Nocturne
Whether you love them or hate them, dingbats do have some decidedly positive traits:
Dingbats are inherently community oriented. The compact building forms and relatively small number of units in each building make it easy to get to know your neighbors. They are often built by small developers and “mom-and-pop” owner-occupants. Rents tend to be 5-10% lower in apartment buildings whose owners self-perform much of the building management and maintenance. The combination of affordability and personal connection encourages long-term residency. Tenure (not necessarily ownership, as is often argued) is what makes neighborhoods feel stable and cared for.
Nocturne, WC STUDIO’s latest self-initiated development project, endeavors to capitalize on the dingbat’s most favorable attributes and reimagine this classic midcentury housing type for our current context: a moment when the imperative to create livable and affordable housing and environmentally responsible buildings is more pressing than ever.
Dingbats have been called “aggressively economical.” Although not always meant as a compliment, Nocturne’s design proudly takes after many of its relatives’ most notable characteristics:
invariably rectangular, flat-edged, and built of the most basic materials
exposed carport tucked below the second floor
pastel paint colors
prominent single ornament
aspirational building names displayed on giant signage
Walkability ranks among the most desirable neighborhood characteristics today. When integrated into established neighborhoods that predate the domination of the car, dingbats with a parking ratio appropriate for their context make housing in these high-opportunity areas more accessible to a greater number and wider variety of people.
A relatively low-cost, replicable, yet individualized housing form, dingbats are a housing typology that could meet demands for density while maintaining and cultivating a finely grained urban fabric.
Even better, dingbats have the potential to accommodate further infill: if residential parking minimums are eventually phased out in Tacoma, carports could be repurposed for uses that add substantially more value to the community such as workshops, additional apartments, or resident amenity space.
In addition to the thoughtful design and aesthetic flair WC STUDIO is known for, Nocturne represents a significant level up in our sustainable building practice. Nocturne will be Tacoma’s first Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) certified multifamily development. Buildings with this certification operate on roughly half the total energy budget and one-tenth of the heating and cooling demand compared to their code-minimum counterparts.
On a daily basis, energy usage in a home follows the daily habits of its residents with the least amount of power typically consumed at night. The project is named Nocturne, meaning “of the night,” not only for its batty concept. Nocturne’s total daily energy demand will be less than the nighttime consumption of most comparably sized apartment buildings being built today.
More importantly, receiving the PHIUS certification ensures best practices for energy conservation and quality construction have been implemented and verified at every step of the design and construction process, resulting in a healthy, comfortable, durable and resilient building. Grounded in building science, PHIUS certification provides a proven methodology for designing a net zero energy-ready building that prioritizes occupant well-being.
Quality and Conservation
As a PHIUS certified building, Nocturne goes through a rigorous quality control process during both design and construction verifying health, safety, and comfort standards are met, and that the building is set up for energy independence. Residents enjoy a high quality of life with a low carbon footprint.
Health and Comfort
Living in a PHIUS certified home, residents can count on a healthy, quiet, and comfortable indoor environment. With extra insulation, tight seals, and high-performance windows, doors, and ventilation systems, Nocturne apartments are designed for maximum coziness, minimal noise, and clean air.
Durability and Resiliency
The holistic design of PHIUS certified buildings mean they will stand the test of time and be resilient during extreme weather events causing temperature swings, wildfires, power outages.
Net Zero Energy Ready
Infrastructure for on-site renewable energy is in place to support a 57kW rooftop solar (PV) array to net out Nocturne’s remaining energy use on an annual basis.
