`12 Houses in Icod´ is a hybrid of 12-dwellingapartment block and detached houses with garden, what is a consequence of 2 singularities:firstly, its territorial geolocation, and secondly, being promoted by local private initiative.
Tenerife is a fragile hilly island in the Atlantic with a population of about 500 inhabitants per km2. A low population density along with a high rate of land occupation at its peak of oversaturation, what means non-sustainable chances.
The promotion came from a neighbor instinctively aware of the island circumstances.
With these considerations in mind,project opportunities willfully came up fromdialoguebetween developer and architects.
To us, the whole island urbanization is a field of autonomous and self-regenerating cells,like a city made out of houses. Territoriality turns into urbanity, and so is its scale, ... we call it Terrurbanity. Consequently, we created a NODE within this frame, working with materials and local suppliers in order to generate a denser and more efficient cell,at the same time that a new paradigm was born. The idea alongside with the procedure allowed some local habits to empower.
In terms of efficiency, on the one hand, we looked for the highest possible density, that is the maximum number of dwellings. On the other hand, the great depth of the plotpresaged courtyards inside it which led us to overexploit them, densifying their use.
In order to achieve goals, the courtyard house riseshalf of it one single level allowing passage throughout the patio. The subversion of the patio house!
The strategy applied to the sum of 12 patio houses produces such a scheme and such a strong symbiosis that:it naturally reaches energy and use efficiency, it actually autoregulates and promotes relationships and it gains a controlled, shaded and protected public space that serves as well as lungs and heart.
The building can be seen as 2 buildings connected by jetways. A part of every house is in one building and the other in the opposite one in a different floor.
Loop circulation layout guides users to the top-roof. Action which provides with idiosyncrasy this outdoor space; as a play area or garden, qualifying the project.
Dwellings comes withsmall rooms but enormous spatiality on the contrary. Space is a luxury and it is provided here.
Every house has identical conditions of orientation, views, height, access, ventilation and lighting.
To conclude, we, at daolab, have workedfrom the metabolist postulations implicit in the project and the territory, which depicts our approach to urban realms and uncloses opportunities of newness.
