20k v15: idella’s house

Idella’s House builds upon the legacy of Rural Studio’s ongoing research project: the 20K House, an exploration in affordable, rural housing. Idella’s house prioritizes the comfort and safety of disabled clientele by fully complying with FHA and ANSI A accessibility requirements. Paired with a FEMA-rated tornado shelter disguised as the main washroom and a built-in ADA-accessible ramp cast directly into the slab, Idella’s house stands out as one of the most gracious of the 20K Houses to date. To meet the strict budget—determined by the maximum FHA-backed mortgage that a family living on Social Security alone could afford—Idella’s house eschewed many interior walls, instead organizing the open plan through the careful placement of the central utility hub which houses the bathroom.