SEP 2015
NORWAY
RESEARCH SEMINAR
SIQI FAN
SKJETTEN HOUSING
4402235
CONTENTS
0. INTRODUCTION 1. THE PLOT 1.1 PLOT TYPES 1.2 PLOT REGULATIONS
2. ADAPTATION: DWELLING TYPES 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4
DWELLING TYPES CHART DWELLING TYPES DWELLING PROPERTIES FACADE VARIATIONS
3. ADAPTATION: DWELLING EXTENSIONS 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4
EXTENSION ELEMENTS TYPICAL DWELLING EXTENSIONS DWELLING PROPERTIES FACADE COMPARISON
4. MULTIPLICATION: HOUSING AGGREGATION 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4
MULTIPLICATION RULE AGGREGATION RULE FLIPPING DWELLINGS HOUSING BLOCK: BEFOR AND AFTER EXTENSIONS 4.5 LIFE AS SOURCE OF DIVERSITY
5. MULTIPLICATION: URBAN PLAN 5.1 URBAN DEMONTAGE 5.2 STEPS OF URBAN PLANNING
BIBLIOGRAPHY
SKJETTEN HOUSING PROJECT DATA Location: Skjetten, Skedsmo, Norway Construction Year: 1969-1973 Architect: Skjettenprosjektering IS v/ professor Nils-Ole Lund and Hultberg, Resen, Throne-Holst Client: Skedsmo Tomteselskap AS General Contractor: Veidekke Number of Dwellings: 1050 townhouses and 600 flats. Area: 95 hectares Plot Ratio: 0.2
0. INTRODUCTION Skjetten housing project is 20km from Oslo, which covers 95 hectares. Started with a competition in 1965 and completed in 1974, the project is a reflection of the ideology and design methods of its time, which is still inspiring to architects nowadays. The project started with dividing plots on the site, and giving each family a standardized plot. The plot would serve as a start point for every family to choose its own housing type based on its needs, regulated by the dimension and grid of the plot while guided by a "residents' manual" which describes on every scale a certain way of building. Aimed at housing more than 6,000 residents, the project tried to avoid dull repetitions of housing units, but rather, setting a framework, leaving the residents with lots of freedom that turned out to be sufficient in making a diversified urban scape. Residents could make changes on their plots after the project was officially finished, However, we should say that the project is never completed, as it keeps developing through the years with the residents' own hands. Through decades, the project have more or less proved the architects' ideas. Both the community and the housing work well.
1. THE PLOT
The plot for each family serves as the intrinsic ingredient of the project. Each plot is long and narrow, while the width stay the same (6.3m), the length varies a bit according to the different entrance orientations. Plots with both north and south accesses are 24.4m long. Plots with only north accesses have a length of 25.3m. Plots with only south accesses are the longest, 28.1m. Each plot has a core, a center, which is specifically sized. It contains a staircase and a service unit, which would be the toilet or bathroom. Adjacent to the service unit, the 4.2m x 4.2m space is basic for each family, and most of the times serves as the center of space. Though there are different plot sizes, the modules complementing the core are the same: most of them are 3m x 3m, a few are 2.1m x 3m.
1.1 PLOT TYPES
Type NS
Type N
Type S
25.3m
28.3m
Type N
Type S
Type NS 24.4m
Plot Width: 6.3m
Plot Sizes
The grid is not only spatial but also structural. Between each 3m x 3m or 2.1m x 3m module, there is a structure line of 0.1m width. This is where columns, beams and structural walls are placed. The main structure is mad of wood. Laminated wood columns are anchor points for partition walls. In the center where the columns might stand freely, a laminated beam goes through and connects. The stair-limiting walls act as the stiffening element. The cast concrete foundations use a ring method, creating a base plate which has edge drainage and insulation underneath. Residents are allowed to build maximum two stories. The ground floor can take up the whole plot (though nobody did so). The first floor is limited to no more than one module adjacent to the core. Thus, proper sunlight is ensured, preventing each plot's sunlight being obstructed by the neighbours.
1.2 PLOT REGULATIONS
Structure Frame
Buildable Area Minimum
Maximum Core and Module Service Core
0 10
0 10
0 10
0 10
0 10
0 42 0 10
0 0 0
30 0 10
10
0 0 30 0 0 21 0
0
00
10
10
30
0
0
0
10
30
00
0
30
10
0
.2M ×4 4 8 . 1 .2× 4.2 M
3× 3M
M .1 0
10
: E R U T C U R T S
0
30
0
0
30
0
0
30
0
0
30
0
0
Space Core
2. ADAPTATION: DWELLING TYPES
It is amazing how this framework given by the plot could create different housing types. There are differences in the area being built, different choices in how to place the modules, and finally the interior partitions are flexible due to the column and beam system. It was firstly chosen by the architects 10-15 "best" plans, but residents continued to come up with new good ones that are not within the list of model plans. Housing types can be different in various aspects: where the bedrooms and livingrooms are organized; whether it is suitable to provide renting rooms; whether there are balconies or not; whether there is a double-height space in the house or not; whether there is a greenhouse or not, etc. The next four housing types are chosen so that each of them has unique aspect(s). They are sized from 77m2 to more than 100m2. Though houses are planned differently, the space for circulations are mainly the same, next to the service core.
2.1 DWELLING TYPES CHART
62 FRUH ٩٩
68 FRUH ٩٩٩
77 FRUH ٩٩٩٩
86 FRUH ٩٩٩٩٩
95 FRUH ٩٩٩٩٩٩
104 FRUH ٩٩٩٩٩٩٩
115 FRUH ٩٩٩٩٩٩٩٩
Type1: 77 m2 core + ■■■■
Living & Dining Bedroom Service Area Circulation
2.2 DWELLING TYPES
Type2: 86 m2 core + ■■■■■
Type3: 95 m2 core + ■■■■■■
2.2 DWELLING TYPES
Type4: 113 m2 core + ■■■■■■■■
2.3 DWELLING PROPERTIES
Floor level L.K: 1 B: 0 Balcony size 2 units
Floor level L.K: 0 B: 1 Balcony size 2 units
Floor level L.K: 0,1 B: 0,1 Balcony size 2 units
Floor level L.K: 0,1 B: 0,1 Balcony size 0 unit
2.4 FACADE VARATIONS
546 45
0
1m
546 45
2m
45
5m
45 45 45
255 255
Facade module system
3. ADAPTATION: DWELLING EXTENSIONS
In the later years after the first completion of the dwellings, residents made lots of extensions according to their own will. Extensions are based on the grid given by the plot. The diffenrence between this kind of extensions and the "informal" dwellings is that it is clearly guided and regulated, thus avoiding unexpected chaos while retaining variety. In the four houses that we are studying, extensions include: adding fences, adding sheds, adding terraces, adding rooms on the first floor where there is already a ground floor, adding rooms on the ground floor, adding extra rooms that are not adjacent to the main structure serving as storage, greenhouse or playroom.
3.1 EXTENSION ELEMENTS
Type1: 77 m2 core + ■■■■
Type1: 95 m2 core + ■■■■ +
3.2 TYPICAL DWELLING EXTENSIONS
Type2: 86 m2 core + ■■■■■
Type2: 113 m2 core + ■■■■ +
Type3: 95 m2 core + ■■■■■
Type3: 104 m2 core + ■■■■
3.2 TYPICAL DWELLING EXTENSIONS
2 Type4: 113 m core + ■■■■■■■■
Type4: 149 m 2 core + ■■■■■■■■ ■■■■ + ■■■■
3.3 DWELLING PROPERTIES
Before
After
3.4 FACADE COMPARISON
Before
After
0
1m
2m
5m
4. MULTIPLICATION: HOUSING AGGREGATION
This chapter is to discuss how plots multiply to form bigger areas. In Skjetten project, no plot could exist alone. It always has to be attached to another plot which is a mirror of it. The reason is that two plots share a prefacbricated plumbing unit, located in between two households. No two plots exist alone as well - the minimum block is four plots, which is the minimum for having proper neighbours and for organizing the community. For plots with north and south accesses, there are roads on both sides. Plots with only north or south access are placed this way: a row of N plots together with a row of S plots, with no road in between N and S plots. Sometimes, east-west plots are also introduced for further diversity. In this case, this E/W plot is placed together with the row of N and S plots, forming a small aggregation. The way how these rules would be applied to the urban scale will be explained in the next chapter.
4.1 MULTIPLICATION RULE
... ... ... ...
MIN
1
2
4
4.2 AGGREGATION RULE
Type NS
Type a. NS
Type N
Type S
Type b. N + S
Type c. N + S + E/W
4.3 FLIPING DWELLING
Before
4.4 HOUSING BLOCK: BEFOR AND AFTER EXTENSIONS
After
4.5 LIFE AS SOURCE OF DIVERSITY
5. MULTIPLICATION: URBAN PLAN
With the rules for the plots set, now we come to the next level of multiplication: the urban scale. As we have discussed, each plot has the same width, and small plot aggregations have given dimensions in N-S axis. To start, architects placed a grid on the terrain that they would build. Natural terrain boundary helps to define the area, limiting the implementation of the grid. Pedestrian roads are placed along horizantal grids, connected by a vehicle road in the middle. Parking lots are placed along the vehicle road, leaving other roads vehicle free. Plots are placed according the grid and roads. To provide for more outdoor space, some plots are deleted so that they remain open to everyone, serving as playgrounds. One big playground is placed in the northwest corner of the area together with a school. Along the east side two care centers have been built. The urban plan is very rational, while adapting well to the site to create a good community.
5.1 URBAN DEMONTAGE
PLAYGROUNDS
DWELLINGS AND PUBLIC BUILDGNS
HOUSING PLOTS
TRAFFICE SYSTEM
5.2 STEPS OF URBAN PLANNING 1. GRID ON THE TERRAIN
TOPOGRAPHIC BOUNDRARY VEHICLE ROAD HORIZONTAL GRID VERTICAL GRID
2. TRAFFIC BONE
PARKING VEHICLE ROAD WALKWAY
3. PLOTS
6.1 STEPS OF URBAN PLANNING 4. MODIFACATION
REMOVED PLOTS E/W PLOTS VEHICLE ROAD WALKWAY
5. BUILDINGS
6. PLOT TYPES
PUBLIC
PLOT NS
DWELLINGS
PLOT N
GARAGES
PLOT S PLOT E/W
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Skjetten, Norway. Af Nils-Ole Lund. Arkitekten (Copenhagen) vol. 75, no. 10/11, 1973 June 7, p. 185-195. Adaptable row housing in Norway. Architects: Nils-Ole Lund and Hultberg Resen ThroneHolst & Boguslawski. Architectural Design vol. 44, no. 10, 1974 Oct., p. 655-659. A comparison between the housing schemes in Skjetten and Tinggarden. Architect: for Skjetten Nils-Ole Lund. Arkitekten (Copenhagen) vol. 83, no. 4, 1981 Feb. 24, p. 84-85. Front cover. Google Earth Photo. Back cover. Google Earth image.