In case you hadn’t noticed, the Research Triangle is booming, and for good reason. Small cities such as Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, are walkable and charming; and not far from great universities.
But the Piedmont region’s attractiveness has also made home prices skyrocket. This problem is amplified by the single-family sprawl that defines so much of the Research Triangle’s exurban areas. In Raleigh, North Carolina, Lorcan O’Herlihy Architects (LOHA) recently completed a multifamily residential project that posits an enticing solution for addressing the city’s housing crisis.
South E8 was completed by LOHA, a Los Angeles office, in 2022. The 3-story structure was built on a site not far from downtown Raleigh just below historic Moore Square where a single-family house previously stood. It’s a 10-minute walk from downtown Raleigh, and about 25 minutes by foot to North Carolina State University.
South E8 was financed by Merge Capital to help meet the area’s urgent demand for housing. It also provides a good precedent for architects and developers in the region looking to add density in low-rise neighborhoods.
The design by LOHA fits 8 units within a compact 5,000-square-foot envelope. Outside, the structure stands out from its context. Rather than a gabled roof and traditional clapboard siding, with South E8, LOHA opted for unique materiality and a jagged roof profile.
The base of South E8 is faced with white brick with a pattern that gives it depth and shadow lines. The upper half is clad with a dark, corrugated aluminum siding.
An extensive lawn offers tenants a backyard, while rooftop spaces afford great views of downtown Raleigh. Interiors were made to feel more spacious with loft-like spaces accessible vis-a-vis wooden ladders. A healthy dosage of windows draw in natural light.
“South E8 exemplifies the typology of how to densify Raleigh while retaining neighborhood identity,” LOHA shared.
