This is a fascinating retrofit of an innovative elderly housing project from the “Solar Seventies” in Mattapoisett, MA. Solar gain is being managed and envelop upgrades performed while preserving the intent and informal meeting and “front yards” provided by the internal 2-story gallery. While some aspects of the passive storage have been long abandoned, the passive solar heating and the connections to the exterior will be preserved and enhanced for comfort to support continued resident use.
Our scope includes a full investigation of the architectural envelope and mechanical systems, and multiple proposed design solutions to address overheating.