Earlier this year I had the opportunity to be given a tour of the Shotgun Chameleon by the designer – and former BRAV-ite – Zui Ng. It’s immediately clear from the outside that it stands apart from its neighbors, but the difference is experienced on the inside as well. All plywood walls encase the family in a warm interior while specific window locations create the “framed art” that would otherwise hang on the walls. The view from the living room toward the street
is framed by the translucent quality of the perforated panels and the clear opening in the middle. From the proximity of the street, to the properties across it and beyond a picture of Houston is formed by the urban foreground and background. One of the most intriguing aspects of the design is the indention on the side. This not only highlights the main entry’s location with subtle formalism, but also functions to create a wider side yard separating the home from the neighbor’s house increasing a semblance of privacy that can otherwise be lost with shallow setbacks. The house has been published in Architectural Record and the Houston Chronicle (digital and analog) and has shown up in other online locales such as Archdaily and Dezeen. Congrats to Zui for not only a great design, but for also leading the charge by being the general contractor.