Alternative Layout Designs in Standard Housing
Second Prize in the Open International Competition Alternative Layout Designs in Standard Housing
In our cities, there has traditionally been a clear and significant distinction between what was public and what was private. This difference used to define the urban and the domestic realm. In a conventional model of the city, urbanity has usually meant public and domesticity has generally meant private.
However, nowadays, in a historical period characterized by social transformations, continuous technological improvements and political uncertainties, our contemporary cities are much more complex. Our societies are evolving in a way where the traditional concepts of urban and domestic are becoming obsolete ad are being transformed into updated and augmented conceptions.
It is precisely around those blurring limits, between what seems urban and what seems domestic, where the new contemporary public realm is constructed.
This proposal is based on the exploration of those uncertain boundaries. Trying to achieve a gradient of spaces where urban and domestic are not so clearly delimited but colonize each other, when certain public uses and programs are developed within the Dwelling Block. When the urban realm in introduced into the Residential Building transforming its paradigm.
Therefore, Urbanity and Domesticity would benefit from each other in a continuous relation of dialogue.
One of the main aspects of this proposal is the incorporation of what we have called ‘Social Pockets’ into each different housing block. Those ‘Social Pockets’ are specific Public Spa- ces that are introduced into the buildings and that generate an extension of the urban space of the city into the block. Each of them corresponds to specific urban and public programs related with culture, sports, economy, social behaviors, production and small entrepreneurship. Each of them is formalized in a different way and introduced into the urban block deforming and modifying it. Transforming it domestic into a urban one.
In this proposal, the housing block is not reduced to its domestic and private ethos but is augmented and expanded into the city, achieving a social value of gathering, dialogue, production and exchange.
Therefore, those public programs that have traditionally just being emplaced in specific and separate buildings within the urban framework, are now exploded, introduced and hybridized with the housing mass of apartments that constitute the biggest percentage of constructed architecture in our cities.
These ‘Social Pockets’ are not isolated islands of public programs within the dwelling blocks, but a real network of re- lated uses that complement and counterpoint each other, providing the necessary public features for the citizens and allowing to construct an innovative urban realm. They act as an ‘Exploded Social Condenser’ for the local communities, creating not just the architectures that shelter certain public uses but also providing the tools and mechanisms to develop such an expansion of the urban space.
Finally, the creation of such a network of Public Spaces within the apartments’ buildings take into consideration the extreme weather conditions during winter of many Russian cities. When the exterior public space cannot be easily experienced and enjoyed but the citizens and many activities tend to be developed within interiors. This proposal analyzes that very condition of the Russian City and explores it, incorporating its basic architectural mechanism when generating those ‘Social Pockets’ for the performance of Public Programs within the blocks.
A whole swimming pool in the 5th floor of a Gallery Block, a music studio for local musicians on the 9th floor of the Tower, a small cinema-room for screening Series Releases on the 3th floor of a block...A common kitchen for sharing recipes, a classroom, an small workshop for wood crafting, a gym, an aula for conferences…
They are just some examples of the great variety of public spaces that would be incorporated into the housing blocks as pieces from an Exploded Social Condenser.
· The Proposal ·
{on how to combine Private & Public}
This project tries to achieve an standardized architectural model that would incorporate urban spaces into the highly congested mass of the Housing Blocks. Transforming a conventional conception of dwelling into a more contemporary and complex one, in which the limits between what has traditionally being conceived as domestic and urban are not so clear anymore but hybridized intermediate states.
Essentially, the proposal combines, within each Residential Block, two completely different elements:
-On the one hand, a matrix of the required varied typologies of apartments, combined and assembled together as in a Tetris puzzle.
-On the other, a Combination of Public Spaces, usually plugged into a core of communications and facilities.
Therefore, each one of the three typologies of Residential Blocks are the result of adding a Public Core into a dense mass of apartments. That Public Core act as a Urban Spine that gathers three systems: the circulation, the facilities and the urban spaces. It solves three architectural requirements: firstly, providing vertical and horizontal communication to reach each apartment; secondly, distributing power, heating and water supplies; and finally arranging a series of complementary public spaces that shelter urban programs. Moreover it also behaves structurally, becoming the main structural system for the building. Such a Public Core is conceived as an extension of the urban space, almost as a street that flows up to the building and transform the traditional conception of the housing block. The rest is just dwelling, apartments with an open scheme of configurations.
The Void of the urban realm is contrasted with the mass of the Dwelling spaces. And moreover, the dreariness of everyday life, implemented by the amusement of urbanity. The tension amid both delimits the framework for the project.
Furthermore, the introduction of a public realm into the domestic realm explores an architectural condition that is defined by the extreme weather conditions that many Russian cities experiment during the coldest months of the year: while exterior urban space is difficultly enjoyed by citizens, the interiors could be implemented by the development of urban uses within the architectural shelter. A performance of urbanity within domesticity.
This project proposes a migration of some features of the exterior urban space into the interiors, sheltering from the cold weather and widening a huge range of possibilities for the users. Especially to the younger and elder ones, those who suffer more when, for instance, they cannot play longer in the streets when the weather is too tough or they cannot sit on the park. What if now the park is in the 5th floor of the block? What if now the playground is located on the 7th floor of a Tower? How would we experience such urban realm, designed in a more controlled and sophisticated way? The answers to theses questions rely on the architectural and urban designs of this project. On the social implications of their geometries. On the transformation of the conception of public space in the contemporary metropolis. And on the radical change of paradigm of such a city.
· the Catalogue of Apartments ·
{on how to define a sociological atlas of homes}
Our cities defined from the spaces where we live in. Both domestic and urban realms are the spatialization of our societies, of their citizens’ lives and of their social behavior. When defining the basic modules for living, a consideration to the huge variety of social profiles should be taken. Furthermore, the different types of users could not be classified according just to quantitative features but instead to qualitative means.
For that purpose, we have worked with models of users and groups of users. In order to later design a typology of standard dwelling that would adapt to each of their necessities. Both these Models of Users and the Architectural Typology that corresponds them are not just defined in terms of quantities (number of users, age range, square meters, number of specific rooms, services, etc) but in terms of conditions and qualities that define them as citizens of our society. For example, such a Qualification of our Users would establish different models according to the grade labor stability, to the grade of compromise of a partnership, to the grade of independence within a family, or even to the possibility of growth or shirk of a family. The qualities of these groups of users are the ones that construct the daily bases that establish the rules for the definition of our urban an domestic realms. Both together, construct our cities.
Hence, this proposal establishes a series of different Typologies of apartments that correspond to different models of users and groups of users. Each Typology materializes social features by means of architectural conditions: double floors with double entrance for independence, common spaces for socializing and sharing, bathrooms that become circulations, kitchens that behave as living rooms, etc. Those architectural conditions have been arranged in various combinations in order to achieve a contemporary, complex and real model for our societies requirements. And also for the upcoming needs, for those futurable situations that cannot be predicted but for which we can provide tools for adaptation.
All in all, a Catalogue of Apartments whose different possibilities of combination generate the heterogeneous and hybrid blocks that are a reflection of our society. The combination and relation between these typologies within the urban block are an x-ray of our societies.
The Typologies
· the Tower ·
{High Density with Central Core}
The Tower Typology is defined by its high density with a low footprint. Nevertheless, it includes a big range of different apartments as well as public facilities. With a range from 6 to 10 apartments per floor and a footprint that varies from 450 to 550 square meters, this typology reaches 12 to 15 floors.
The Tower’s main element, its Vertical Core, becomes a “Public Spine” that provides three different services:
1- On the one hand it articulates the circulation.
2- Secondly it gathers all the facilities of power, water and heating supplies
3- Finally it behaves almost as a urban space where public pieces are attached.
Therefore, it is almost a building within the building. It is a vertical urban street that provides all the necessary services for the dwelling. The central core, in the middle of the building, allows absolute freedom for the rest of the plan, that combines a diverse range of apartments on four orientations.
Moreover, this Public Spine behaves also as an structural core, acting as the main structure for the Tower Typology. This main structure is complemented by a secondary structure of thin pillars on facade, that are distributed on the plan according to the rhythm of the apartments. Such an open configuration allows that with the same scheme, different combinations of apartments can be arranged in plan, achieved extremely diverse possibilities for the users.
The section also permits many configurations. As the central core gives the plan a certain freedom, in section the apartments are distributed in a heterogeneous way, combining within the same tower big apartments with two floors, medium flats with double height in the living room and smaller studios for one or two people.
One of the main features of the Tower Typology is that the apartments are arranged in the four directions. On the one hand, it allows that all apartments have both natural light and ventilation. On the other, it allows the users to chose between different preferences in terms of orientation: southern warm light, eastern rising light, western beautiful light on the twilight, northern homogeneous light...
As from the central core the power, water and heating supply are distributed, the kitchen and toilets of each flat are designed in an inner position, permitting that theliving spaces would face outside. The users would be able to enjoy the privileged views, natural light and ventilation from each single room of their flats.
Ground Level:
The Ground Floor of the Tower Typology explores its public ethos and becomes a link between the urban space of the street and the urbanity of the vertical core from the Tower. Therefore, in the tower, the only elements that touch the ground are its vertical circulation elements (elevators and stairs) and the structure. The Ground Floor plan is very open, with a fluid conception of uses that colonize this space. Within such a scheme, thin and delicate partitions can be achieved to shelter some uses and programs. Some capsules that serve different facilities would be also distributed among the plan.
Vegetation, bike parking, access to the underground parking lots, etc. Are some of the main features that the Ground Level of the Tower Typology incorporates to develop a public conception of both its surrounding and lower spaces.
· the Gallery ·
{High Density with Side-Corridor}
The Gallery is defined by its medium density and long but thin footprint. It becomes a urban reference that allow big range of public services on the ground floor, creating a public urban dense urban framework when combined with other corridor blocks or any other typology.
The Gallery’s scheme is simple and efficient: while circulation, facilities and public spaces are gathered in one side (usually the north side), the apartments are arranged on the other side (usually the south).
It is equipped with a range from 10 to 16 apartments per floor and it occupies a footprint that varies from 450 to 550 square meters. This linear typology usually grows up to 5-9 floors.
Its main element is its Side-Corridor. It is not just a linear circulation space repeated every floor for the provision of access to every flat. On the contrary, it is a public space. It is almost a series of stacked streets, interlinked by the vertical circulation elements (stairs, elevators, ramps). It is also a facilities spine from which electricity, AC, Heating and water are distributed. Moreover, the corridor piece gathers a series of Urban Pockets, a series of Public Pieces that provide common rooms for different public programs: gyms, meeting rooms, playgrounds, sport rooms, music studios, workshops, classrooms or even small cinemas.
Therefore, the Gallery Piece provides three different services:
1-Firstly it provides access to each apartment through both vertical and horizontal circulation.
2- Secondly, it is a facilities spine from which heating, water supply and Power supply are provided.
3- Thirdly, it is a pure urban street to which public spaces are attached as plug-ins.
Those public scapes are distributed in each plan according to the requirements of the community. They “pop-up” as urban pockets colonizing the plan on both sides of the corridor. Sometimes as spaces that are injected into the apartments’ side, some other times as capsules that cantilever to the north side.
The corridor is a piece that remains clear as a linear space, while vertical cores for circulation such as stairs or elevators are attached to it on its exterior side. This is very convenient for a continuous ventilation of the common space as well as for the isolation of stairs for fire regulation purposes. Moreover, such a scheme allows vertical that elements for the distribution of power, water and heating, are plugged into the corridor exterior side. Being accessible from the outside for inspections and fixing.
Usually facing the southern side, the apartments in this Typology are designed in a way that allows almost infinite combinations. While they always have the access and services in the side of the corridor, the opposite side, that gathers the rooms and bedrooms, faces outside providing natural light, views and ventilation. The two lateral sides are closed to the neighbor.
This scheme permits that any apartment can be placed in any position within a plan. Therefore, the configuration of the plan of the Corridor Block could vary from a very homogeneous plan that has a repetition of the same apartments, to a very complex and diverse one with many combinations of: double flats, penthouses, studios, big families flats, single lofts or shared students’ apartments.
In section they have huge rage of variety as well. Double floor flats that are accessible either from the top or bottom floor, or even from both, for optimum service for the users’ requirements. Some public spaces would also occupy two heights, transforming the section and generating an heterogenous experience of the public realm through the building.
Ground Level:
The lower level of the Corridor Typology is an extension of the urban space from the street. While being permeable in both directions, it concentrates facilities that serve the citizens that live in the corridor and the neighborhood. The plan is quite very open, as the only elements that touch the ground are the vertical cores for circulation (stairs & elevators) and the secondary structure along the perimeter. This fluid organization permits that different urban programs can be distributed freely on the plan. It also allows that the sizes, geometries and materials that define the accesses’ lobbies would be configurable according to the requirements in different emplacement: from very small halls that leave the rest of the plan free for bike parking and public space; to bigger Lobbies that generate a semi-public space that is sheltered from the extreme outside weather conditions.
Direct access to underground parking could be also made from this public level.
· The Block Section ·
{Block Section with Central Access}
The Block Section arises as a combination of the features of the corridor and the tower. On the one hand, it has the linear arrangement of apartments from the Gallery. On the other, it has a central core from the Tower, which distributes the circulation, facilities and public spaces. When combined, they generate a Typology that has a balance between high and low density. Moreover, this Typology allows difference sequences within a block, placing each Block Section one after the other to generate a hollow block that has a public square in its centre.
The Block Section could vary in terms of the requirement within each block, gathering a series of 8 to 14 apartments per floor and occupying a footprint that varies from 450 to 550 square meters. This typology that is based on the combination of different pieces to establish a whole block usually rises up to 5-8 floors.
Furthermore its central core is a hybrid of the Public Spine from the tower and the Urban Street from the Gallery. As it has a clear system of vertical circulation to reach each floor that is counterpointed by a central short corridor that not just distributes the access to each apartment but also generates a urban space to which pieces dedicated to public uses are attached. Hence, the Block Section arises as a gathering of the ethos of the previous typologies, optimizing their features in a combination that generate bigger urban pieces for a nigh dense model.
Based on the same principles as its original types, the vertical core incorporates three systems: one structural, one of the circulation of people and one for the distribution of facilities. A secondary structure appears in both facades, serving as support and following the rhythm dictated by the distribution of the apartments in the plan.
The dwelling apartments are arranged along the longer sides of the block, having two possible orientations and always facing the outside. This system generates a hierarchy by which half of them face the exterior street and the other half face the public courtyard that is located within the block. These apartments are based on those from the corridor typology, with several particularities in regard to the Typology’s specific features. In essence, they concentrate the facilities and entrances next to the central core while positioning the main rooms and bedrooms on the exterior side. In this sense, optimum conditions for ventilation and natural light are achieved. The two apartments located in both extremes of each block section are slightly bigger, as the corridor that grows from the central core ends right before giving access to them.
