We’re just about done designing a home for an awesome client of ours who threw a Halloween party this year. He’s tracking the entire process on his blog and as it turns out, the costume party was held at the existing residence, soon to be mostly demolished. So basically, all the right variables came together and the temptation was just too great – we simply HAD to go dressed up as his new house. Today’s blog documents a different kind of design-build process… costume design-build; from schematics to construction to usage and eventual demolition.

The existing residence (and site of Halloween party)

The proposed residence

Costume design: schematics

Costume design: drawings

Costume design: box disassembly and model construction

Costume design: painting

Costume design: window mullion insertion and detailing

Kevin Eckert, Andrew van Leeuwen and Duff Bangs of team BUILD

Completed costumes and install (Josiah modeling for Kevin Eckert, our fearless CEO is a very busy man)

Spontaneous redesign

Field testing the design

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0G8z4UBMEY]

Aftermath and post party analysis


1. 8.45pm: Cantilevered roof failure after Kevin bumps into “colorful hippy guy”.
2. 9.15pm: Shearwall failure, otherwise known as “racking”, occurs at west façade of master suite – culprit rolled away on skates.
3. 9.20pm: Hot tub and occupants separate from main structure.
4. 9.25pm: Catastrophic failure of rooftop guardrail.
5. 9.45pm: Structural failure of roof over bedrooms, subsequent leaking occurs.
6. 9.55pm: Partial failure of sunscreens.
7. Later: West face of kitchen takes direct blow from “guy dressed up as pro wrestler” – glass façade successfully resists lateral point load.
8. Later: Chimney disconnects from main structure
9. Much Later: Dangling sunscreen (refer to #6) becomes hazardous debris – nearly trips “sexy school teacher”.

Demolition & debris removal

Credits: Hats off to our man Duff who did EVERYTHING involved with this project.

[All photos, images and drawings by BUILD llc]

Also in Halloween news: the BUILD world headquarters had a cameo appearance by the one and only Gus Williams of the 1970’s Seattle Sonics.  Wowzer did he have some moves.

Happy Halloween everyone.