monograph_one[living_box]

MONOGRAPH ONE [1] SELECTED ACADEMIC PROJECTS BY EMMANUEL PIERRE JORDAN GEE

diagramming[movement]: the body’s sequence

unfolded linear space

parti[interpretation]: conceptual “web of habitation”

P R O J E C T T I T L E :

THE LIVING BOX: AN INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION

C R I T I C :

VERA PARLAC

S T U D I O :

ARCH 331/431 FALL 2005

C L I E N T :

VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA [ACADEMIC]

P H A S E S :

3 DESIGN AND RESEARCH PHASES [BODY, TECHNOLOGY, SITE/SOCIO-CULTURAL

CONCEPT:

“ARCHITECTURAL SPACE IS NOT SOMETHING GIVEN, ARCHITECTURAL SPACE IS FOUND. IT IS CARVED OUT THROUGH ACTIVITY AND MOVEMENT, AND IN RESPONSE TO ITS CONTEXT [SITE]. BODY AT WORK, IN MOVEMENT, OR AT REST...ACTIVATES SPACE AND WEAVES AN INVISIBLE WEB OF HABITATION. THESE ELEMENTS FORM THE TERRITORY OF ARCHITECTURAL SPACE AND USES THE CONSTANT SHIFTING OF LIFE TO FORM THE POSSIBILITIES FOR OCCUPYING SPACE AND MATERIALIZING THIS OCCUPATION.” - PARLAC

PROGRAM:

AS SPECIFIED BY COMPETITION GUIDELINES THE PROGRAM IS FOR A LIVING UNIT CONSTRUCTED AS A PRE-ASSEMBLED BLOCK WITHIN THE DIMENSIONS OF A STANDARD SHIPPING CONTAINER AND MADE DISPENSABLE BY ROADS, RAILS, OR BY AIR.

S

:

THIS UNIT CAN BE MODIFIED FOR ANY SUITABLE SITE, BUT IT IS DESIGNED FOR A FIELD INSTALLATION AS A MASS NETWORK OF EMERGENCY HOUSING.

FOCUSES:

TO CREATE A SYSTEM OF PARTS WHICH WILL ALLOW AN INDIVIDUAL USER TO DICTATE HOW THE FUNCTIONS OF A LIVING SPACE WILL BE DETERMINED FOR HIS OR HER AESTHETIC REQUIREMENTS, WHILE DESIGNING A UNIT WHICH CAN BE FABRICATED AND SHIPPED IN MASS QUANTITIES FOR EMERGENCY HOUSING.

P R O J E C T SUMMARY:

THIS PRE-FAB LIVING UNIT IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW A MULTITUDE OF OPTIONS IN WHICH THE USER CAN DICTATE THE SHAPE AND FORM OF THE ENVELOPE WHILE ASSIGNING PROGRAMMATIC ELEMENTS WITHIN THE LIVING SPACE. AS INDIVIDUAL RIBS ARE ADJUSTED INTO SUBJECTIVE POSITIONS FOR THEIR INTERIOR PROGRAMMATIC USES, THE ENVELOPE BECOMES [RE]DEFINED.

I

T

E

FOR A PREFABRICATED LIVING UNIT

[PROJECT 1 _ NINE WEEKS]

CONTEXT]

hurricane katrina [victims]: a sudden mass of displaced environmental refugees

“Living doesn’t only mean “being on earth” but also "being under the sky””

M. Heidegger

INTRODUCTION

LIVING BOX

Inseparable relations link man to his space; but what does space represent and what turns a simple space into a “place”? Heidegger says “To live” the age we live in, compels man to face a series of social and cultural changing that let him rediscover the “multiplicity” of dimensions that characterizes his living. Fast transformations and incessant social-cultural flows of contemporary ages let, then, the formulation of a new concept of “living” being necessary: a new thought on man and “spaces” he wants to live in. Concept of “House” itself is no more connectable to traditional models synonymous of permanence and stability.

Contemporary house can easily result into a “temporary” home, emblem of mobility that characterizes our age.

The “Living Box” shall overcome the contrast between “stable” and “temporary,” as underlined by Le Corbusier - the great master of the Modern Movement, but mostly a punctual studious of new ways of living - necessarily emerges from temporary living. It will, then, answer to the need for an easy and fast change, being able at the same time, to state the presence of a man in a context. Subject of competition is the design of a prefabricated living unit for housing, transportable on wheel vehicle or by air, which can be used even as permanent house and which can be able to comply with contemporary lifestyle in terms of living comfort and architectural language.

Dimensions can be related (but it’s not compulsory) to standard dimensions of containers for commercial transportations that automatically comply with transportability problems and don’t need special vehicles. Final unit might be obtained by a single block or by assembling and connecting more than one block.

PHASE 1:

BODY AND THE INVISIBLE WEB OF HABITATION

“ARCHITECTURAL SPACE IS NOT SOMETHING GIVEN, ARCHITECTURAL SPACE IS FOUND. IT IS CARVED OUT THROUGH ACTIVITY AND MOVMENT, AND IN RESPONSE TO ITS CONTEXT [SITE]. BODY AT WORK, IN MOVEMENT, OR AT REST...ACTIVATES SPACE AND WEAVES AN INVISIBLE WEB OF HABITATION. THESE ELEMENTS FORM THE TERRITORY OF ARCHITECTURAL SPACE AND USES THE CONSTANT SHIFTING OF LIFE TO FORM THE POSSIBILITIES FOR OCCUPYING SPACE AND MATERIALIZING THIS OCCUPATION. WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PHYSICAL FORM OF SPACE [STANDARD ROOM] AND THE EVENTS THAT OCCUR IN THAT SPACE? THIS RELATIONSHIP IS OFTEN EPHEMERAL AND IMPRECISE. MOVEMENT TRAJECTORIES OF DAILY ACTIVITY COULD BE EASILY MAPPED BUT THE BOUNDARIES AND SURFACES DELINEATED BY MOVING BODIES ARE IMPRECISE, AND THIER VARIABILITY ESCAPES STANDARD MEASURING.” - PARLAC THE DEPARTURE POINT FOR THIS PROJECT WAS TO DEVELOP A SYSTEM OF MEASURMENT, WHERE YOU COULD MAP THE TRAJECTORY OF MOVEMENT, IT’S BOUNDARIES, AND THE SURFACES OF THOSE ACTIVITIES. THE INFORMATION GATHERED WAS THEN INTERPRETED INTO A SERIES OF SEQUENCE STUDIES.

Étienne - Jules

Marey

-

”Pelican

in

Flight,”

1882;

“Cinematographic

Analysis

of

the

March,”

1880

activity mapping[cooking]: the maneuvering of joints and muscles through film and notation

diagramming[movement]: the body’s sequence

unfolded linear space

parti[interpretation]: conceptual “web of habitation”

transformation[study#1]: translating “web of habitation� studies into [micro] & [macro] programs

transformation[study#2]: preliminary conceptual sequencing developing a user activated envelope with integrated programs for the body

PHASE 2:

TECHNOLOGY & THE DYNAMIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BODY AND TOOL

“AS TECHNOLOGY IS PROFOUNDLY SHAPING THE WAY WE RELATE TO THE WORLD, AN ARCHITECTS SENSIBILITY IS CHANGING WITH IT. WE BEGIN TO SEE A WORLD AS A MULTIPLICITY OF INTERCONNECTED FIELDS AND NON-HIERARCHICAL ORGANIZATIONS, AND AS OUR VISION EXPANDS, THE PURITY OF A HIGH TECH AESTHETIC BECOMES INCREASINGLY COMPROMISED. NEW MATERIALS AND PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES SUGGEST NEW POSSIBILITIES. THIS PHASE IS THE CONTINUATION OF PHASE 1, WHILE EXPLORING MATERIALS AND PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES IN ORDER TO ADDRESS A DYNAMIC RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BODY AND A TOOL, (AN INTERFACE BETWEEN BODY AND TECHNOLOGY” - PARLAC PHASE 2 BEGINS WITH TRANSFORMING THE SEQUENCE & TRANSFORMATION STUDIES INTO A SYSTEM OF TECHNOLOGIES, WHICH SHAPES THE SPACE, FUNCTIONS, & PROGRAMS FOR THE USER. PRODUCTION STUDIES OF HIGH DENSITY POLY-CARBONATE INJECTION MOLDING, LATEX SKINS, PHOTOVOLTAICS, & JOINT SYSTEMS WERE REFERENCED AND INTEGRATED DURING THIS PHASE.

development stage[study#1]: container mechanics & user activated envelope study In this stage the development of the envelope began with the sequencing of independent ribs, which could be modified by users as a way to define moments where the body could inhabit space. This sketch study investigated the standard shipping container and the mechanics for a complete pre-fabricated element which could unfold on site by the user. Investigations into hydraulics and hinge systems were a focus.

development stage[study#2]: model study of interconnected ribs and an elastic envelope

development stage[study#3]: container mechanics & user activated envelope study This is a second sketch study investigating user activated programs developed through the placement of the folding ribs. The ribs here begin to show a system of 25 modules which would interlock to formulate each individual rib.

The ribs are inter-connected by a dual layer latex membrane as an insulated elastic envelope. In addition, a sub-flooring compartment un-folds to create a work / sleep environment and reveals a draining system for the shower.

steel and/or photovoltaic weathering plate poly-carbonate injection molded rib module

steel locking pin

poly-carbonate injection molded end module

steel locking plate for track system

mechanical[detail#1]: poly-carbonate injection molded rib modules

16’ - 6” 12’ - 11”

7’ - 4”

technical[plan studies]: roof plan with rib modulation diagram & interior program component plan This deployable living unit is consisted of a standard corrugated steel shipping container, which is modified to retract a floor system. The floor system is primarily made of a structural poly-carbonate shell with translucent resin panels, a track system for the user activated envelope, and a floor rib system with a sub compartment for the shower drainage.

Attached to the main “container” are the primary facilities of the unit, including a toilet and kitchen system. All drainage and electrical lines are routed through a main utility line within the sub flooring of the main “container.” The utility line is the only pre-installed infrastructure, allowing each individual unit to be “plugged-in” and ready to go.

shower pan hydraulic arm translucent resin panels mechanical track system floor panels [bed / table] utility lines home facilities & components -mini refrigerator -oven -8 cabinet drawers -sink & toilet























 













 



















 











  

















 





















mechanical[detail#2]: folding arm sequence - extract and install user activated envelope

interior floor rib [floor bed table] system

steel locking plate for track system

steel track system for all mechanical ribs

mechanical[detail#3]: interior floor rib and track system

concept[sketch]: deployed ribs

mechanical[detail#4]: retractable shower system

PHASE 3:

SITE / SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT

“AS LIVES BECOME MORE TRANSIENT, THE CONCIOUS LONGING FOR PLACE SHARPENS. MANY FACTORS OF MODERN LIFE HAVE TRANSFORMED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE “SITE” OF ARCHITECTURE. FAST PACE OF CONTEMPORARY LIVING, TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIO-CULTURAL FLOWS CHALLENGE THE TRADITIONAL MODE OF LIVING. STABILITY AND PERMANENCE THAT GROUND THE “HOUSE” AND PROVIDES A SENSE OF SECURITY ARE SHIFTING. SWIFTLY MOVING WORK FORCE FURTHER CHALLENGES THESE NOTIONS. A CHANGE, AN EXCHANGE, A FLOW ARE BECOMING MODES OF OPERATION. IN THIS COMPLEX CONTEMPORARY CONTEXT THE EMPHASIS IS ON A “PLACE,” AS IT IS IN ITS DYNAMIC RELATIONSHIP TO THE WORLD.” - PARLAC PHASE 3 WAS A CONTINUATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT PHASE 2, WITH THE INTEGRATION OF SITE AND SOCIETY. DUE TO THE EXTEREME NATURE OF NATURAL DISASTERS AND THE UNFORTUNATE OCCURENCES DURING HURRICANE KATRINA, THIS PROJECTS MAIN CONCEPT AND PHILOSOPHY HAD SITE AND ITS SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT IN MIND THROUGHOUT THE DEVELOPMENTAL PHASES. THE USER OR ENVIRONMENTAL REFUGEES WERE DISPLACED INDIVIDUALS IN THE THOUSANDS WHO WERE A CONSTANT FACTOR AND DESIGN PROBLEM TO INTEGRATE WITHIN THE PROGRAMMATIC RESPONSES THE UNIT HAD. AS THE NEED FOR TEMPORARY HOUSING INCREASED, SITE LOST ITS FUNDAMENTAL IDEA OF “PLACE” WITHIN THE LARGER CONTEXT AND BECAME THE ELEMENT OF “PLACE AS HOME.” HOW EACH USER DEFINED HIS OR HER SPACE, ALLOWED FOR A CONTROLLED UNIQUE PERSONAL ENVIRONMENT WITHIN THE PRE-FABRICATED MODULAR HOUSING UNIT. SITING THEN BECAME A TEMPORAL CONDITION, WHERE AVAILABLE LAND COULD BE TRANSFORMED INTO A TEMPORARY HOUSING FIELDS.