Nine Square Townhouse
Residential
Houston, Texas
2026
Organized around a nine-square grid plan, the design establishes a clear structural
and spatial logic that supports flexibility, constructability, and cost efficiency. A two-story lightwell operates as the primary experiential core,
inviting daylight deep into the interior while enabling cross-ventilation across multiple
orientations. The lightwell also functions as a spatial hinge, mediating between public and
private zones and establishing vertical continuity throughout the townhouse.
Expansive views are carefully framed through sectional articulation and strategic
openings, while multi-level gardens are interwoven into the building envelope to enhance interior space. These planted terraces enrich visual and
climatic comfort and contribute to passive cooling strategies appropriate to Houston’s
subtropical climate.
The project responds to site pressures imposed both by Houston’s
building ordinance and local practices of infill development, informing a re-platting
approach to a typical Houston corner lot. Constructability and cost were central drivers of
the design, informing material selection, structural regularity, and modular planning.