The Wooden House Project and the Dale House Project
The Wooden House Project and the Dale House Project
Elizabeth Finkelstein, a historian and writer, founded the Wooden House Project in Brooklyn in 2008. She hopes that it will inspire young people to learn about the history of this distinctive type of house. The goal of the initiative is to bring together a diverse group of people interested in the built environment and the history of Brooklyn. It will also serve as a resource for those who currently live in a wood frame home and provide inspiration to those who do not. We recently visited her home in South Slope and were able to learn more about the house.
“The HOME House Project is a multi-year, national design initiative to create a new type of low-income housing. The project’s aim is to design environmentally sustainable and affordable homes for people in low-income situations. It was started by the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and challenged architects and designers to imagine a world where sustainable and affordable housing was important for the community. We have seen some great examples of these projects and we are hopeful that others will join us in our mission to create better communities.
After the successful launch of the project, the redeveloped River House has already received several accolades. The original owners were concerned about the future of this historic building. While it had been vacant for decades, they had an idea for reusing it. They wanted to transform it into a space that would promote collaboration, creativity, and culture. The project is a catalyst for the region’s growing creative sector. In addition to fostering the community, the project is an outstanding example of energy efficiency. Its restoration has retained the elegant architecture of the original while integrating cutting edge technology.
The Dale House Project is a multi-year national design initiative that seeks to create affordable, environmentally friendly, and sustainable housing. The project’s launch was inspired by the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and challenged designers to consider a world where sustainability was more important than ever. With this in mind, the competition was a great success! The SECCA open competition received 440 submissions from six countries.
The River House Project’s design team carefully restored the school to its former glory. The team has developed a creative environment for creative people to flourish. The two-story building is an ideal workspace for creative people working in creative industries. Located in Hudson, NY, the building is a showcase for art and culture. It also serves as an example for energy efficiency. With four floors of light-filled, former classrooms, the project is a unique, multi-purpose workspace for the growing Hudson Valley.
The Dale House Project is an international competition for creative projects that utilize existing buildings. The SECCA open competition used existing plans for the house and invited entries from six countries to create their own. The winning teams presented their projects and wrote essays that explained how they would transform the building into a vibrant community. The SECCA award was given to one of the top ten submissions, “Attainiously a home that combines the beauty and comfort of nature.”