courtyard and exterior circulation as connective tissue and a filter of people, light and air to promote social interaction, movement and wellness.

Rent rates are kept low by reducing the area of each unit while maintaining full functionality of the space through a modular, operable furniture system that provides sleeping, working and dining functions. Limited personal space is offset by well-appointed common spaces that drive social interaction.

All units are organized around and accessed from the central courtyard. The courtyard is organized to accommodate a variety of use with a small pool, shaded seating space for outdoor working and dining, and an open lawn for fitness classes and movie screenings. Interior social spaces such as a cafe, lounge, fitness center and co-working space link this internal social space to the exterior community. Building circulation is carefully planned to bring residents through these amenity spaces, maximizing chance interactions between residents.