Kah San Chako Haws
Additional Info
Award Winner : Blazer Industries, Inc.
Architectural Excellence : Kah San Chako Haws was a pilot project sponsored by the City of Portland, State of Oregon and federal government to determine the viability of using modular construction for affordable housing. The 5655 SF project that houses Native American seniors and families tested three unit types stacked to three stories with the idea that the units could be later taken to scale in projects of 20 – 100 units in urban and rural locations on the West Coast. The modules were designed to streamline factory production and installation, and minimize on-site finish work. Expecting to be underwhelmed by modular, local housing developers and city, state and federal housing officials who visited the completed project were amazed and excited by the quality and livability of the units. The inviting units are bathed in natural light with carefully designed cabinetry and fittings. The exterior is designed to fit comfortably into the existing neighborhood, while giving more density to sites near mass transit.
Cost Energy Effectiveness : Unit costs for affordable housing across the country have escalated to the point of slowing new affordable housing production. The quality of recent US affordable housing has many times been poor and has forced budget-conscious affordable housing owners to take on expensive corrective work. Kah San Chako Haws was seen as the first step in reducing unit cost while at the same time producing a higher quality project. Part of this project was to develop strategies on subsequent projects that would continue the trends in cost reduction and higher quality. Cost effectiveness in this project started with replicable unit design, repetitive components, accuracy for successful modular installation and streamlined systems design. A comprehensive coordination matrix by the architect and modular manufacturer partnered factory and on-site tradesmen for optimal installation of systems to reduce on-site work.
Design Firm Name : Emmons Modular
Occupied Date : 3/1/2013
Production Start Date : 7/25/2012
Project Location City : Portland
Project Location State Name : OR
Technical Innovation : Kah San Chako Haws is designed to be healthy and energy efficient. Utilization of natural light and ventilation, low-no VOC products and high-efficiency appliances were some of the items that gave this project LEED Gold status. Kah San was also a prototype for urban transit-oriented infill, that could fit nine units on an upzoned single-family lot, while still being a good neighbor. The project tested a new level of accuracy and coordination in affordable housing, with the objective to set the stage for subsequent affordable housing projects that would be constructed in less than half the time of conventional construction, with lower unit costs, higher quality and a streamlined delivery process. Kah San achieved cost, schedule and quality goals, and after in-depth reviews of the project after completion, the team identified strategies and efficiencies in factory production, coordination and installation that will significantly improve on delivery time and unit cost for future projects.
Total Square Feet : 5655