Attend studio 804's public open house on May 12

LAWRENCE — Studio 804, based at the University of Kansas, will present its latest design-build project during an open house from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 12, at 1220 E. 12th St. 

This project occupies one of the most beautiful sites in the city: The combination of two lots results in more than a half-acre of serenity near downtown Lawrence. The project features a 1,500-square-foot, three-bedroom main house with an additional 500-square-foot, one-bedroom detached unit for optional use as a studio, family living quarters or to lease.  

Several of the key features of the main house include wheelchair access, a state-of-the-art heating and air-conditioning system, solar panels, plumbing fixtures and lighting as well as German-made energy efficient appliances. Native plantings and pervious surfaces cover the site to reduce the amount of rainwater that flows into the storm system. Highly efficient ventilation systems and natural daylight reduce the use of mechanical conditioning.  

Studio 804 has produced some of the most energy-efficient projects in the country and seeks its 11th Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design(LEED) Platinum building rating by utilizing many techniques to limit effects on the environment and surrounding ecosystems.  

KU’s internationally acclaimed Studio 804 is a capstone program of the graduate architecture curriculum at the School of Architecture & Design. These final-year Master of Architecture students utilized repurposed materials and incorporated new and advanced building technologies under the direction of Dan Rockhill, J.L. Constant Distinguished Professor of Architecture.