Laboratory | Randy Brown

30Designed by Randy Brown Architects, The architect purchased this property and decided to move into the house while phasing construction projects. The intention is for the project to be a laboratory for architectural experiments.
The site is in the country in a partially wooded area with rolling hills with views to the west and south. The existing house is located on the highest ground of the site on the edge of where the trees meet the native prairie grass meadow.

Photography: Assassi Productions

The project has been built by the architect with his own hands. Each of the last four summers, college architecture students have been hired to assist with the design and construction. Each piece was designed and then constructed, which allowed the design to continue to evolve as it was being constructed. Everything was custom designed and built on site: Panelization of walls, fabrication of custom hurricane clips, hybrid wood and steel wall structures, 5 staircase designs, 3 custom window frames, doors, floors, ceilings, and custom millwork.

Photography: Assassi Productions

The project is intended to continue for the rest of the architect’s life. It is a “work in progress” with many areas unfinished today, opportunities for tomorrow.
Green building techniques were integrated into the architecture: passive solar, natural ventilation insulated concrete forms, R-45 roof insulation, renewable materials, radiant flooring, heat pumps, and a green roof system.

Photography: Assassi Productions

The design explores ways to intertwine what is man-made with what is natural. The intention is to create a house that is so interconnected with the land that it is simultaneously natural and man-made, much like abandoned tractors and farm machinery rusting away in the rural landscape.
The intent was to create open dynamic spaces that are defined and still feel connected to the larger whole. This was done by canting walls, pulling floors away from walls, creating mezzanine spaces, large window walls, and stairs that seem to fly.

Plan

Project Info:
Architects: Randy Brown Architects
Location: Omaha, United States
Project Team: Claude Breithaupt. Brandon Schumacher; Alexander Jack; Ian Thomas; Ted Slate; Brian Garvey; Travis Gunter; Bill Deroin; Kevin Scott; Jason Wheeler; TJ Olson; Ryan Wilkening; Brad Rodenburg; Jim Kersten; Mike McMahon; John Gallup Jr.; Joe Vessel; Katy Atherton; Mike Hargens; Randy Brown; Katy Slate; Steve Mielke; Matt Stoffel; David Marble; Pavel Pepeliaev; Will Corcoran; Scott Shell; Matthew Meehan; Matthew Miltner; Nate Gieselman; Corey Dixon; Ash Parker; Jeremy Redding; Dirk Henke; Nathan Miller; Dale Luebbert; Brian Hamilton; Zach Hilleson; Nathan Griffith.
Contractor: Randy Brown Architects
Client: Randy and Kim Brown
Photographs: Assassi Productions
Project Name: Laboratory

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