Public invited May 15 to open house for KU-designed supportive housing project in Lawrence

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas’ Dirt Works Studio has designed and built the Kaw House — a compact, high-performance supportive home developed in partnership with Tenants to Homeowners, demonstrating how thoughtful design, advanced wood construction and community collaboration can come together to create dignified and restorative housing for individuals transitioning out of homelessness.

As the second collaboration between the partners, Kaw House builds upon the lessons of earlier projects while advancing new approaches to sustainability, constructability and architectural quality. Most notably, the project marks the first use of mass plywood panel (MPP) construction in the state of Kansas, introducing an innovative mass timber system that combines environmental performance with warmth, durability and beauty.

Open House Event Details

The public is invited to attend an open house to tour the completed project:

• May 15
• 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Ribbon cutting and remarks at 10 a.m., followed by open house
• 613 N Third St., Lawrence.

The home employs a hybrid structural strategy that synthesizes prefabricated light wood-frame exterior wall panels with a mass plywood panel wall and roof system. Developed in collaboration with Build Smart and Freres Engineered Wood, the approach leverages the efficiency and familiarity of panelized construction while integrating the precision, strength and thermal performance of mass timber assemblies. Together, these systems create a highly insulated, air-tight building envelope that reduces embodied carbon, accelerates construction and supports long-term durability. 

Architecturally, Kaw House is organized around two interlocking linear volumes that create nuanced interior relationships and protected exterior spaces. The taller south-facing living volume is filled with natural light through expansive glazing and north-facing clerestory windows, while a custom steel brise soleil carefully moderates solar gain throughout the year. A continuous mass plywood panel “spine” anchors the living room and kitchen before extending through the home toward a quiet bedroom at the rear, creating both spatial continuity and a strong tactile identity throughout the compact plan.

The exterior reflects the project’s dual emphasis on durability and delight. A white fiber cement rainscreen wraps the more private north volume, while thermally modified wood cladding gives warmth and richness to the primary living space. Twin shed roofs subtly reference the familiar residential forms of the surrounding neighborhood while allowing varied ceiling heights that enhance the experience of light and space inside the home.

High-performance passive and mechanical systems further support the project’s environmental ambitions. Exterior insulation and rigorous air sealing minimize thermal bridging, while a mini-split heat pump and energy recovery ventilator, provided by Westerhouse Heating and Cooling, provide efficient heating, cooling and fresh air.

Beyond its technical achievements, Kaw House reflects a broader commitment to equity, stewardship and care. Developed as supportive housing, the project demonstrates that affordable housing can — and should — be beautiful, resilient and uplifting.

Kaw House also serves as a powerful educational framework through its designbuild process. Students engaged directly in the realities of construction, prefabrication, material behavior and high-performance detailing, gaining hands-on experience that bridges design thinking with real-world impact. By participating in the creation of housing for vulnerable members of the community, students developed not only technical skills, but also a deeper understanding of architecture’s ethical and social responsibilities.

As both a building and a teaching instrument, Kaw House stands as an example of how innovation in architecture can simultaneously advance sustainability, education and social good.

Supporters include Apex Engineering, Quaker Windows, Westerhouse Heating and Cooling, Lumber One, American Fiber Cement, Dal-Tile, Schluter Systems and Spectrum Paint.