1. ARCHITECT I PLACE+PROGRAM I SPACE+ORDER I CONSTRUCTION+EXPRESSION
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01 Model with SIP Panels Affixed
02 Structural Frame
The Cantilever House by Anderson + Anderson Architects, completed in 2004, is a vehicle furthering the offsite fabrication process while tailoring the design to the individual site parameters. The Cantilever House, executed here as a single-family, primary residence, was developed to be adaptable to any context, rural or urban, with a minimal amount of alterations. The Anderson brothers have long viewed their commissions as an opportunity to further their interests in the building process, fabrication methods, and material composition.
The frame above represents a development of a number of practices, namely a prefabricated steel framework, delivered to the site, and erected in a matter of days with relatively unskilled labor. The homage to the Eames House is direct, and intentional, with its execution and structural innovation the key differences. Though executed in rural Washington state, the model was designed simultaneously to be executed in an urban infill in San Diego.

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01 Dymaxion House | Buckminster Fuller | 1949
02 Charles + Ray Eames House | California |
Philosophy:
The work of Anderson + Anderson, as with their prefab predecessors, seeks to draw from the economies of scale that result from the research and manufacturing of larger companies by the use of non-proprietary materials and methods for construction. Fuller drew from the automobile and aeronautics industry as the impetus for the Dymaxion House, and the work of Anderson + Anderson takes a page from the highly exact process of industrialized housing fabrication.
The “framework” for their oeuvre, a direct reference and adaptation from the Eames House, also draws upon the work of Soriano, Neutra, Chareau, and Koenig.

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01 Mark and Peter Anderson
02 Chameleon House | 2002
Both Anderson brothers received their B.A. from Pacific Lutheran University in Foreign Cultural Studies and their M. Arch from Harvard GSD in the early 1980’s.
In 1984 they began their design-build firm, Pacific Bay Construction, which evolved into the research driven Anderson + Anderson Architects in Since then, they have held numerous teaching positions around the country and received countless awards for their socially, environmentally, and ecologically conscious work throughout the country.
03 Courtyard House | 2005
04 Fox island House | 1992

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01 Ice Caves | Granite Falls | Washington | USA
Above all the prefabricated developments and social consciousness, the work of Anderson + Anderson, while having the fortune of practicing in such a scenographically rich environment, is a extension of the landscape working with, not against the natural forces which influence design. The Cantilever house sits upon a delicate foundation, requiring a minimal amount of excavation and disturbance to the landscape.
02 Site Photo | Granite Falls | Washington | USA

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Anderson + Anderson. “Prefab Prototypes.” Princeton : New York
Kieran, Stephen + Tibmerlake, James. “refabricating Architecture.” McGraw Hill : New York
Arieff, Allison + Burkhart, Brian. “Prefab.” Gibbs Smith: Utah

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01 Aerial photograph | Snohomish County GIS
02 Site Topography
Located on a tract within a 360 acre parcel, the Cantilever
House is situated atop a bluff overlooking a tributary of the Stillaguamish River which feeds into the Puget Sound.
The granite formations make for dramatic scenery and equally challenging foundation work.

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01 Stillaguamish River | Granite Falls | Washington | USA
The basin of the Stillaguamish River which runs through the parcel. The river helped to form the granite features seen to the right. The foundation for the entire structure measures a mere 15’ by 33’, a 495 base for the sq. ft. living quarters.
02 Cantilever House | South Elevation

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01 SIP Framing Plan
The Cantilever House, a single family dwelling, draws from the Eames Model with the location of the program elements in the core of the building. The foundation footprint carries up through the upper floors to reinforce the central composition of the structure. The SIP Panels which serve as the substrate for the Galvalume skin are separated from the steel framework to yield a corridor on either side of the spine. Since the internal walls are purely visual, and not structural, the structure is adaptable to these site conditions, as well as any other.
02 Foundation Floor Plan (bottom) | First Floor Plan (middle)| Loft Floor Plan (upper)

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Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Annual
Max °F
45.8
49.3
53.3
58.2
63.8
68.4
73.0
73.9
68.7
59.7
50.6
45.2
59.2
Mean °F
39.7
42.1
45.3
49.7
55.1
63.6
63.9
58.8
51.1
44.0
39.6
Min °F
33.6
34.9
37.3
41.2
46.3
51.0
54.2
53.9
48.8
42.5
37.4
34.0
42.9
01 Yearly Temperatures | Granite Falls | Washington | USA
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Annual
Inch
5.67
4.31
4.55
4.06
3.47
2.70
1.76
1.74
2.45
3.99
6.29
6.25
47.24
02 Yearly Rainfall | Granite Falls | Washington | USA
Located at 48˚ 9’ 15” N + 122˚ 1’ 13” W, the Cantilever House is situated in a balmy, yet rainy climate which allows for maximum natural ventilation and less stringent winter heatind needs. The primary concern in this Marine Climate is the permeability of water vapor in the SIP sandwich and the protection from liquid water intrusion.
03 Sun Path Diagram | Granite Falls | Washington | USA

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01 Snohomish County | Washington | Urban Infill
Note:
The high population density of Snohomish County. Approximately 28 people per square mile.

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01 Transverse Section
02 East Elevation
The Cantilever House exhibits many of the characteristics of the Eames House as can be seen from the Transverse Section. The exterior corridor created by the removal of the skin from the structural frame creates a path between the framework and the skin. Furthermore, the upper loft is capable of gaining visual access to the corridors below and the spaces along the main axis since the floor does not extend to meet the skin.
The steel frame can be assembled off site and transported to the building site – the ultimate premise for the project. The frame constitutes the single greatest expense in the project which was executed for approximately $180,000 USD.
03 Steel Frame Assembly

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01 Interior Loft + Tertiary Structure
The placement of the fenestration on a module, as well as vertically between the structure, allows for standardization of materials and execution on a much larger scale. The produce-ability of the work is a guiding force behind the designs at Anderson + Anderson. If it does not further a research initiative, it does not get executed.
02 Text block Image
02 Interior Connection Detail

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01 Primary Structure System Erected
Structural Building Systems:
The work is assembled in a series of exact steps, with minimal waste, from highly detailed components.
Primary Structure:
The steel framework is erected on site in a matter of days on the cast-in-place foundation walls. With the foundation footprint minimized, the environmental impact is lessened and expenses are spared. The steel frame is an adaptation of the Vierendeel Truss which has no diagonal supporting members.
Secondary Structure:
The SIP panel cladding is removed from the steel frame, allowing the interior partitions to be executed by less skilled craftsmen if necessary.
02 Primary Structure In Situ

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01 Primary + Secondary Framing System Construction
02 SIP Panel Floor Framing Plan
The 10” SIP panels which constitute the floors, walls, and roof are all prefabricated off-site and installed in a matter of days. The entire work was complete in less than four weeks. The structural capability of the SIP panels allows the work to have a biophilic sod roof, though it was not executed. The interior framing can easily be integrated with the primary structure with simple calculations and correct beam sizing.
03 Tertiary Framing | Interior Photograph

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01 Mechanical + Plumbing | Foundation Floor Plan
02 Mechanical + Plumbing | First Floor Plan
The MEP of the Cantilever House is located in the core of the building. The centralization of these elements keeps them in conditioned space, as well as minimizes cost from the routing of these elements throughout the interior.
Also, the 32’ cantilever poses a problem to the routing of elements to the ends of the building, so these MEP elements are contained within the central space as well.
03 Mechanical + Plumbing | Loft Floor Plan

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01 Text block Image
01 Study Model with Sod Roof
The standardized composition of the vertical elements on the bay yield a rhythmic
facade along the long axes of the building.
The Kit of Parts can be seen to the right in the exploded axonometric. The building is reduced to is necessary elements, with structure yielding rhythm and skin separating from framework. One can easily see how the kit could esily be fabricated and erected in any number of locations and adapted to any number of site conditions.
02 Kit of Parts | Exploded Axonometric