THIS PROJECT IS ABOUT PROVIDING AFFORDABLE LIVING SPACES AND CREATING A COMMUNITY BY USING A MANUFACTURED HOUSING MODULE THAT PLUGS INTO AN ON-SITE STRUCTURAL GRID WITH COMMUNITY AMENITIES. HOME USUALLY MEANT SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES BUT TO HOUSE PEOPLE IN FUTURE URBAN CONTEXTS, DENSITY AND INNOVATIVE CONSTRUCTION IS THE FUTURE.
THE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN WAS GENERATED BY THE DENSITY REQUIRED TO DEVELOP THE SITE, THE CONSTRUCTION METHOD, AND THE CONFLUENCE OF LIGHT, AIR, SAFETY AND THE INTERACTION OF THE ULTIMATE USERS. THE EMPHASIS WAS ON OUTDOOR GREEN AREAS AND THE ANIMATION OF THE EXTERIOR FAÇADE WITH A RICHNESS OF MATERIALS AND COLOR AND A CONSTRUCTION METHOD OF PRODUCING SMALL, AFFORDABLE SPACES.
WE CHOSE A LOW TO MID-RISE HEIGHT FOR THE SCALE AND THE MASSING POSSIBILITIES. INFILL SITES USUALLY LACK SETBACKS, SO THE PROJECT DESIGN FILLED THE SITE TO MAXIMIZE RESIDENTIAL SQUARE FOOTAGE. TO COMPENSATE FOR DIMINISHED OPEN SPACE AT THE GROUND LEVEL, THE ROOF HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AS AN OUTDOOR PATIO AND ROOF GARDEN AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACE WITH BRIDGES CONNECTING THE 3 BUILDINGS. ABOVE THIS ROOF GARDEN IS A SHADING DEVICE THAT HOLDS BOTH SOLAR THERMAL AND ELECTRIC PANELS AS WELL AS A RAINWATER CAPTURE SYSTEM RUNNING THE LENGTH OF THE ROOF.
THIS PROPOSAL UTILIZES A COMMUNITY ROOF GARDEN AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION SPACE FOR STUDENTS, GROUPS AND. THE ROOF AND CONNECTING BRIDGES GIVES VIEWS BACK ALONG ANY CITY CORRIDOR. THESE AREAS INCLUDE PRIVATE SEATING AREAS WITH INTEGRAL SHADING, SMALL AND LARGE GREEN AREAS OF PLANTINGS AND TREES, SEATING AND DOG RUNS. BECAUSE OF THE SHAPE OF THE SITE, THE ROOF GATHERS SPACES THAT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO ARTICULATE ON SMALL SITES AND COMBINES THEM INTO A USABLE PUBLIC SPACE SPANNING ALL THREE BUILDINGS. VERTICAL GARDENS ALSO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE OPEN SPACE BETWEEN THE BUILDINGS BELOW THE BRIDGE AND ALLOW FOR ONSITE AGRICULTURAL HARVESTING .
INSTEAD OF GROUND FLOOR RETAIL, THE STREET LEVEL SPACES ARE FOR COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS, CHILDCARE & EXHIBITION AND ART STUDIOS FOR RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY USE. PARKLETS, SIDEWALK SEATING & PREFERRED PARKING FOR FOOD TRUCKS ENCOURAGE THE RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY TO INTERACT. THESE SPACES ARE SMALL IN COMPARISON TO OTHER BLOCKS AND LEND AN INTIMATE SCALE AND INTERACTION COMPATIBLE WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD. .