a+u 2009:08 Collective Housing
Content
Cover: Brunnenhof Housing Complex – Apartments for Large Families by Gigon / Guyer. Photo: Georg Aemi.
Feature: Collective Housing
Currents:
BIG Wins International Competition to Design Tallinn’s New City Hall in Estonia
OMA and URBANUS Collaborate on the Masterplanfor Shenzhen Crystal Island Competition
O’Donnell + Tuomey Architects to Design Student Center in London
Feature:
Collective Housing
In this issue’s essay, Ramias Steinmann argues that collective housing has always responded architecturally to the changes of society, economy and culture. At the same time, he pointed out that, after 1980s’, collective housing has failed to find themes which are shared and pursued by architects. Now, as the first decade of the new milenium is closing, it is time for us to begin to think about what the themes of contemporay collective housing could be. This issue includes 15 collective housing projects from Europe, America, and Asia, completed in recent years. The locations of the projects varies from metropolis like Paris and New York to the midst of a Chinese forest. Each site has unique characters, they are financed differently (government or private) and have varied demographics, all these factors affect each project differently in their form, volume and site plannning. In other words, they exhibit a unique composition in their own contexts. At the same time, from the design of details such as the exterior cladding or the openings, one can recognize the presence of the architects’ intention to control the immediate surrounding of the project architecturally. Although it might be difficult to identify a common theme shared by architects as Steinmann argues, there is a possibility that an emerging theme will arise from the individuality of works which stand between the scale of the dwelling and that of the urban.(
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Essay:
A Matter of Selection Ramias Steinemann David Chipperfield Ninetree Village Jakob + MacFarlane 100 Social Apartments Gigon / Guyer Brunnenhof Housing Complex – Apartments for Large Families Residential Housing, Diggelmannstrasse Bernard Tschumi Architectes Blue Jean Nouvel 40 Mercer Residences OMA 23 East 22nd Street John Pawson 50 Gramercy Park North dosmasuno arquitectos 102 Apartments in Carabanchel Belzunce, Diaz-Mauriño and Ga Millán + De Lapuerta andBurgos Urban Planning and Social Housing in La Mina del Morro Mei Architecten en stedenbouwers Schiecentrale Phase 4B Meyer en Van Schooten Architecten, Heren 5 Architecten, Cie. La Grande Cour WOHA Architects Newton Suites Toyo Ito Belle Vue Residences URBANUS Urban Tulou