EDGE by Revelations Architects - exterior

What do you really want out of a home? How much space do you actually need? And what does the micro-crisis of underwater mortgages mean for the notions we have about our ideal dwellings? These kinds of questions were addressed from foundation to finish in this project, drawing on fundamentals of sustainable design without compromising essentials or sacrificing core luxuries.

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EDGE by Revelations Architects- kitchen
EDGE by Revelations Architects interior daylight

The E.D.G.E. (Experimental Dwelling for a Greener Environment) byrchitects stripped away associations, fads, trends and styles, starting over with basic questions of function before tackling form. It shows how an idea is only part of the equation – execution is all-important.

EDGE by Revelations Architects - bathroom
EDGE by Revelations Architects transforming furniture

First, the footprint is a mere 340 square feet, set on a simple concrete foundation. Second, modular boxes make up each piece of the whole, from two end-of-unit sub-structures housing mechanical systems, including a kitchen in one and bathroom in the other, to space-specific furniture.

EDGE by Revelations Architects - view in snow

Third, the entire system is easily assembled and disassembled, pre-constructed in parking lot before being de-constructed and shipped to the fair site for display. Fourth, transforming furniture makes the main space into a layout-flexible area for living, dining and gathering.

EDGE by Revelations Architects exterior screens

Finally, a series of rainwater-collection and solar-generation strategies are augmented by thermally-insulated doors and windows and a sun-friendly orientation. But the beauty is not in any one of these moves, all familiar to many green home designs, but the frill-free application in a logical, piece-by-piece manner that still looks comfortable and sits well in the landscape.

“Frustrated by the floundering American housing market, Revelations Architects developed the E.D.G.E.(Experimental Dwelling for a Greener Environment). This experimental minimalist structure aims to meet basic human needs while still providing a qualitatively rich life. William Yudchitz, the architect, sees the E.D.G.E. as a launching point and educational tool to transform today’s values and the way we create our homes.”

“In the last few decades the average size of a house in the United States has increased dramatically. Stylistically, nostalgic versions of faux-history and borrowed typologies from other regions are the norm. In an effort to reverse this trend Revelations Architects focused on what they felt were the basic functions of life: eating, bathing, sleeping and communal fellowshipping.”