Our approach to this challenge is to understand the problem from a communal viewpoint - if we do it together, we will go a long way. Social architecture, beyond shelter - a place of nurture. There are four fundamental components to this approach: openings, footprint, water and accessibility.
Openings provide the opportunity to spill outside. Walls are panels, panels are windows, and windows are openings. This operability mediates the threshold between public and private. Panels can be opened for an afternoon banter or be closed at night for privacy.
Small footprint, lesser flood impact, smaller liability, less cost. A smaller footprint allows greater focus on the essential: better structural integrity, smaller surface area to protect from flood, and more garden for trees.
Including a concrete water tank is a deliberate design decision. Centrally located it allows access (by “poking” holes through the concrete) from the kitchen, the bathroom, and the outside. Water and concrete help cool the surroundings. Beyond usefulness, the water tank demonstrates positivity, dealing with water, getting wet - a metaphor for working “with” water, rather than “against”.
The ability of the house to be accessible for all is of pragmatic concern. Placement of DRY space on the ground floor, with direct access from the streets via ramps, provides a safe space for people with a disability.
Positivity, at the end, is our attitude when faced with constraints: environmental, site, budget. We work with what is available and utilise them to their fullest potential.
