The design project ‘Pressing matters’ demonstrates research on path finding algorithmic data to form aggregation models for an architectural application on a housing project with an assembly system based on thermoforming as a main method of production. I examine lattice structural systems derived from the A* algorithm and incorporate morphological principles of unit modules on intimate, social and public scales. Instead of the current linear profit-seeking model, a circular incentive based housing procurement is proposed. This would be driven by a group of individuals with the help of an architect, which legally become capable of administrating government’s funds for affordable housing. By displacing the private from the centre of the procurement model, the users, as a public entity - are proposed to be in charge of orchestrating a system of private and public investments. This is achieved with the help of architects to define spatial uses and the built environment through a developed kit of parts. By reducing construction costs, the non-profit driver (users) can attract businesses and private investments - charging them a tax of 20% of their profits, using this money to eventually expand their accommodation dimensions.
PRESSING MATTERS Milot Pireva
Milot Pireva MArch Unit 19
MArch Architecture The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL
PRESSING MATTERS
Milot Pireva MArch Architecture The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL
Design Tutors: Mollie Claypool, Jeroen Van Ameijde Thesis Tutor: Francesca Hughes
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Background
Called by some ‘the poverty of those with a roof’, which points to the substandard of those who are in possession of housing - but can’t really afford it. The affordable housing crisis is rooted in four interrelated issues: policy-making, standards, urban form, and type. There are a few different housing policies - with the government supporting local authorities through the provision of funding and also through the provision of a subsidy system to the end user. The way in which the subsidy works - where it is up to 40% in London and up to 20% in the rest of the UK at a rate of 1.6% interest payable after 5 years, is according to family incomes. It seems to cover a range from the low to midincome groups, where the lower end receives more subsidies. Seeking profit maximisation, an intermediary profit-seeking stakeholder, who can access government funds drives and coordinates the entire process of housing procurement. This is conceived as a linear money-flow model, which is very similar to a typical private enterprise. So, what the UK government has created are ownership policies, which aim to minimise its participation in both the housing procurement and the midto-long term maintenance of housing. Thus, the very idea underlying current housing policies is: once house ownership is achieved, the housing problem is resolved.
The second issue is the problem of standards. In order to achieve a large-scale provision of affordable housing through the current government funding levels, standards have been reduced to an idea of the minimum. Driven by private developers, profitability has to be ensured, and the land cost only becomes affordable by providing a substandard of the already minimum dwelling requirement. This means that the current standard is unable to affect other scales and spheres of the housing problem - block, neighbourhood, district, location and spatial proximity - in order to provide a better living quality. The idea of standard is rather defined as an isolated problem. The required standard is therefore achieved by the reduction of the dwellings built area and by relying on future extensions of the dwelling unit, which however is contingent to the inhabitants future economic success. From this substandard space logic emerges the third issue, the problem of urban form. Because of London’s limited build sites, city boundaries and growth limit - market regulation of land prices, recent affordable housing projects have only been possible in the periphery of the city, in isolated and impoverished semi-rural areas. The fourth and last related issue I want to address is that of type. Historically, there has been largescale construction of row housing in the UK post war. The relative success of row housing has prevented the possibility of a richer typological discussion, as Elementals projects show, lowincome housing has become a simplified scheme of previous row-housing solutions, with its repetition allowing a higher ownership rate. The proliferation of housing units, however, does neither consider the larger group-form nor the urban isolation it produces. By reorganising the current affordable housing logic (policy making, home-ownership, subsidy, standard / sub-standard, urban form / urban exclusion, type), I intend to propose a different housing model. New type solutions are explored to strengthen the relationship between housing and infrastructure, resulting in the reorganisation and reinforcement of local economies, being manifested through a new urban form.
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Concept
Design The design project ‘Pressing matters’ demonstrates research on path finding algorithmic data to form aggregation models for an architectural application on a housing project with an assembly system based on thermoforming as a main method of production. I examine lattice structural systems derived from the A* algorithm and incorporate morphological principles of unit modules on intimate, social and public scales.
Procurement Instead of the current linear profit-seeking model, a circular incentive based housing procurement is proposed. This would be driven by a group of individuals with the help of an architect, which legally become capable of administrating government’s funds for affordable housing. By displacing the private from the centre of the procurement model, the users, as a public entity - are proposed to be in charge of orchestrating a system of private and public investments. This is achieved with the help of architects to define spatial uses and the built environment through a developed kit of parts. By reducing construction costs, the non-profit driver (users) can attract businesses and private investments - charging them a tax of 20% of their profits, using this money to eventually expand their accommodation dimensions.
System After the optimised lattice structural model of the hexahedron is constructed, it is grouped into a number of looping clusters in order to achieve structural and functional qualities on a large scale from the independent systems of unit scale – with the intention of each cluster functioning as one or any combination of circulation, ventilation, occupiable space, utility, space separation and visual connection.
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Location East London has always found itself containing many of the components that could drive it towards being as developed as its central and western counterparts. In Hackney central, housing is bereft of services, amenities and workspaces that help economically support the community, as is evident in many of the housing types in the area (Pembury estate being one) which act as a mere provision. In order to achieve a large scale ambition for Hackney central as a productive city region, we begin to foresee change in the form of strategic interventions on a key site that can with time, organically propel development around itself, starting at the site specific scale. If these production areas are envisioned as hubs in a value chain spun across a spatial network in key areas over the region of East London, (along the Overground) we could begin to conceptualise the idea of a productive peripheral city region. In order to test this hypothesis, I will be using Hackney central as a testing ground for the idea of a production based living, where we can analyse and understand how everyday relationships will inform new synergies between business and residential life in spatial sequences.
Orientation One unit is constructed within the lattice form and consequently, the clusters within the A* model are capable of creating different configurations depending on circumstances by rotating, mirroring or duplicating units as a rule of minimal surface aggregation derived from the vacuum formed elements. The various configurations allow the units within each cluster to perform a range of different functions, in a range of different directions. The optimised algorithmic system is used as a generative design language. The geometry of the hexahedron was a result of the lattice structural system in the A* aggregation. The relationship between the hexahedron units brings about a geometry of 4 outlets (circulation connection points) and 6 surfaces, allowing them to connect in multiple directions. The generated form is shaped as a collection of multi-oriented units that can adapt to diverse directionality of evolvement. The outcomes of these aggregations represent a continuity of surface on an aesthetic level, as well as the connectivity of volumetric spaces on a spatial level.
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Elemental Due to the fact that 50% of each unit’s volume will eventually be self-built, the building had to be porous enough to allow each unit to expand within its structure. The initial building must therefore provide a supporting, (rather than a constraining) framework in order to avoid any negative effects of self-constructionon the urban environment over time, but also to facilitate the expansion process � The budget for the project was US$7500 per dwelling, this begs the questions whether or not the budget was a reason for the design of the elemetal house being only 50% complete - it would on average take another US$1000 to complete the 50% infill by the residents. 10
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Nakagin Capsule Tower A total of 140 capsules are stacked and rotated at varying angles around a central core, standing 14-stories high. The technology developed by Kurokawa allowed each unit to be installed to the concrete core with only 4 high-tension bolts, which keeps the units replaceable. Each capsule measures 4 x 2.5 meters, permitting enough room for one person to live comfortably. The interior space of each module can be manipulated by connecting the capsule to other capsules. 12
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Policy Making There are a few different housing policies - with the government supporting local authorities through the provision of funding and also through the provision of a subsidy system to the end user. The way in which the subsidy works - where it is up to 40% in London and up to 20% in the rest of the UK at a rate of 1.6% interest payable after 5 years, is according to family incomes. It seems to cover a range from the low to mid-income groups, where the lower end receives more subsidies. Seeking profit maximisation, an intermediary profitseeking stakeholder, who can access government funds drives and coordinates the entire process of housing procurement. This is conceived as a linear money-flow model which is very similar to a typical private enterprise. So, what the Uk government has created iare ownership policies which aim to minimise its participation in both the housing procurement and the mid-to-long term maintenance of housing. Thus, the very idea underlying current housing policies is: once house ownership is achieved, the social housing problem is resolved. 18
The second issue is the problem of standards. In order to achieve a large scale provision of social housing through the current government funding levels, standards have been reduced to an idea of the minimum. Driven by private developers, profitability has to be ensured, and the land cost only becomes affordable by providing a substandard of the already minimum dwelling requirement. This means that the current standard is unable to affect other scales and spheres of the housing problem - block, neighbourhood, district, location and spatial proximity - in order to provide a better living quality. The idea of standard is rather defined as an isolated problem. The required standard is therefore achieved by the reduction of the dwellings built area and by relying on future extensions of the dwelling unit, which however is contingent to the inhabitants future economic success.
From this substandard space logic emerges the third issue, the problem of urban form. Because of londons limited build sites, city boundaries and growth limit market regulation of land prices, recent social housing projects have only been possible in the periphery of the city, in isolated and impoverished semi-rural areas. The current standard of social housing fails to provide adequate conditions for most owners; they are deprived of access to primary infrastructure and are very far or completely disconnected from the city core, which is the largest source of employment, services, and opportunities owing to the centralisation of the city. Due to this, Londons urban form has undergone a shift from a smaller compact city post war, to a large and almost disjointed city now. As a consequence, low income groups have been excluded from the city, deeply affecting their opportunities . It has resulted in extremely long commuting times every day, In terms of infrastructure, The large-scale transport system is very expensive and hinders the possibilities of mobility for low-income individuals.
Through the outlined problems, it is evident that the relationship between social housing and urban centralities becomes fundamental rethinking a new design solution. Compulsory daily commuting trends from the city outskirts to the core need to change in order to create a system of urban proximities, directly affecting the life quality of low-income groups. A new idea of the city has to be achieved through a system of centralities. I would like to explore two main problems: How can social housing settlements become centralities and what kind of proximity and relationship to the city centre should they have? What kind of procurement process and housing types would overcome the limitations of the current row-house model? By reorganising the current social housing logic (policy making, home-ownership, subsidy, standard / substandard, urban form / urban exclusion, type), I intend to propose a different housing model. New type solutions will be explored to strengthen the relationship between social housing and infrastructure, resulting in the reorganisation and reinforcement of local economies, being manifested through a new urban form. This will reconceptualise the standards of social housing in different scales. 19
The fourth and last related issue I want to address is that of type. Drawing inspiration from one of the precedent studies, Elemental Architects have attempted the relocation of low income groups in peripheral inner city plits. To achieve this goal, the idea of type has been limited to a sub-standard row-housing confuguration as the only typology seemingly capable to deal with the high plot costs and low budget. Historically, there has been large scale construction of row housing in the Uk post war. The relative success of rowhousing has prevented the possibility of a richer typological discussion, as Elementals projects show, low-income housing has become a simplified scheme of previous row-housing solutions, with its repitition allowing a higher ownership rate. The proliferation of housing units, however, does neither consider the larger grou-form nor the urban isolation it produces. 20
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Instead of the current linear profit-seeking model, a circular incentive based housing procurement is proposed. This would be driven A group of individuals with the help of an architect, which legally become capable of administrating governments funds for social housing. By displacing the private from the centre of the procurement model, the users, as a public entity - is proposed to be in charge of orchestrating a system of private and public investments. This is achieved with the help of Architects to define land uses and the built environment through the kit of parts developed. It is proposed to create a system of radical increases of densities in construction coefficients in order to fund the needed social housing standards. 22
By reducing construction costs, the non-profit driver ( users) can attract businesses and private investments - charging them a tax of 20% of their profits, using this money to afford the social housing needed standards. 23
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Part Aggregation
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Louis Kahn
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Eden Project
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1. Column to ceiling 2. Different variation
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Bereft of any services, amenities or workspaces, the mono-functional introverted housing estates in Hackney central fail to angage in any way with the surroundings. The streets between the built forms as well as those surrounding these isolated clusters are starved of social vibrance. I want to create multi-functional environments, in a new housing prototype where it also augments job generation and product production. Having identified the potential that can be exploited through the upgrade of both Hackney downs and Hackney central stations. An ideas is proposed to move the actual station to centre of the new site - the new businesses ccan generate enough revenue to pay for the stations upgrade. The site I will locate my project on is the Tesco and its car park, Clapton bus depot and the arches that divide them. The first is the area just south of and adjoining the St Johns at Hackney churchgardens where a bus depot is located. The site is bounded by narrow way, to the west (a vibrant street lined with cafes, delis, shops and restaurants) and a residential neighbourhood with primary and secondary schools implanted in it to the east. The second is the Tesco building with its car park that sits across the arches. 71
In Central London the area between Marble Arch and Holborn through the Oxford street arms is replete with several layers of big and small transactions and relationships developed over time, and thus a unique system of overlapping areas is produced, which can no doubt be read as a continuous region. Similarly, if one were to look at the area around the London Overground line between Highbury and Islington and Stratford, as a future coherent region to be developed over time, we might start moving towards the idea of another productive centre within our cities fabric.
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East London has always found itself containing many of the components that could drive it towards being as developed as its central and western counterparts. With large amounts of taxpayers money and capital being invested in the olympics, 6 years later, there has not been as many strategic developments in the area as one would have initially thought. This scenario presents an opportunity to re-evaluate and exploit the high potential of this area.
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Ground Floor Workshop/rentable spaces with central walkway 86
First Floor Apartment units with balcony spaces 87
Ground Floor Workshop/rentable spaces with central walkway 88
First Floor Apartment units with balcony spaces 89
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PRESSING MATTERS
Milot Pireva MArch Architecture The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL
Design Tutors: Mollie Claypool, Jeroen Van Ameijde Thesis Tutor: Francesca Hughes
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