the gordonmansion

a collaborative project

the.gordon.mansion

© text: sean nelson© images: sean nelson, brandon ballantine, tommy mitchell, google, and microsoft

editionvolume 1 / sean nelson

editorcasey nelson

graphic designsean nelson

printing1st print

researchsean nelson

thanks tobrandon ballantine, chad b., brady beck, aaron calderwood, becca curtis, jacob dunn, logan ellsworth, devin falkner, bruce haglund, brady hardy, chase lamborn, danny mackay, landon minear, scott mitchell, tommy mitchell, brady nelson, casey nelson, paul nelson, josh stewart, mitch lewis, colin nelson.

table.of.contents

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28 30

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14 16 18

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32 34

8 10 12

20 2422

Growing up one house west in an identical home proved to be a great learning tool in the redesign

of the house showcased in this book. The project has been tagged as the “Gordon Mansion” amongst friends and mentors during this “hands on” process of design. “Gordon”, refers to my great uncle Gordon Jensen who inherited the home from my great grandparents who built the home in the early 1940’s. “Mansion” refers to Gordon’s idea of a dream home versus the actual state of the project when approached and how his ideas, amongst new ideas, can inform new positive connotations for a future-resilient final product. It was very important in this process to consider the idea of design resilience and how the Gordon Mansion could serve residential as well as commercial purposes. The real challenge is battling Gordon Mansion’s east neighbor, coincidentally called “Gordon’s Copyprint “, who’s dream is to purchase its two west neighbors and create a “big-box, retail landmine” in a world where already too many exist. This project hopefully influences my family’s financial temptations to give into a force fed placebo, emulating the best choice for the lot in question.

This project challenged sustainability in terms of budget and proved to be a difficult endeavor. Since

economic constraints were so strong, things like water efficient fixtures had to be planned as upgrades in the near future. Sustainability in the Gordon Mansion has to be understood in a bigger picture context in terms of a derelict building that harnesses a multitude of embodied energies that without a doubt would be demolished by most capital investors and in most cases, a concrete jungle being the end result.

To revive something that already exists revolves around the idea sustainability and working with an existing

context rather than hitting the reset button and ignoring these inherent architectural and contextual constraints.

context

top floor

bed.2bed.1

hall

formal.living+study

informal.dining

kitchen

stair

bath.1

bed.4

bed.3 entertainment

stair

bath.2

machine.room bar

laundry

basement

3

kitchen2008.03.20

2008.05.16 2008.05.17 2008.05.21 2008.05.22 2008.05.25 2008.05.26

Prior to remodel, the kitchen was the

most disgusting room on the main floor. It contained six year old dirty plates and there was clutter (cleaning and cooking supplies) everywhere. Many days were spent just tidying up the room enough to where a proper solution could be assessed. Once the kitchen was cleared, the assessment proved that the north wall could be removed to open up the kitchen to an informal dining/living area.

After the first initial observations of the ceiling

structure were completed, these evaluations showed that the wall was not load-bearing and could be removed without any structural problems; so demolition began. Once the wall was removed, a slight sagging in the ceiling became apparent but proved to be a small concern and construction continued. A few days later, while in the attic, my friend noticed that the structural system of the ceiling did change between the two rooms. The living area ceiling was actually structurally dependant on the demolished wall; luckily, no roof loads were carried on to the ceiling’s structural system. It was instantly apparent that a column and beam must be added to accommodate the changes in the structural system. A 4x4 Douglas Fir post, salvaged from basement demolition, was added with two dropped 2x10 Douglas Fir beams with a ½” plywood filler to equal the actual width of the 4x4 post (actual = 3.5”). Removal of the wall proved to increase the daylighting in the kitchen drastically, as well as visually increase the size of the house.

2008.05.27 2008.05.31 2008.06.02 2008.06.13 2008.06.27 2009.08.17

2010.05.23

Since the wall was removed, electrical and plumbing had to be rerouted. The

kitchen drain exhaust pipe was replaced with a vent located under the sink. A 2x4 post was installed to the west of the 4x4 post to provide a cavity large enough to house a double-gang electrical box and provide switch access.

All cabinet doors in the kitchen were removed in preparation for stripping

the casework down to its original Douglas fir. This was a difficult time consuming task that removed the lead paint and returned the Douglas fir to its original organic nature.

The remaining part of the north wall was stripped of its plaster finish in order to

expose the existing structural nature of the project juxtaposed with the new.

The previous vinyl floor was replaced with slate tiles. Slate was chosen for two main purposes: 1. to compliment the slate in the bathroom

and soon to be slated north wall; 2. the subflooring was rather uneven so the slate tiles were mudded and floated to make a more even floor.

5

2008.05.16 2008.05.17 2008.05.20 2008.05.21 2008.05.24 2008.05.26

informal.dining2008.03.20

The biggest challenge in this room was removal of an old wood-

burning stove. It was unfortunate that it had to be removed, but it solved so many problems with its removal including, flow, views and structure. The stove confirmed that this space was the former heart of the home and this attribute was to be included in the final redesign. By linking the kitchen and the informal dining, a comfortable place for socializing as well as culinary link to the living area was created.

2008.05.27 2008.05.31 2008.06.02 2008.06.14 2008.07.10 2009.08.17

2010.05.23

7

2008.05.16 2008.05.18 2008.05.20 2008.05.21 2008.05.22 2008.05.24

formal.living+study2008.03.20

2008.05.29 2008.05.31 2008.06.12 2008.06.13 2008.06.16 2008.07.15

The beginning of this sub-project had to

begin with the removal and organization of Gordon’s ancient relics. Once stripped of clutter, the carpet was removed to expose 1-1/2” Oak wood flooring. The walls and ceilings were painted with a stain and odor primer; once primed, cracks and holes on the walls and ceiling were taped and textured. The original baseboards were stripped of paint to expose the original Douglas fir. To create more conjugation between the two living spaces, the threshold between the two rooms was enlarged as the structural design themes would allow. A coat-closet door was removed exposing a glass block, north facing aperture. This allowed for more daylight to enter the space and affirmed the choice of glass block in the upstairs bath.

2010.03.01

9

2008.03.20

2008.05.17 2008.05.18 2008.05.20 2008.05.21 2008.05.24 2008.05.26

hall

2008.06.02 2008.06.10 2008.06.25 2008.07.15 2008.07.30 2008.08.05

The primary change in the hall was the

removal of cabinet doors over a former telephone desk. Without cabinet doors the shelves will now serve as a bookcase. The former vinyl floor was replaced with 12” slate tiles. The biggest challenge of the hall space was mitigating the clash of floor materials merging from many different spaces including, the kitchen, bedroom one and two, the upstairs bath and the formal living/study. The problem was solved by adding square pieces of dark slate to provide a transitional continuity at each threshold.

2010.05.23

11

2008.05.16 2008.05.17 2008.05.20 2008.05.21 2008.05.22 2008.05.23

bed.12008.03.20

This room was the easiest bedroom to complete. The carpet was not removed during the wallpaper removal process; this

made for an easy clean up. Finish work was a little more nit-picky and time consuming due to the custom casework in the room.

2008.05.24 2008.05.27 2008.05.31 2008.07.10 2008.07.15 2009.08.17

2010.05.23

13

2008.05.16 2008.05.17 2008.05.26 2008.06.02 2008.06.03 2008.06.16

bath.12008.03.20

After observing the situation in the upstairs bathroom and its inherent problems including, health, electrical and plumbing; it was concluded that the room must be stripped and gutted. The electrical was re-roped using 14:12 wire, adding an additional impermeable can-light for the shower as well

as a fan and a GFI (Ground Fault Interpreter) outlet. After evaluating the space and its lack of square footage, a shower proved to be the best use for the space. The tub was removed and new subflooring was added to the shower floor; this was then covered with a rubber membrane that feeds in to the drain while being overlapped by fiberboard. To allow more daylight into the space, the window and all its elements were removed and will be replaced with glass block, providing a bigger aperture size as well amplifying its aesthetic aspect. The north “wet-wall” had to be framed and finished with fiber and green board. The floor is finished with salvaged 16” travertine. The former bathroom contained a laundry chute which was removed as a result of the altered basement floor plan.

2008.06.25 2008.06.28 2008.07.05 2008.07.07 2008.07.09 2009.08.17

2008.08.10

2010.05.23

15

bed.22008.03.20

2008.05.16 2008.05.20 2008.05.25 2008.05.27 2008.06.02 2008.07.05

2008.07.08 2008.07.09 2008.07.10 2008.07.15 2008.07.30 2009.08.17

2010.05.23

This room was a bit more difficult than bed.1. The carpet was removed before the wallpaper making it more difficult to keep

the floor tidy during the wallpaper removal process.

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entertainment2008.03.20

2008.05.20 2008.05.21 2008.05.22 2008.05.23 2008.05.24 2008.05.29

In the original design of the basement floor plan, an

ambiguous hall existed to serve the two basement bedrooms and machine room. By omitting the hall, four linear feet were gained to accommodate greater floor areas in the bedrooms. Doing this also hid all the structural load-bearing posts, creating a cleaner finish to the basement than what had existed prior. To hide the post a 6” stud wall was built, this wall contains the entries to the two bedrooms and machine room. Now the entertainment room provides both served and servant attributes after gaining the responsibility of the former hall.

Before any design could begin in the basement,

everything had to be gutted and removed. This was a result of a broken water heater that flooded the basement two feet in height. Once gutted, the basement was sprayed using industrial powered water pressure hoping to remove any traces of black mold and in particular, stachybotrys. Once cleaned the walls were painted and sealed with “wet-lock” product. Also, all new 2’x3’ windows have been added to seven of the basement apertures. This was a challenge which involved removing two inches off each opening by hand chisel. This made it possible for more daylight in the basement and less expensive windows since they were all standard in size.

2008.05.31 2008.06.02 2008.06.13 2008.06.16 2008.07.15

2008.08.10

2008.07.31

Two obstructions existed in the middle of the entertainment room that had to be resolved: one was a structural post and the other was a kitchen drain pipe. The structural post was carrying the load of a wood-burning stove in the informal

living/dining area. This problem was solved by removing the stove, (soon to be a center piece for the outdoor garden) omitting the need for such a post. The kitchen drain proved to be greater challenge. The existing drainage system had to be understood by chipping up concrete. Once the system was understood, the drainpipe was rerouted east through a floor joist cavity until ending at the east wall where it travels down into a new drain path linking into the existing system.

Redesigning the drain system in the entertainment space informed ideas for the final design in what was once considered as a “void-space”

located on the east side of the room. Since the new plumbing was exposed, a wet bar/kitchenette was built into the design, inhabiting the void.

19

bed.32008.03.20

2008.05.21 2008.05.22 2008.05.23 2008.05.24 2008.05.29 2008.05.31

Bed.3 turned out to be the largest room in terms of square footage. It has two closets, one new, and the other being a former food storage located under the front entrance of the house.

2008.06.02 2008.06.13 2008.06.16 2008.07.05 2008.07.30 2009.03.26

2010.05.23

21

bed.42008.03.20

2008.05.20 2008.05.21 2008.05.22 2008.05.23 2008.05.24 2008.05.29

Bed.4 had the highest

concentration of black mold. The mold was apparent from the floor, and up the wall 24 inches. This only existed two feet up the wall, so all the wood that wasn’t damaged was salvaged and will soon serve as the building blocks for a backyard pavilion.

2008.06.02 2008.06.13 2008.06.16 2008.06.27 2008.07.15 2009.03.25

2010.05.23

23

2008.03.20

2008.05.20 2008.05.21 2008.05.22 2008.05.23 2008.05.24 2008.05.29

bath.2

This was the biggest challenge in terms of framing by creating adequate space that

worked with the themes of the basement. The original design placed a structural, steel post in the corner of the bath. This was resolved by framing in the load-bearing post and changing the rectangular orientation of the room from north/south to east/west. It was extremely challenging because the shower and toilet drain had fixed locations unless more concrete floor demolition and subsequent plumbing costs were to incur.

2008.05.31 2008.06.02 2008.06.13 2008.06.16 2008.07.15 2008.07.30

2010.05.23

25

2008.05.18 2008.05.29 2008.07.05

garage2008.03.20

The garage was not changed, just the organization and filtering of tools.

The final product is envisioned to house a furniture design shop/art studio.

2008.07.15 2008.08.01 2008.08.05

2008.08.10

27

landscapeThe landscape was not changed because no permits were received

for the interior plumbing and electrical. Once the interior is complete under the cities radar, the outside will be approached.

schematic

looking east

looking south

looking north

looking west

site

29

frontyard

2008.08.10

2008.03.20

2008.11.19 2009.06.10 2009.07.13 2008.11.18 2008.11.18

2008.11.18 2008.11.19 2009.03.25 2009.06.08 2009.06.08 2009.08.09

2009.08.17

31

backyard

2008.05.17

2008.03.20

2008.07.05 2008.08.10 2008.10.31 2008.11.18 2008.11.18

2008.11.18 2008.11.19 2009.03.25 2009.06.08 2009.06.08 2009.08.09

2008.08.17

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gardensummer.2009

35