Morphology: Effects of Materials and Structures

Concrete Structure Axonometric & Plan

An extremely heavy structure that limits flexibility and openness.

All-Wood Structure Axonometric & Plan

Wolf house span across 24 meters longitudinally. Using a wood structure would require both exterior load bearing wall and interior load bearing wall. It could not provide the openness required by Wolf House.



Composite Structure Axonometric & Plan

Myers Residence, the project done by Barton Myers before Wolf Residence, adopted this type of structure. The load bearing walls on the outside support lateral loads while the steel joists and the metal deck spanning across these walls bear shear loads. As shown in the photo, only two side walls are made of concrete masonry, allowing the rest of the house to be built in steel frames. This type of structure requires no interior load bearing walls; Myers took advantage of this to allow for open space and sliding walls in the house.

Extremely open space in Berryman house



All-Steel Structure Axonometric & Plan

Using the Myers Residence as a precedence, Barton Myers chose an all-steel structural frame for Wolf House. Without the load bearing wall, the whole house was built in steel. Open web steel joists, metal decking and steel studs were built on top of concrete footing with caissons piled underneath for support. This structure not only produced the open space Myers Residence could not construct, but also reduced pressure on the foundation-- a requirement for the poor soil condition of the site. As a result, Wolf Residence has a structure lighter than all the structures above. It required no solid wall for support, thus appears to be a floating house. Sections and side elevations clearly show the eight steel studs supporting the entire building.

Exposed Ductwork & Lighting Systems Axonometric & Plan

After the steel frame construction was completed, the home remained lightweight. The Wolf Residence only became structurally stable after the application of drywall.

Morphology: Parti



An atrium design can be seen from Myers' early sketches

Myers Residence

First Floor Plan

Second Floor Plan

Section

A section of the house showing the openness created by the atrium

Characters of Myers Residence can be seen in Wolf Residence even though they are very different buildings. The atrium is central to the house. On first floor, it connects the arrival area on the left to living area. On second floor, it connects the children's wing to the parents' wing. Vertically, it also joins first floor with second floor.

Atrium to Courtyard

The exclusion of the atrium differentiates Wolf Residence from Myers Residence fundamentally. Myers Residence is a house where all spaces (children's wing, parents' wing, and living room) are merged together through the atrium. In Wolf Residence, the spaces are separated by the courtyard sinking into the house, leaving a long hallway to connect the two wings. This can be visualized by a narrow hallway enclosed by two boxes.

Looking at the living area and parents' wing from the arrival area, the space where the atrium used be is turned into an outdoor courtyard. The joined spaces are cut off.

Longitudinal and Latitudinal Expansion



Due to the exclusion of atrium, part of the living space was sacrificed. To accommodate this loss, the house is expanded both longitudinally and laterally. The two wings in Myers' Residence have equal length. After expansion, the living area wing became longer than the other side. More living area was created on the first floor, and one more bedroom was added to the children's wing as the Wolfs demanded.

Addition of Mini-Atrium 

An smaller atrium similar to the one in Myers Residence was created in the parents' flank by removing part of the second floor. After this step, the Wolf Residence possesses both an indoor courtyard and an outdoor courtyard - the Myers Residence lacks the latter.

The atrium in Wolf Residence (above) is much brighter and open to surrounding than the one in Myers residence due to the exterior courtyard.

Generally, these three steps are a separation of the kids' flank from the rest of the house - a result of the exterior courtyard addition.