Masonry Magazine October 1995 Page. 14
Home Brings
CMU to Life
4,800 Square foot home has concrete floors, concrete & block walls, concrete pavers, and roof tiles even a concrete fireplace.
WHEN HOUSTON builder Gary Bumpass set out to build the house of the future, he went back to basics. And what could be more basic than concrete? His 4800-square-foot "Back to Basics Home," built for the National Association of Home Builders Show in Houston, has concrete floors, concrete block walls, concrete pavers, concrete rooftile-even a concrete fireplace. The goal, says Bumpass, was a house that would offer a lifetime of security, energy savings, and fire safety.
Bumpass also envisioned a house that could change with the family. "We were looking for a home that could accommodate not only a family as it is today, but considered how a family evolves," says Bumpass. Empty nesters, aging family members, and returning adult children were considered.
Back to Basics also means back to the city. "It speaks to the need for new construction in urban settings as well as in housing developments in increasingly distant suburbs," says Roy Diez of Professional Builder Magazine, a co-sponsor of the house. Built on a long, shallow lot, 172 feet long and only 72 feet deep, the 100-foot-long home is designed to maximize privacy on the infill site. Bumpass chose to build in Bellaire, Texas-where the benefits of excellent city services are matched with the convenience of living close to Houston. After choosing his lot, Bumpass
BUILT ON A long, shallow lot, 172 feet long and only 72 feet deep, the 100-footlong Back to Basics home is designed to maximize privacy.
14 MASONRY-SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER, 1995