The traditional town home is a different animal from what you might expect. While the southern California town home is really just a vertical condominium, the original town home is as independent as a single-family residence. Rather than being part of a homeowners' association with shared walls and limited ownership rights, the traditional town home is an autonomous package.
A town home is a residence that is built with zero side-yard setbacks on a relatively narrow lot, 20 to 30 feet wide. The exterior side walls are built typically one inch from the property line. The front and rear walls are built with property line setbacks that afford yards and drives. While the side-walls walls are typically durable masonry, tilt-up concrete is a more practical solution in meeting local seismic restraint requirements. In this way, your wall and your neighbor's wall are just two inches apart but structurally independent.
When multiple town homes are built together for the length of a block, clever detailing can make the homes look like a homogenous building. This type of residence can be seen in areas like Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston, and even more abundantly in Great Britain.
Ownership is a key feature of the town home. Buyers of this product own the foundation, exterior walls, interior walls, floors, roof, landscaping and the property it sits on. As a result, this residence is an urban housing solution that allows for full expression of homeowner individuality. Owners can modify any portion of their home, creating double-high lofts or closing in the floors for maximum usable square footage. The front and rear elevations can be modified to suit one's choice in style. While one may opt for a sleek modern fa?ade with curtain wall and architectural pre-cast, a neighbor may be more inclined toward Gothic with steep gables and curlicues galore.
Town homes have a relatively simple structure that allows for maximum floor plan flexibility. With opposing tilt-up concrete walls running the depth of the lot, rigid steel frames close off the ends. Floor framing then spans between the concrete walls, freeing up the floor plan from any load-bearing members.
The freedom from structural constraints provides expansive options. A skylight on the fifth level can be installed over an opening that continues to the ground floor. Portions of a floor can be removed to make for a double-high space in the dining area. The interior modifications can continue as the property changes hands, or as wealth is accrued by a long-time owner.
The town home affords complete initial ownership to a less affluent strata. It is also a home that can provide for the expression of individuality while staying connected to an urban fabric. While this type of home is ideal for urban in-fill and redevelopment zones, it can be a lucrative asset for the developer. This product can be offered at many price breaks depending on size and finishes.
Eric Domeier of Domeier Architects, Inc. can be reached at [email protected].
A town home is a residence that is built with zero side-yard setbacks on a relatively narrow lot, 20 to 30 feet wide. The exterior side walls are built typically one inch from the property line. The front and rear walls are built with property line setbacks that afford yards and drives. While the side-walls walls are typically durable masonry, tilt-up concrete is a more practical solution in meeting local seismic restraint requirements. In this way, your wall and your neighbor's wall are just two inches apart but structurally independent.
When multiple town homes are built together for the length of a block, clever detailing can make the homes look like a homogenous building. This type of residence can be seen in areas like Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston, and even more abundantly in Great Britain.
Ownership is a key feature of the town home. Buyers of this product own the foundation, exterior walls, interior walls, floors, roof, landscaping and the property it sits on. As a result, this residence is an urban housing solution that allows for full expression of homeowner individuality. Owners can modify any portion of their home, creating double-high lofts or closing in the floors for maximum usable square footage. The front and rear elevations can be modified to suit one's choice in style. While one may opt for a sleek modern fa?ade with curtain wall and architectural pre-cast, a neighbor may be more inclined toward Gothic with steep gables and curlicues galore.
Town homes have a relatively simple structure that allows for maximum floor plan flexibility. With opposing tilt-up concrete walls running the depth of the lot, rigid steel frames close off the ends. Floor framing then spans between the concrete walls, freeing up the floor plan from any load-bearing members.
The freedom from structural constraints provides expansive options. A skylight on the fifth level can be installed over an opening that continues to the ground floor. Portions of a floor can be removed to make for a double-high space in the dining area. The interior modifications can continue as the property changes hands, or as wealth is accrued by a long-time owner.
The town home affords complete initial ownership to a less affluent strata. It is also a home that can provide for the expression of individuality while staying connected to an urban fabric. While this type of home is ideal for urban in-fill and redevelopment zones, it can be a lucrative asset for the developer. This product can be offered at many price breaks depending on size and finishes.
Eric Domeier of Domeier Architects, Inc. can be reached at [email protected].