The Baxter residence features a dynamic design move made possible by humble materials alongside advanced technology. On site, parametric CMU walls follow the existing topography, carving into the hillside. The project demonstrates that CMU, an economical alternative to pour-in-place concrete, can be reinterpreted to be both an elegant and dynamic design feature.

Rethinking The Future Awards 2021
Third Award |  Architectural Innovation of the year (Construction)

©Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects

To realize the vision of a reinterpreted CMU wall, the design team worked closely with the structural engineer, contractor and the masons throughout the design and construction process.

©Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects

Leveraging Grasshopper, the team generated iterative designs where various CMU block rotations were tested and optimized, based on structural, constructability, and budget constraints. To document the parametric CMU wall accurately, a custom script was developed that transferred the rotation information in the parametric model directly to the BIM model. As a result, documentation accuracy was maintained even as the design was continuously evolving.

©Ehrlich Yanai Rhee Chaney Architects

The Baxter Parametric CMU Wall also represents the power of collaboration: the masons were at first skeptical about the constructability of the wall, but in the end – utilizing custom tools specifically designed to aid in their work – they were enthusiastic and integral to the success of giving new life to a humble material.