Scalable Modular Architecture by JDP Architects

UIVERSITY WORKSHOP EXPLORING FUTURE TRANDS IN CONTEMORARY HOUSING

Index

Scalable Modular Architecture - Joseph di Pasquale

The point of view of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;clientâ&#x20AC;? - Alessandro Maggioni

Construction Technology - Alessandro Carrera

Building Physics - Fabrizio Leonforte

Story of Fast Architecture - Pier Alessio Rizzardi

Course Program

Bibliography

Photographic Report

Projects

Living in the air - Angelo Michele Pagano, Matteo Piras

Life Under the Bypass - Agnese Grigis, Marta Petteni

Plug-In Bridge - Aleksandra Makuch, Chiara Oggioni

106

Rail Housing - Zhelyazko Zhelyazkov Tom Porat

120

Scaffold Housing - Eugenia Bolla, Stefano Lardera

132

Rotating Housing - Giacomo Guazzolini, Pablo Munoz Montaner

146

+ House - Luka Milovanovic

156

House of Breeding - Shi Ying

166

Jenga tower - Ilaria Positano, Teresa Pontini

176

Archi-Scape - Yifan Zhang

186

Colorful Balcony - Cao Shicong, Meng Yao

198

The Symmetrical Home - Cai Gaoyu, Liu Mairui

212

Up! House - Li Gege, Yu Simin

222

House in Expansion - Aamir Ahmed Patel, Abhay Kaushik

230

Scalable Modular Architecture A dynamic housing for a changing society - by Joseph Di Pasquale

Do our houses really seem to belong to our contempo-

and mobility are just the everyday elements that we are

rary times?

accustomed to interact with in all our activities.

Do they have the same technological content of all the

For the last decade Real Estate ruled the entire pheno-

other tools that we use nowadays such as smartphones

menon of new urbanization, the room for innovation has

and the latest car models?

been really small and limited to ecology and energy-

The answer is deﬁnitively not! We are almost resigned

saving items. In other words the main efforts to inno-

to consider houses as something structurally different

vate housing has been concentrated on materials and

from modernity when compared to the other contem-

technologies connected to the production phase and

porary products. People probably think that what is ne-

the life cycle of a building, but very little has been done

cessary in a car or in a phone in terms of interface and

to revolutionize the house as a product from the consu-

ﬂexibility of use can not be asked for a house. There-

mer’s point of view. Is it enough for a consumer to just

fore our general approach perceiving the product “hou-

live in a house that needs fewer resources to be heated

se” is to consider it as something structurally old, as so-

and cooled? What about the consumer’s needs and ex-

mething that cannot be at the same level of modernity

pectations concerning the way this house ﬁts the con-

as all the other products that we use today.

temporary life conditions and social needs?

It has not always been like that in the past. For instan-

Our approach has been focused exactly in this direc-

ce in the twenties and thirties of the last century the

tion, to try and imagine a product “house” that is able

modern house was the symbol of modernity and pro-

to do something that actual houses cannot do: new fun-

gress. In those times the most important architects in

ctions, new possibilities, and a new level of involvement

the world were working and designing outstanding new

of the consumer in the personalization and conﬁgura-

images and projects of houses implementing the la-

tion of his own house.

test achievements of social, scientiﬁc and technologi-

We have considered the house as a hybrid scalable sy-

cal progress.

stem composed of two elements: the mother structure

They actually tried to imagine the housing of the future

that is the permanent infrastructure of the house, and

and they succeeded in it.

an industrialized and prefabricated modular system

We think that it is the moment for architects again to

that is inserted into the mother structure and is directly

think forward and imagine a new way to conceive and

conﬁgurable by the user. The modular house can be or-

live the house. Houses are many steps behind if compa-

dered and conﬁgured by the user directly on the inter-

red to the features of our contemporary life. Concepts

net. It can be installed, extended and reconﬁgured in

like modularity, scalability, reconﬁgurability, ﬂexibility,

the space of one day.

The combination of these two elements and the possibility for the user to manage the modular house, as allowed by the new technologies, form the core of the innovation that we have proposed to the students in the course. Scalability allows the user to extend their house to accord with the changes that occur in their life such as marriage, a new baby or a new activity or even when in grown children leave the house. It gives the possibility for part of the space to be rearranged and separated for leasing, becoming a source of revenue. This book describes how the workshop has been organized and collects the projects that the students developed during the semester. A brief overview has been given to the students concerning all the main samples of the ideas and innovations in both the ďŹ elds of prefabrication and modular housing, from the drawings of the plugged city and the capsule tower of Peter Cock to the Burkmister Fuller experimental buildings, to all the different efforts realized during the entire 20th century in this ďŹ eld.

Every student, or a group of maximum two students, has given an original interpretation of the theme, and the quality of the resulting design encourages more teaching efforts toward this kind of innovation.

1972 Kisho Kurokawaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo, photos from Beyond Metabolism: The New Japanese Architecture

The Point of view of the “client” Alessandro Maggioni

Alessandro Maggioni, 40-year-old architect, is the na-

2008, 2010 and three best participants of 2013).

tional president of the Federabitazione-Confcooperati-

We skimmed the top talents based on merit with the

ve. During the course he simulated the expectations of

objective of giving a real chance to young people who

a hypothetical client of the students’ work. For years

had distinguished themselves in the competition.

Maggioni has been working within the structures of cooperatives to promote the younger generations and re-

Is there a particular focus in the cooperative world to-

ward merit. Here is an interview on the subject of ar-

wards architecture?

chitectural quality and living which appeared in PPAN, published June 19, 2014, Paola Pierotti.

With this commitment alongside CityLife and the municipality we want to show as cooperative movement,

“Among Maggioni’s most recent activity to launch emer-

that we could be proactive in the world of design.

ging studies there is the support for CityLife and the

They asked for our support and we were glad to have

Municipality of Milan in the promotion of a private com-

involved the resources and brand of AAA ArchittetiCer-

petition launched in May 2014 for a preliminary design

casi.

of a public nursery school that will be built in the tran-

I want to bring innovation into Confcooperative throu-

sforming area of the old historical trade show district.

gh the young generations, and I want to be able to show

Competing were ﬁve architecture studios that won the

that investing in the quality of design can pleasantly

last editions of the AAA ArchittetiCercasi promoted by

balance the books.

the Federabitazione Lombardia-Confcooperative in partnership with Euromilano and Generali Real Estate.

In CityLife there they will build a nursery school in wood, the winning designers won twenty thousand euro

Within less than three months, the private, restricted

as an advance for the assignment, until what phase of

competition dedicated to young, emerging studios

the project will they be involved?

found a winner. How was this experience? There will be a discussion on this issue. Since we are Absolutely positive! With CityLife and the judges of the

dealing down paying budget, we will try to guide the

competition of AAA ArchittetiCercasi we decided on

process, also in collaboration with the Association of

whom to include.

Architects of Milan, in such a way that in the face of so

We chose to invite ﬁve studios that have won different

much enthusiasm we don’t succumb to any procedure

editions of the completion for under 35 (the winners of

that doesn’t endorse the signiﬁcance of the project.

re any interesting new architectural housing projects What actual opportunities do the young professionals

to take note of? Via Zoia which will be inaugurated on

who win the AAA ArchittetiCercasi have?

September 13. It was a venture of the Consorzio Cooperativa Lavora-

Two of the groups of previous winners have formed a

tori (Cooperative Workers Consortium) that counted

team. The winning team of 2014 has created a coope-

on the economic strength of members to create 46

rative of professionals, integrating their unusual skills;

apartments at 2100 euro / sq. meters of property for

another started an associated studio immediately after

sale, 44 apartments for rent, of which ﬁfteen are solely

the competition.

for social rent at 10 euro / sq. meters, and 10 others in

For me it seems like a great outcome; it demonstrates

an agreement to rent for 450 euro per month.

in practice that the demiurgic ﬁgure of the architect

All the houses are in class A. The crisis is taking its toll,

in control doesn’t exist anymore. Complex knowledge

the market is changing, what can you ask of architects?

must be organized and shared within collaborative re-

To get together; there is no room for individualism.

lationships.

We must subdivide skills and create strong groups within a system of specialization. Architects should

Among the winners there is also an architect that be-

also be more capable of proposing initiatives to entities

came the national advisor for Federabitazione, who

that are able to develop operations, starting from an ini-

have had a ﬁrst connection and was still involved in the

tial feasible concept.

project of the Village of Cascina Merlata in the Expo

Too many architects do not know where the world is

area on behalf of Euromilano.

going; they are not structured to understand the urban planning tools that diminished over time. Architects

From the neo-national president, are there some con-

should join together; there is no room for individuali-

crete proposals from his statement of intent?

sm. We must subdivide skills and create strong groups within a system of specialization. Architects should

With the crisis cooperatives are encountering strong na-

also be more capable of proposing initiatives to entities

tural selection: you have to wonder what our role is wi-

that are able to develop operations, starting from an ini-

thout mimicking the world of real estate development:

tial feasible concept. Too many architects do not know

we have an identity that is responding to the needs and

where the world is going; they are not structured to un-

we part from there.

derstand the urban planning tools that diminished over

Aside from the well-known case of Via Cenni, are the-

time.”

Scalable Structure Design Alessandro Carrera

The main purpose of our course is to develop a com-

also to the junctions between different units.

prehensive structural project for scalable modular bu-

Designing basic modules, elements and temporary bu-

ildings.

ildings which are economical, comfortable and even

We need to design a typical module which is easy to

glamorous is only possible if a systematic, industrial

construct in a factory, and not so expensive to transport

and multidisciplinary approach is used during the cre-

and assemble at the building site.

ation process.

In order to achieve the goal, we must carefully consider all the different technological aspects in the concept phase. This means that to save space and money, and obtain a useful unit we have to start at the beginning with a very open minded approach, considering and anticipating all the problems that concern structures, architecture and energy building. First of all, starting with the architectural idea, we have to choose the most appropriate material to communicate a certain feeling, to obtain some mechanical and technological properties and reduce weight. It also has to save money, space, and obtain good performance from the point of view of insulation. After that, all the principal elements are designed looking at the assembly phase and the ďŹ&#x201A;exibility of our modules. In particular the smartest solution will be the easiest to assemble anywhere. Next in the design phase we have to consider a lot of different combinations, starting from our modules and arriving at a real complete Scalable building, simple to disassemble and replace too. To obtain this purpose, great attention should be paid to the design details such as all the joints between the different elements of a single module, but especially

Building Physics - Fabrizio Leonforte -

It is well known that the building sector in Europe is re-

plans for increasing the number of nearly zero-ener-

sponsible for over a third of global energy consumption

gy buildings” and “following the leading example of the

and CO2 emissions from fossil fuels combustion, se-

public sector, develop policies and take measures such

cond only to the industrial sector.

as the setting of targets in order to stimulate the tran-

For this reason there is total agreement among experts

sformation of buildings that are refurbished into nearly

that it is essential to reduce the energy consumption of

zero-energy buildings”.

existing and new buildings.

So the design of a Nearly Zero Energy Building is the top

In this sense, the regulatory framework is undergoing a

priority facing the construction industry today. A Nearly

rapid evolution. Directive 2010/31/EU (EPBD recast) re-

Zero Energy Building is deﬁned as a “a building that

quires that “Member States shall ensure that by 31 De-

has a very high energy performance” in which “the ne-

cember 2020 all new buildings are nearly zero-energy

arly zero or very low amount of energy required should

buildings; and after 31 December 2018, new buildings

be covered to a very signiﬁcant extent by energy from

occupied and owned by public authorities are nearly ze-

renewable sources, including energy from renewable

ro-energy buildings”.

sources produced on-site or nearby”

Member States shall furthermore “draw up national

Therefore the main goal of architects is to transform buildings from energy consumers into net energy producers. The challenge is unprecedented and will require (in fact it already requires) a radical transformation of the methods of designing and building. The new approach, starting from the preliminary design, consists of the integration of skills called into play in the design process. The most critical decision is in fact taken in the preliminary phase, and can greatly inﬂuence the comfort of the occupants and construction costs. For that reason architects must have an in-depth knowledge of building physics; they must be able to interact with the mechanical engineer. As a rule of thumb (eg. A general principle guiding you) they must not only be capable of managing, but also

be able to use sophisticated simulation tools for eva-

renewable energy sources: the higher the energy ef-

luating the energy performance of the building, ther-

ďŹ ciency of the whole building + HVAC system, the lo-

mal comfort, day lighting, natural ventilation and all the

wer the size and hence the cost of the renewable ener-

passive means of reducing energy demands.

gy production system.

From these evaluations architects can derive recom-

The challenge for new Architects is open.

mendations for the mechanical engineer, who in turn modify their design choices accordingly, proposing new solutions that have to be re-evaluated. This circular process is repeated until a satisfactory solution is reached, taking into account not only energy, but also aesthetics, functionality and economy. Of course, the new process is more time consuming and expensive, but its higher cost is outweighed not only by the lower energy bill and greater comfort, but also by the lower construction costs if compared to the cost of a building with the same energy performance designed through the usual design process. This is also because unfortunately the common practice of over sizing a buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s components and HVAC systems can be avoided. The new approach must be coupled with the correct strategy in order to avoid a waste of resources. First of all, in order to reduce the energy demand as much as possible,, it is fundamental to design the building properly, taking into account all boundary conditions such as climate, building shape, orientation and local materials. Secondly, with the aim to provide thermal comfort, HVAC technologies with high efďŹ ciency can be installed. Finally, the energy consumption can be covered by

A story of Fast Architecture Pier Alessio Rizzardi

This is the 3rd century that architects are facing the ide-

lity for piece to be brought by train.

as of prefabrication. For a long time people have used it and they always considered it as the new big thing in ar-

The Aladdin Readi-Cut Houses, in 1906 produces a kit

chitecture. But throughout history we see that it never

for a house, pre-cut pieces with assembling instruc-

became widespread and used by everyone, instead it

tions without the use of concrete or bricks. The inten-

was used only to supply a short period of time for a spe-

tion was not to create a temporary dwelling but a cheap

ciﬁc demand or for special needs such as Natural disa-

way to reach a certain quality of life. The facts show-

sters, the consequences of war or public events.

ed how these dwellings were made by fragile mate-

Now, trying to ﬁnd the reasons for this gap between dre-

rials and the result was that they had to be rebuilt re-

ams and reality, it is essential to look up the main exam-

gularly. The advantages of this technique were that the

ples of prefabricated construction until today. This will

pieces were enumerated and there was no need to cut

help us to comprehend what happened before, the re-

materials avoiding the disadvantages of an era without

asons why they built and maybe to not get trapped in

electricity and portable mechanical tools. These hou-

the same mistakes of each system that got relegated in

ses were assembled directly by the buyer or team and

that speciﬁc time frame and it didn’t have the power to

would save half of the costs of traditional houses.

become wide spread. In 1914 Dom-ino House by Le Corbusier was the dreThe ﬁrst example of prefabrication is in 1624 when the

am of Modernism of the endless production and higher

British used a wooden panelized building for the ﬁshing

standards of design for the masses. This prototype for

ﬂeet in Cape Ann. This system was used by the British

mass production was named after the Latin word do-

colonies that needed to build in a new world with uncer-

mus and the game dominoes. Like the game the houses

tainty and no high skilled workers and they brought di-

could be arranged in rows to create a system of houses.

rectly prefabricated building parts from mainland.

Creating the ﬁrst composable system of building-units. It had an open ﬂoor plan structure that was made pos-

In 1849 the Swedish introduced their traditional techni-

sible by the different use of thin concrete columns in-

que of construction, which is the notched building cor-

stead of bearing walls, giving freedom as an open ﬂo-

ner technique. It was used to build the log houses that

or plan design.

were packaged and transported by train from the more developed areas to the Wild West during the California

Buckminster Fuller in 1929 introduces an early concept

Gold Rush, a fast way of construction with the possibi-

for the Dymaxion House.

1624 British use a wooden panelized building to house the ﬁshing ﬂeet in Cape Ann

1849 Sweden Kit houses were shipped by rail during the California Golden rush

1908 Sears Roebuck & Co. Houses using the Mail system

1914 Dom-ino House by Le Corbusier

Buckminster Fuller, Wichita House

1933 George Fred Keck’s House of Tomorrow Chicago World’s Fair

1931-1942 Walter Gropius, Copper Houses

1933-1934 George Fred Keck, Keck Crystal House

1940 Engineers Peter Dejongh and Otto Brandenberger, Quonset Hut

1947-1952 Unite d’Habitation Le Corbusier Marseilles, Bouches-du-Rhone, France

1945 Developer and builder William Levitt begins Levittown construction

1948-1950 Westchester Model House Carl Strandlund Lustron Corporation

1950 MOBILCORE

1950 Jean Prouvé in Meudon, France.

1954 Harry Seidler, Australia

It was to answer the needs of that period of time for

seilles and Bouches-du-Rhone, France had a different

mass produced, affordable, easy to transport, and en-

logic from the previous examples. The innovative idea

vironmentally efﬁcient houses. The price was the same

was the creation of a unique module to solve all the

of a Cadillac and it could be shipped worldwide. It was

housing needs. It was not meant to be temporary nor

earthquake and storm proof due to its speciﬁc shape

prefabricated but the modularity was the rationaliza-

and possible to use in moments of natural disasters.

tion of the space. It was the beginning of the concep-

The house had a passive system producing cooling and

tualization of comfort within minimum space.

heating and airﬂow designed to create a circulation of

The developer and builder William Levitt in 1945 pre-

air on the ﬂoor to reduce the amount of cleaning work.

sents Levittown construction. They provided all the ele-

The Copper House System was created to respond to

ments of the house, and a standard package that could

the German crisis of the 1920s. Later in 1932 Walter

provide 15 houses per week completed with furniture.

Gropius was invited to redeﬁne the design. The outco-

In 1950 the “Mobilcore” explored the efﬁciency of facto-

me was a scheme of insulated portable walls with the

ry quality in producing complex components, which in-

exterior made of copper. The insulation is provided with

cluded a kitchen and toilet in a unique block and able to

aluminum foils and frames in wood and theoretically

be brought in a whole on site. In contrast to the rigidity

the house could be assembled in 24 hours.

of the block the rest of the house was left to the ﬂexibi-

From 1933 to 1934 George Fred Keck designed Crystal

lity of the wooden frame to create different spaces. The

House as a “manifesto” to express ideas of Modernism

dimensions of the service blocks were designed accor-

in the Expo in Chicago of that year. Curious fact was that

ding to the rules given by the dimensions of the tracks.

the house provided space inside to park a small priva-

Australian architect Harry Seidler, in 1954 created a

te airplane.

prototype for the production of a house with prefabrica-

In the 1940 the Engineers Peter Dejongh and Otto Bran-

ted columns and beams to allow an extreme ﬂexibility

denberger designed the Quonset Hut, a semi-cylindri-

in ﬂoor plans. Also the house could be lifted up from the

cal structure formed by a ribbed metal shell. The army

ground to create a covered and shade place for external

used this composable system widely during the war

functions as well as extreme climate conditions.

and afterwards the civilians and the dismissed soldiers

1964 saw the Archigram Group creating the concepts

used it back in their hometowns. It was a ﬂexible open

for Walking Cities and Plug-in Cities. With their con-

plan space easy to be transported by track, ready-ma-

ceptual and utopian ideas they started to understand

de and fully functional.

the importance of the mother structures that conﬁgu-

1947-1952 Unite d’Habitation by Le Corbusier in Mar-

res the architectural organism and that can locate the

prefabricated and temporary modules. In these years

by Buckminster Fuller. What it is different is the oppor-

of research they interpreted the frequent changes of

tunity to bring to the site a completely ﬁnished and re-

the society and the movements of the people, pushing

ady made capsule.

forward the theories explored in the previous years by

In 1968 Richard Rogers proposes his Zip-Up Enclosu-

Constant Nieuwenhuys in the New Babylon 1959 and in

res as a series of standardized components in which

France by the Situationist International 1957 etc.

users can purchase and expand this living structure.

Dante Bini built the Concrete Shells in 1965. Using air

This concept is based on layered arrangement, as bo-

to inﬂate ﬂexible forms to cast the concrete reduced

oks on a shelf, with a rigid and regular external appe-

the time of construction for a house to 30-40 minutes.

arance but with a different composition of the internal

The results are reinforced thin shell structures and also

space. Singular elements could be bought and used to

a few other construction methods based on the use of

increase the size of the house unit. In this way it was

pressurized air.

able to even create cluster systems combining together

Jean Benjamin Maneval in 1970 built the Bulle Six Co-

insulated housing elements. In fact with this design it

ques, in Nantes. Integrating in a unique piece the roof,

was evident that the standardized and rigid structu-

wall and ﬂoor. The innovation was the assembling pha-

re was not a barrier to creating interesting and unex-

se and this pushed forward the expressivity of the tec-

pected internal shapes.

tonic of this building method.

Paul Rudolph in 1971 created Oriental Masonic Gar-

For the Expo in Montréal Moshe Safdie built the iconic

dens in New Haven, as an overlapping system, which

Habitat ‘67 structure. The 158 concrete modules sta-

attempts to create complexity stimulating small-sca-

cked atop each other in an unpredictable and always

le areas using the aesthetic of the village and commu-

different aggregation thanks to the eighteen different

nity. The design is no longer just the single unit with the

module versions. The standardization is given this time

possibilities to join together but starts already from the

by the possibility of a modular form to cast the concre-

cluster composition idea.

te. In the construction phase in the factory, it assumed

In 1972 Kisho Kurokawa’s Nakagin Capsule Tower in

different conﬁgurations that allowed the building to be

Tokyo is realized with living units that conceptually can

assembled and to result in a chaotic composition.

be changed out over time. It was based on the possibili-

H. Leonard Fruchter designed Futuro House in 1968 as a

ty of architecture to grow and to adapt to the temporary

self-sustaining unit. Based on the circular shape it has

condition the times allowing the capsule to be built or

in the center that is equipped for the services, as it was

changed according to the necessities.

for the previous concept of Dymaxion House designed

As one of the most famous examples of the concepts

of the Japanese architecture of the 80s, it embodies

acquire in Muji shops as it was for the Ikea House not a

extensive theoretical thoughts of the Metabolism mo-

lot of years before.

vement.

Steven Holl explored the limits of the modularity sup-

Ramot Housing Complex in Jerusalem is composed by

ported by computer technology for the ﬁrst time. In fact

720 polyhydric modules arranged in a beehive conﬁgu-

all the examples previously described could easily be

ration. In 1974 Zvi Hecker’s Ramot developed this sy-

developed without IT programs. In 2005 he completed a

stem for the colonies in Israel. The spatial geometrical

metal panel house in New Mexico, coming out of the use

shape has the possibility to create several possibilities

of controlled-cutting-technology producing prefabrica-

of block compositions. What was temporary here was

ted but unique 24 panels. This opens unusual conside-

the image of the structure. It is interesting to see over

rations and approaches to the temporary, modular and

a long period how the people changed the structure ac-

prefabricated design. It starts to deviate from the idea

cording to their needs and necessities.

of production of identical and repetitive shapes to enter

In 1996 IKEA create the Bo Klok house in Sweden. With

in a new era only at the beginning.

this case the architecture becomes as a brand, equal to

In the 1970s the ecology movement brought an end to

the production of clothes or furniture, created by mul-

technological progress and futuristic ideas about de-

tinational companies. “Ikea house” has highly tested

sign. The highly modern buildings and materials that

standards, which is capable to attract consumers even

didn’t look in harmony with nature such as plastic or

only for trusting the brand in itself.

aluminum had hard life. Another negative aspects was

In 2003 LOT-EK architects completed the ﬁrst prototype

further revealed by the fact that prefabricated elements

for a Modular Dwelling Unit based on the shipping con-

had often been used to build high-density housing that

tainer converted industrially into dwellings. They use

in the 1970s revealed negative aspects in terms of life

extendable and retractable systems to increase and

quality. For this reasons the prefabricated building and

decrease the module usability of the interior spaces.

their aesthetics were associated with social failure, un-

They interpreted the time of recycling of the ﬁrst 2000

personal and un-human utopian realities. Prefabrica-

and used the same aesthetic of the real container. This

ted was highly used in housing blocks gathered at the

approach pushed the ideas of the reuse of materials in

periphery of large cities lacking in services, infrastruc-

new and popular ideas at the beginning of this century.

tures and social standards. For this reason, the recep-

The “No-Brand” produced by Muji offers a prefabrica-

tion of the prefabricated housing remained low up un-

ted living unit, designed by famous Japanese architects

til the beginning of the 1990s. From this period on, the

and that relies on the trust of the consumers used to

social approval of this architecture slightly increased

1964 Archigram Plug-in Cities.

1965 Dante Bini, Concrete Shells

1965 Dante Bini, Air lift Up

1967-1970 Jean Benjamin Maneval, Pays de la Loire

1967 Moshe Safdie’s Habitat Montréal Expo

1968-1978 Futuro House H. Leonard, Helsinki, EtelaSuomen Laani, Finland

1968 Richard Rogers proposes his Zip-Up Enclosures

1970 The geodesic dome as a do-it-yourself

1971 Paul Rudolph’s Oriental Masonic Gardens, New Haven, Connecticut.

1972 Kisho Kurokawa’s Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo

1974 Zvi Hecker’s Ramot Housing Complex in Jerusalem

1996 Mass-market retailer, Bo Klok house in Sweden

2003 LOT-EK, Modular Dwelling Unit

2004 Muji, Namba Kazuhiko

2005 Steven Holl, New Mexico, computer-controlled cutting technology

moving away from the “low budget equals low quality” ideas. This is mainly due to the use of computer-operated programs in the design and production processes. In the latest years we assist in a way of designing reminiscent of the aesthetics and conceptual ideas of the 1920s and 1930s, combining the structures according ecological criteria and artistic sensibility. Now, unlike in the early Modernists period, the visions of the architects are not stopped by the issues related to building technology, but still in last the 15 years we see samples of these logics applied in a “traditional way”. The contemporary modular and prefabricated architecture looks like the actualization of Walter Gropius Copper House or the Mobilcore System of the 1950s, not much have changed. So what would the conceptual idea be that will drive the prefabricated and modular construction of these years? How is it possible to interpret the present condition to elaborate a modular architecture solving the needs of contemporary users? And how to survive to obstacles and new needs of the future?

Course Program 2014-2015

POLITECNICO DI MILANO

The workshop is the main place for interactions with

ARCHITECTURE TECHNOLOGY STUDIO 2014/15

teachers.

Joseph Di Pasquale, Alessandro Carrera, Fabrizio Leon-

The students will be asked to develop technological sy-

forte

stems without considering any physical context.

Course Program

After the technological system is deﬁned the students

Main Educational Targets.

will design one speciﬁc application of it for a real site.

The Theme: Scalable Modular Apartments Building.

Exercises concern the FUNDAMENTALS of technology:

Self-Learning Exercises.

MATERIALS and ELEMENTS, This workshop lets the

Design development

students face a real project starting from USERS EX-

Project First submission: concept design.

PECTATIONS AND TRENDS.

Project Second submission: Detailed drawings design.

These two components feed the design process and

Project Third sumbission: Installation case design

lead the students to individuate the direction in which

Individual revisions.

to seek innovation in architectural technology.

Provisional Commented Evaluation.

The Theme: Scalable Modular Apartment Buildings

Final exam.

The housing market is now almost completely stationa-

Evaluation criteria.

ry in Europe and in Italy. Nevertheless there still exists a

Bibliography

huge demand for houses with a price lower than 200.000

Main Educational Targets:

euros that are not available on the actual market.

The main educational target of the course is to esta-

On the other hand there is an oversupply of houses that

blish within the students a clear awareness of the ar-

cost more than 200.000 euros with an extremely small

chitectural technology design process as a powerful

number of clients able to buy them.

tool that needs to be integrated into the architecture

This is the reason why the market is paralyzed at the

and considered as a unique ensemble.

moment.

Knowledge of technology, although necessary, must

It’s clear that the real problem is that THE HOUSING

be distinguished from the mastery of using techno-

MARKET IS ACTUALLY MISSING THE RIGHT PRODUCT TO

logy. In fact the course consists of two parts: lectures

SELL!

and exercises that stimulate the students to achieve

Therefore the aim of the workshop will be to try to fea-

the knowledge of technology, and the workshop activi-

ture and design this new product starting from the ex-

ty training the students in the technological design pro-

pectations of the users and the hypotized future trends.

cess.

Here are some starting ideas about user trend expecta-

tions concerning the housing of the future:

concrete, glass, steel, aluminum, and ﬁberglass. They

1) The house should be an apartment in a multi-layer

will analyze the chemical, physical and mechanical fe-

urban building located in the city.

atures and performances of every material, starting

2) The user should have the possibility to add, sub-

from the atomic structure and the industrial production

tract or substitute space units (rooms) according to his

processes in order to transform them into construction

needs over the years.

materials.

3) The user would like that the new parts of his

Self-Learning Exercise 2: Elements

apartment arrive ready to use on site and is able to be

The students will be divided into teams to analyze stu-

installed in few hours.

dy and report to the other students, the 8 main systems

4) The user should be able to buy a starting set, the mi-

of elements that compose a building:

nimum composition of modules, but have the spatial

Walls

possibility to add extra modules in the future, for in-

Roof

stance when the family grows with a baby.

Facade, balcony, windows

5) The user should be able to order the new modules on

Staircase, elevator, escalator, ramp

line, personalizing them using a conﬁgurator to deﬁne

Corridor and doors

set ups, furniture, tech equipment, colors and so on.

Floor and ceiling

6) The user should have the possibility to add an extra

Toilet

entrance door to the apartment in order to rent out part

Fireplace (climatization equipment)

of the house.

They will analyze the story of the development of eve-

Self-Study Exercises

ry element, the permanent dimensions and sizes, and

The students will be called to start a self-learning pro-

their role into the architectural project.

cess concerning the main topics of technology throu-

Self-Study Exercises 3: Documentation about existing

gh three exercises in which they should study, analyze

modular housing samples.

and teach the results of their analysis to their classma-

At the beginning of the course every student has to cho-

tes. Teachers and assistants will be available to suggest

ose an example of an existing modular residential buil-

and orient the student’s research.

ding.

Self-Learning Exercise 1: Materials. The students will be divided into teams to study, analyze

Design development

and introduce to the other students the main eight ma-

Project First submission: Concept design.

terials used in building technology: wood, stone, bricks,

The students will design their modular housing system

concept considering the procedures to install and di-

the teacher.

smantle the structure, the logic of aggregation, the pre-

Materials needed for the submission will be one sum-

casting of the basic living units and the prefurnishing of

marizing A1 panel, A3 pdf book, A4 structure ﬁnal cal-

the interior spaces.

culation report, A4 building ﬁnal physics calculation re-

In this phase the structural concept should be appro-

port

ached and explained using dry technologies and fully

Individual revisions

recyclable materials.

The projects should be individual. Groups are allowed

The building physics will consider the facilities as a sy-

but no more than two people.

stem of systems and will be focused on the connection

Enough time will be allowed during the semester for an

technologies between the basic living elements and the

individual review of the project.

building system network. The basic living element will

It is not possible to have a review after the end of the

be precasted including all the facility equipment. The

semester. In particular revisions are not allowed betwe-

structure will be fully self-sufﬁcient in terms of energy

en the end of the course and the exam.

production, water supply and sewage disposal. No kind

Provisional Commented Evaluation

of connection to the public city networks will be nee-

At the end of the course, the day after the last submis-

ded.

sion, a list of provisional evaluations will be given to

Material needed for the submission will be one summa-

the students that will also include the comments and

rizing A1 panel and an A3 pdf book

suggestions to improve the project from the point of

The A1 panel should be strictly in the A1 size, rigid and

view of architecture technology, structural and building

self-standing.

physics.

Project Second submission: Detailed design drawings.

Final exam:

Main details and material information. Calculations

The subject of the exam will only be focused on the im-

and reports about structures and building physics.

plementation of the comments and suggestions inclu-

Material needed for the submission will be two summa-

ded in the provisional commented evaluation.

rizing A1 panels, A3 pdf book, A4 structure draft calcu-

In the ﬁnal exam the students will have 20 minutes to

lation report, A4 building physics calculation report

present the implementations and improvements of the

Project Third submission: Installation case design.

project compared to the last submitted version.

Sample of real installation of the Modular Housing Sy-

Material needed for the exam:

stem. Each student will choose a location from a list of

1) Four A1 summarizing panels. The panels will be the

available sites in Milan that will be supplied to them by

same of the submissions updated according to the last

release of the project.

and have accomplished all the suggestions and com-

2) A3 pdf book including a description text of the project

ments attached to the provisional evaluation they will

(max 1500 characters spaces included), all the drawings

get the maximum grade

and renderings and the A3 reduction of the panels.

Bibliography

3) A4 ﬁnal reports for Building Physics and Structure.

Ludovico Quaroni, Progettare un ediﬁcio. Otto lezioni di

4) CD including al the ﬁles, texts (doc), reports (doc, pdf),

architettura, Editore: Kappa, Anno edizione: 2001, ISBN:

schemes (jpg, pdf), renderings (jpg, pdf), drawings (dwg

8878904120

and pdf), 3d ﬁles (skp), and panels (pdf) of the project.

Andrea Palladio, I quattro libri di architettura, Editore:

Evaluation criteria:

Hoepli, Anno edizione: 1540-2008, ISBN: 8820306131

A provisional evaluation will be given to the student at

Pete Silver, Will McLean, Dason Whitsett, Introduction

the end of the course.

to Architectural Technology, Editore: Laurence King Pu-

This provisional evaluation will only be given to the

blishing, Anno edizione: 2008, ISBN: 1856695662

students that have submitted their work to all three

Christine Killory, René Davids, Details in Contempora-

submissions throughout the year.

ry Architecture, Editore: Princeton Architectural Press,

This provisional evaluation will evaluate three subjects

Anno edizione: 2007, ISBN: 1568985762

of the submissions: Concept design of the technologi-

Joseph di Pasquale, A city manifesto. Buildings, ar-

cal system, detailed design, and localized installation

chitecture and urban design works at AMProject Mi-

case design.

lan, Editore: Jamko Edizioni, Anno edizione: 2014, ISBN:

The provisional evaluation will also include the com-

9788890444722

ments and suggestions to improve the project from the

Joseph Di Pasquale, Elena Mussinelli, Massimilia-

point of view of architecture technology, structural and

no Manfren, Alessandro Carrera, Pop-up hotel Expo

building physics.

2015. Temporaneità come condizione permanente,

The exam will only be focused on the implementation of

Editore: Jamko Edizioni, Anno edizione: 2014, ISBN:

the comments and suggestions included in the provi-

9788890444739

sional evaluation.

Joseph

In the exam the students will have 20 minutes to pre-

ti per una metodologia della composizione architet-

sent how they have improved the project according to

tonica, Editore: Book Time, Anno edizione: 2008, ISBN:

comments and suggestions included in the provisional

8862181302

evaluation.

Philip

If the student have submitted at all three submissions

RY, Editore: Taschen, Anno edizione: 2012, ISBN:

Pasquale, Emergenza/tessuto, appun-

Jodidio,

ARCHITECTURE

NOW!

TEMPORA-

9783836523271 Han Slawik, Container Atlas, Editore: Die Gestalten Verlag, Anno edizione: 2010, ISBN: 3899552865 Ico

Migliore,

Mara

Servetto,

Space

Morphing:

Migliore+Servetto Temporary Architecture, Editore: Five Continents Editions, Anno edizione: 2008, ISBN: 8874394497 M.Levy, M.Salvadori and K.Woest, Why Buildings Fall Down: How Structures Fail, Editore: W.W. Norton & Co, Anno edizione: 1994, ISBN: 039331152X Giulio Ballio, Federico M. Mazzolani, Theory and Design of Steel Structures, Editore: Taylor & Francis, Anno edizione: 1983, ISBN: 0412236605 R. S. Narayanan and A. W. Beeby, Introduction To Design For Civil Engineers, Editore: Spon Press, Anno edizione: 2000, ISBN: 0419235507 Steven V Szokolay, Introduction to Architectural Science-The basis of sustainable design , Editore: Elsevier Architectural Press, Anno edizione: 2004, ISBN: 0750687045 Alison Kwok and Walter Grondzik, The green studio handbook: Environmental strategies for schematic design, Editore: Elsevier, Anno edizione: 2006, ISBN: 0750680229

38 Morning 1

7/10/2014 S 2.3

Workshop Presenttion of the workshop theme - Joseph di 09:15-10:00 presentaiton of the course - Joseph di Pasquale 14:15-15:00 Pasquale MODULAR BUILDINGS history trends & future 1 Pier Alessio presentaizone dei lavori degli studneti dello scorso 15:15-16:00 anno 10:15-11:00 Rizzardi 11:15-12:00 8 meterials - 16 elements - 8 systems in building technology introduction to sef learning excercises - definition of the 12:15-13:00 squads and groups

8/10/2014 III D

14/10/2014 S 2.3

Afternoon

Architecture Technoclgy lectures + Self Learning

16:15-17:00 ex temporae - first sketched idea 17:15-18:00 Structures Lectures

Architecture Technoclgy lectures + Self Learning + Guest

Workshop

MODULAR BUILDINGS history trends & future 1 Pier Alessio 09:15-10:00 Rizzardi 14:15-15:00 CLIENT meeting - Alessandro Maggioni 10:15-11:00 self learning - materials wood-stone

15/10/2014 III D

21/10/2014 S 2.3

22/10/2014 III D

28/10/2014 S 2.3

8 9

15:15-16:00 workshop reviews

11:15-12:00

16:15-17:00 workshop reviews

12:15-13:00 self learning - materials brics-steel

17:15-18:00 workshop reviews Building Physics Lectures

Architecture Technoclgy lectures + Self Learning + Guest

Workshop

09:15-10:00 self learning - materials concrete-aluminium

14:15-15:00 workshop reviews

10:15-11:00 self learning - materials glass-fyberglass

15:15-16:00 workshop reviews

11:15-12:00 16 elements - introduction Joseph di Pasquale

16:15-17:00 workshop reviews

12:15-13:00

17:15-18:00 workshop reviews Structures Lectures Architecture Technoclgy lectures + Self Learning +Guest

Workshop

09:15-10:00

14:15-15:00 workshop reviews

10:15-11:00 self learning - elements floor-wall-ceiling

15:15-16:00 workshop reviews

11:15-12:00 self learning - elements pillars- roof-door

16:15-17:00 workshop reviews

12:15-13:00

17:15-18:00 workshop reviews

29/10/2014 III D

Building Physics Lectures

4/11/2014 S 2.3

5/11/2014 III D

11/11/2014 S 2.3

12/11/2014 III D

18/11/2014 S 2.3

Architecture Technoclgy lectures + Workshop review

Workshop review

09:15-10:00

14:15-15:00 workshop reviews

10:15-11:00 self learning - elements window-facade-balcony

15:15-16:00 workshop reviews

11:15-12:00 self learning - elements corridor-fireplace-toilet

16:15-17:00 workshop reviews

12:15-13:00

17:15-18:00 workshop reviews Structures Lectures Architecture Technoclgy lectures + Workshop review

Workshop review

09:15-10:00 self learning - elements stairs-escalator

14:15-15:00 workshop reviews

10:15-11:00 self learning - elements elevator-ramp

15:15-16:00 workshop reviews

11:15-12:00 8 systems - introduction Joseph di Pasquale

16:15-17:00 workshop reviews

12:15-13:00

17:15-18:00 workshop reviews Building Physics Lectures GUEST LECTURE + PROJECTS EXHIBITION

09:15-10:00 prepration of the exhibition space Lecture: Kim Nielsen 3XN studio: new technolgies new 10:15-12:00 architectures

SUBMISSION 1 : CONCEPT DESIGN Kim Nielsen and teachers review of the students 14:15-17:00 projects

12:15-13:00 Kim Nielsen - dialogue with students 14

19/11/2014 III D

25/11/2014 S 2.3

16 17

Structures Lectures + Review Architecture Technoclgy lectures + Workshop review

Workshop review

09:15-10:00

14:15-15:00

10:15-11:00 self learning - systems urbanization

15:15-16:00

11:15-12:00 self learning - systems structure

16:15-17:00

12:15-13:00

17:15-18:00

26/11/2014 III D

Building Physics + Review

2/12/2014 S 2.3

3/12/2014 III D

9/12/2014 S 2.3

Architecture Technoclgy lectures + Workshop review

Workshop review

09:15-10:00

14:15-15:00

10:15-11:00 self learnign - systems involucre

15:15-16:00

11:15-12:00 self learnign - systems HVAC & C

16:15-17:00

12:15-13:00

17:15-18:00 Structures Lectures + Review Architecture Technoclgy lectures + Workshop review

Workshop review

09:15-10:00

14:15-15:00

10:15-11:00 self learnign - systems Electric

15:15-16:00

39 20

10/12/2014 III D

16/12/2014 S 2.3

17/12/2014 III D

23/12/2014 S 2.3

13/1/2015 S 2.3

11:15-12:00 self learnign - systems Networks

16:15-17:00

12:15-13:00

17:15-18:00 Building Physics + Review Architecture Technoclgy lectures + Workshop review

09:15-10:00

14:15-15:00

10:15-11:00 self learnign - systems Interior

15:15-16:00

11:15-12:00 self learnign - systems Machineries

16:15-17:00

12:15-13:00

17:15-18:00 Structures Lectures + Review GUEST LECTURE + PROJECTS EXHIBITION

14/1/2015 III D

20/1/2015 S 2.3

21/1/2015 III D

27/1/2015 S 2.3

SUBMISSION 2 : DETAIL DESIGN

Architecture Technoclgy lectures + Workshop review 09:15-10:00

Workshop review

Workshop review 14:15-15:00

10:15-11:00

15:15-16:00

11:15-12:00

16:15-17:00

12:15-13:00

17:15-18:00 Building Physics + Review Architecture Technoclgy lectures + Workshop review

Workshop review

09:15-10:00

14:15-15:00

10:15-11:00

15:15-16:00

11:15-12:00

16:15-17:00

12:15-13:00

17:15-18:00 Structures Lectures + Review GUEST LECTURE + PROJECTS EXHIBITION

SUBMISSION 3 : INSTALLATION CASE

Architecture Tech Lectures Self learning Guest Workshop Structures Lectures Builsing Physiscs Lectures

Lectures and reviews

Project exhibitions

Presentation to the “Client”: Conceptual idea

Second Project exhibition: Technology development

Third Project exhibition: Inserting the project in the context

Living in the air Angelo Michele Pagano, Matteo Piras

Life Under the Bypass Agnese Grigis, Marta Petteni

Plug-In Bridge Aleksandra Makuch, Chiara Oggioni

Rail Housing Zhelyazko Zhelyazkov Tom Porat

Scaffold Housing Eugenia Bolla, Stefano Lardera

Rotating Housing Giacomo Guazzolini, Pablo Munoz Montaner

+ House Luka Milovanovic

House of Breeding Shi Ying

Jenga tower Ilaria Positano, Teresa Pontini

Archi-Scape Yifan Zhang

Colorful Balcony Cao Shicong, Meng Yao

The Symmetrical Home Cai Gaoyu, Liu Mairui

Up! House Li Gege, Yu Simin

Living in the air Angelo Michele Pagano Matteo Piras

Each unit is a rectangle of 3x9 m, with a fixed area of 27m² and a minimum of two modules for each dwelling. This doesn’t mean that they are standardized: users are free to choose finishingfinishes, typology and the dimensions of each room. Even increase, decrease or divide it hereafter, splitting one into two different units. Living in the Air

During the last ﬁfty years society has changed drama-

zation. Each unit is a rectangle of 3 x 9 m, with a ﬁxed

tically; cities have become bigger than ever, inﬂuencing

area of 27m2 and a minimum of two modules for each

and twisting our living habits. Flexibility and adaptation

dwelling.

are the new key words in our life: jobs do not last forever

This doesn’t mean that they are standardized: the users

and people are even more frequently asked to relocate

are free to choose whether to have bigger living rooms,

or commute. This leads to the inevitable result: renting.

services, multipurpose areas or terraces, and incre-

This is because is not suitable to buy a house that we

ase or decrease their apartment. They can also divide

might need to sell shortly.

them, splitting one into two different units just by ad-

Things would be much different if the house we buy

ding some prefab walls.

could travel with us or change according to our needs.

The area of each dwelling varies from 54m2 – for a one-

Obviously there are plenty of temporary solutions which

bedroom apartment – up to 135m2. Privacy is secured

can be taken into consideration but they are, as alrea-

by the absence of bordering neighbors: each tower has

dy said, temporary. Users perceive it as “unstable solu-

4 ﬂats per ﬂoor with corridors that divide them. If you

tions” and it’s hard to consider those as “home”. Inste-

are looking for places to meet up with new people, se-

ad, the “Living in the air” system focuses on the user’s

veral facilities have been introduced in the tower: green

needs that are the hardest to accomplish: customiza-

areas, a gym, a café and restaurants. It is up to you whe-

tion, recognizability and ﬂexibility.

ther to stay on your own or ﬁnd buddies, or maybe your

The system consists of two major elements: a core and

better half. And if a marriage is coming up, you can just

a dwelling-module. The ﬁrst acts as a case for the lat-

adjust your modules by adding new ones.

ter, independent and not invasive for the dwellings. The

A website will allow you to buy upgrades or sell your

core that stands for both the structural system and the

modules, or simply order a delivery somewhere else if

vertical connection is a set of concrete elements, such

you decide to move. Living in the air system wants to

as bearing walls and slabs, creating a unique standard

make your setting-up or moving easier and cheaper.

for everywhere that it is located. The slabs have been

The studied site is the Scalo Porta Romana, in Milan, an

reduced in order to avoid unused spaces and allow up

area rich in both users and needs, which suits the sy-

to 20 dwelling-modules per ﬂoor. The dwelling-modu-

stem perfectly. Three towers will face the roundabout

les, instead, are prefabricated in the factory and deli-

of Corso Lodi, completing and characterizing the stre-

vered ready-to-use. Steel structure gives strength and

et frontage.

stability and assure a less invasive structural system, creating almost free plans to maximize their customi-

!Ã¼*! 0$! )+ 1(!Ä&#x161;/ #.%

Æ«1/0+)%6! 0$! $+1/!/

SLAB x4

BEARING WALL x4

CORE x1

PILLAR x4

3 3

DIMENSIONS

STRUCTURE

COVERING

AGGREGATION

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

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PRODUCTION

TRANSPORTATION

WOODLAND

RAILWAY

SPORTS AREA PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY

ASSEMBLING

URBAN KITCHEN GARDEN

LOCATION

ITALY

MILANO

FLOOR AND MODULES

Life Under the Bypass Agnese Grigis Marta Petteni

Through a new way of conceiving housing the project aims to transform the unused space under Tangenziale Est into a potential area. The circular modular organization around the existing pillars allows a high degree of ďŹ&#x201A;exibility, generating a structure able to change in time according to the clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs and wishes. Life Under the Bypass

The general idea started from the analysis of the Mila-

which performs particularly well acoustically. The enti-

nese territory and the urban problems related to it. The

re surface is covered by a steel corrugated sheet.

proposal focuses on the topic of unused under-space

The construction process is based on prefabrication to

in bypass infrastructures and in particular on the Ta-

reduce costs and time. The mother building structure is

genziale Est that crosses Milan from North to South,

built on site while the modules are produced and as-

suspended by high pillars. These abandoned areas

sembled in a factory (with the furniture) to further allow

“in-between” became the key point of our project and

faster installation on site.

the pillars the fulcrum for its development. Along the

The transportation is by trucks, each one able to bring

bypass we discovered several places suitable to our

two modules of 2.5 x 7m. Once arrived on site, if needed,

project. The one chosen is located close to via Rubatti-

the two parts are assembled and then located on the

no, near Quartiere Lambrate. It is characterized by the

slab using a forklift.

presence of a quite vast empty green area with direct

Thanks to its circular shape the aggregation system is

access from Viale Cima. A space that immediately inspi-

easy and fast. It is possible to pass from the Housing

red us: make a weak area a potential one! The characte-

A Typology to the C Typology in complete comfort ad-

ristics of the site strongly inﬂuenced our design: the

ding and removing modules in accordance with the

massive pillars became the pivot from which projected

client’s wishes and needs. Thanks to the double en-

modules could be aggregated in a circular and radiant

trance from the stair-case modules, it is also possible

way around it, passing from the basic stair-case modu-

to rent part of the slab dividing the house into two dif-

les until reaching a full 360° organization.

ferent apartments. When a module is removed, due to

The demand-ordering process is conceived on-line

some changes, it is not wasted. It is brought to the fac-

through a web site that allows you to choose the modu-

tory where, after controlled and cleaned, it is again re-

le, its shape and dimensions and then the colors and ﬁ-

ady to be a component of a new house. The space left

nishes.

on the slab can easily be occupied by a new functional-

The entire structure is composed of a mother steel

module.

structure in which different modules are inserted. The

The whole system aims to reduce time and cost throu-

mother structure is composed of 30 cm diameter cave

gh a new way of conceiving housing. This concept al-

round columns and IPE beams. Each module has been

lows a high degree of freedom and ﬂexibility, genera-

studied in detail. Its skeleton is composed of a tubu-

ting a structure able to change in time according to the

lar steel structure and its envelope contains insula-

client’s needs and wishes.

tion materials such as cellular ﬁbers and/or Rockwool

100

101

102

103

104

105

106

Plug-In Bridge Aleksandra Makuch Chiara Oggioni

107

108

The building is made of prefab modules of which the features and color can easily be chosen online, in the same way youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d choose a car. You can imagine plugging your apartment into the structure as you would put a book in your library; you can remove and change it whenever you want and your old module will be recycled and re-used. Plug-In Bridge

109

The possibility to have a ﬂexible modular multi-sto-

x 6 m (easily transportable by train thanks to the pro-

ry building for housing and common facilities combi-

ximity of rail tracks) into the steel mother structure of

ned with the re-use of dismissed spaces in Milan has

the building itself, anchored to the bridge through a grid

been the starting point of our project. The result is what

of trusses. You can imagine inserting your apartment

we call “plug-in buildings”, placed on and facing both

into the structure, as you would put a book in your li-

sides of Cavalcavia Bussa, in Garibaldi-Isola area, now

brary; you can remove and change it whenever you want

dismissed and not open to vehicular trafﬁc anymore.

and your old module will be recycled and re-used. Sur-

The building, taking advantage of the great space of the

rounded by tall skyscrapers typical of the area, the bu-

bridge (240 m length and 35 m width) is composed by

ilding shape follows the bridge features: horizontali-

prefabricated apartment modules of which the featu-

ty is the main characteristic with a maximum of three

res and color can easily be chosen online, in the same

ﬂoors per block (for a total of 10 blocks and 5 vertical

way you would choose a car. The basic apartment (65

connections), the ground ﬂoor is totally walkable main-

square meters + 30 square meters of balconies) is com-

taining the vision of both bridge sides and you can ex-

posed of a double-space living room, kitchen, bathroom

perience the building inside, under and above! The in-

and bedroom; you have two possibilities of expansion,

volucre of modules is completely made of prefabricated

adding one or two bedrooms, expanding your home till

panels and big curtain walls to allow light entering cre-

100 square meters plus balconies. We provide easy so-

ating pleasant indoor spaces. Thanks to the two big bal-

lutions for your problems: Is your son going to leaving

conies, facing both north and south, you can also en-

home? Just change his bedroom into an ofﬁce. Need to

joy the outdoor space. Thanks to the prefabrication the

rent part of your house? Just add a wall and a kitchen:

construction time is much faster than traditional con-

all technical plans are provided from the beginning. Ti-

struction and the cost is lower. For a matter of stability

red of seeing your wife every day? Just go to cook on

we managed to keep the construction as light as possi-

the rooftop. Dreaming of working closer to your home?

ble but at the same time strong and stable. Conside-

Just rent a co-working space at the ground ﬂoor. You

ring renewable energy we provided for energy produc-

will not miss community life as much as intimacy; you

tion through photovoltaic panels placed on top of each

can take a walk along the green corridor of the bridge,

apartment block, obtaining a “class A” building.

drink a coffee on the ground ﬂoor or take your children to play on the rooftop kindergarten. The plug-in technological concept is based on the possibility of inserting prefabricated apartment modules with dimensions of 3

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Rail Housing Zhelyazko Zhelyazkov Tom Porat

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The project proposes modular apartments where the house owner is able to expand subtract or substitute his living space as main feature. To ensure that we designed a rail system that enables prefabricated modules to slide along it on wheels. Rail Housing

123

The project proposes modular apartments where the

be connected to each other by using bridges, which

house owner is able to expand subtract or substitute

could be covered with greenery or also used for com-

his living space as main feature. To ensure that we desi-

mon purposes. A unit consists of an insulated steel fra-

gned a rail system that enables prefabricated modules

me, which is protected from erosion by water and moist

to slide along it on wheels. The client can choose betwe-

proof membranes and covered by medium density ﬁ-

en 1-story and 2-story apartments with the possibili-

berboard. The vertical elements are ﬁnished by water

ty to expand from 60 m² to 150 m². The expansion ta-

resistant wood plates with the color matched to the co-

kes place by adding a new module with free space and

lor of the façade panels. The client himself could design

not ready-made rooms. The internal division of the li-

the facade of the unit by choosing the shape and the ﬁ-

ving space is done by using lightweight walls according

nishing materials of the facade panels as well as their

to the preferences of the owner. The bathroom module

position thus deﬁning a versatile appearance for the

is the only one, which is completely prefabricated and

whole building. Furthermore there is an option to choo-

not ﬁnished on site. Due to their long and narrow shape

se a module with a folding/sliding system instead of the

the apartments are arranged facing a south-north di-

façade panel system, which allows the module to open

rection, which allows every room to be exposed to natu-

on its full width. A technical ﬂoor and ceiling in the in-

ral daylight during the whole day. The shape of the buil-

terior allow the installation of air ducts and the corre-

ding is designed as a continuously folding frame, which

sponding diffusers, which provide fresh air and cover

is supported by pillars. A massive concrete access core

the heating and cooling demand of the apartment. The

in its center protects the structure from horizontal lo-

air is supplied to all units by a combined packaged air-

ads due to wind. The terrace slab is elevated on the ﬂo-

handling unit and air-to-air heat pump on the last ﬂo-

or height of the unit and extends up to 2 meters, en-

or of the building. The electricity demand of the heating

suring constant sunlight or shading during the summer

system, but also for daily uses is covered by photovol-

months. On each ﬂoor up to 2 1-story units could be in-

taic panels on the rooftop.

stalled, which could be divided in 4 smaller apartments or up to 4 2-story units with the possible division into 8 apartments. The modules are installed by using a scissor lift, which restricts the maximum nominal height of the last floor to 30 meters. The ground floor and the last floor are reserved for public uses, such as cafes, stores, assembly rooms etc. The separate buildings could

124 2. TRANSPORT IT

1. PREFABRICATE IT

3. MOVE IT

4. RAIL IT

AGGREGATION SYSTEM 1.

2. TECHNIC WALLS

3. SUPPORTING COLUMNS

4. ACCESS CORE

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126 60m2 - 4 MODULES BEDROOM LIVING ROOM KITCHEN BATHROOM

90m2 - 6 MODULES BEDROOM LIVING ROOM KITCHEN BATHROOM 105m2 - 7 MODULES BEDROOM LIVING ROOM KITCHEN BATHROOM OFFICE 135m2 - 9 MODULES BEDROOM LIVING ROOM KITCHEN 2x BATHROOM 2x KIDS ROOMS

1st FLOOR

2x 75m2 - 2x 5 MODULES 2x BEDROOM 2x LIVING ROOM 2x KITCHEN 2x BATHROOM

75m2 - 5 MODULES BEDROOM LIVING ROOM KITCHEN BATHROOM

2nd FLOOR

105m2 - 7 MODULES BEDROOM LIVING ROOM KITCHEN 2x BATHROOM OFFICE

135m2 - 9 MODULES BEDROOM LIVING ROOM KITCHEN 2x BATHROOM 2x KIDS ROOMS

2x 75m2 - 2x 5 MODULES 2x BEDROOM 2x LIVING ROOM 2x KITCHEN 2x BATHROOM

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PERSPEKTIVE VIEW - RAIL SYSTEM

STEEL FRAME

WOODEN OUTER & INNER SHELL

INSTALLATION FLOOR & CEILING

FACADE PANELS

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INTERIOR WALL - 2 x plasterboard - aluminium CW - section - EPS insulation (between the UW-section) - 2 x plasterboard

12,5 mm

CEILING (FROM BOTTOM TO TOP)

FLOOR (FROM TOP TO BOTTOM) - floor finish (optional) - raised installation floor - damp proof membrane - medium - density fibreboard - wood beam (axial distance - 50 cm) - EPS insulation (between the wood beams) - steel rectangular tube - EPS insulation (between the steel beams) - wood beam (axial distance - 50 cm) - EPS insulation - medium - density fibreboard

12,5 mm 50 mm 50 mm

100 mm 20 mm 30 x 50 mm 30 mm 100x100x3 mm 100 mm 30 x 50 mm 30 mm 20 mm

- plasterboard - aluminium U - section , attached to hangers - medium - density ﬁbreboard - wood beam (axial distance - 50 cm) - EPS insulation (between the wood beams) - steel rectangular tube - EPS insulation (between the steel beams) - wood beam (axial distance - 50 cm) - EPS insulation - medium - density ﬁbreboard

12,5 mm 100 mm 20 mm 30 x 50 mm 30 mm 100x100x3 mm 100 mm 30 x 50 mm 30 mm 20 mm

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FLOOR PLAN - 1 STOREY UNIT

FLOOR PLAN - 2 SROTY UNIT

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Scaffold Housing Eugenia Bolla Stefano Lardera

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The feature that allows this project to exist is the “blind façade”, useless surface that provides an empty space to cover and complete with a new concept of building. The aim of “Scaffold Housing” is to ﬁnd a suitable solution to these speciﬁc situations and to design a building able to re-activate the area. Scaffold Housing

135

More and more new buildings are rising in cities all over

teracting. The site will be complemented with a public

the world, occupying great portions of unoccupied land

green area, revitalizing the existing unused space.

and densifying the few remaining open spaces. Against

Having a mother structure that works as a scaffold,

this growing tendency, the idea is to turn the need to

completely built in steel, the building adapts its dimen-

densify into a resource useful to revitalize the urban

sions to the ones from the existing building that will be

voids. The architectural project aims at producing den-

attached to. The skin is designed with the technology

sity not only in merely volumetric terms but as diversi-

of SIP panels and a ﬁnishing that gives it a special fea-

ty of functions, interactions, and urban qualities. Fur-

ture. In several occasions, the blind façades are surfa-

thermore, at a larger scale, this approach can help to

ces hardly damaged and covered by grafﬁti. The idea of

deﬁne some strategic guidelines for interventions spre-

the external image of “Scaffold Housing” is to reprodu-

ad around the city, aimed at reshaping the urban pat-

ce an image of an artist on the surface of the ﬁnishing

tern and strengthening the urban features. The lot must

panels, printing on every module a piece of the whole

be void, abandoned, or underused, currently looking for

design. This approach provides the building with a uni-

a new spatial and functional identity. The element that

que image and in the same time, gives the city a space

allows this building to exist is the so recurrent “blind

to expose art.

façade”, useless surface that in fact provides an empty

The ﬂexibility of the building is provided by the simpli-

space to cover and complete with a new concept of bu-

city of the structure, which is built from scratch but not

ilding. The aim of “Scaffold Housing” project is to ﬁnd

yet covered by the skin until the user decides. With the

the most suitable solution to these speciﬁc situations,

disposition of one apartment per ﬂoor, the basic unit

and to design a building able to re-activate the intensi-

includes dining room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom,

ty of use of the area, keeping open the chance to apply

together with two modules of terrace that will make

the same intervention to other blind façades within the

possible the future expansions. From this basic unity,

selected urban center, offering a wider strategic vision.

by completing the terraces, it is possible to add not only

The proposed location is in the second district of Milan,

a bedroom and a bathroom, but also to extend the living

area in which the blind façades represent a recurring

room, depending on the user’s needs.

issue. Strategically situated attached to a “Politecnico di Milano” residence, the building can work as a support for it, providing with new apartments for the university. Besides, on the ground ﬂoor, a space of common use is designed to give the users an area of socializing and in-

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Rotating Housing Giacomo Guazzolini Pablo Munoz Montaner

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The concept development starts from the recognition of mobility as an opportunity to achieve the goal of future expansion in a residential building. In this sense, mobility is treated as a rotational process part of one programmatic module in order to create different spaces through different positions. Rotating Houses

149

The concept development starts from the recognition of

the apartment: this operation works by closing the main

mobility as an opportunity to achieve the goal of futu-

corridor of the second ﬂoor, leaving one complete area

re expansion in a residential building. In this sense, mo-

with all the minimum features to receive 1 or 2 people,

bility is treated as a rotational process part of one pro-

including 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom and 1 kitchen.

grammatic module in order to create different spaces

All the different phases create a sense of movement in

through different positions.

the front elevation of the building that is totally unpre-

Juxtaposing many housing units composes the entire

dictable because it is related to the different phases of

building; between every two units a staircase is placed

expansion that each housing unit is undergoing.

to provide circulation for safety reasons.

The main structure of the building is realized with pre-

Every dwelling is thought of as a duplex, to give a con-

cast concrete, while the modules are realized with

crete solution to characteristics like light and organiza-

lighter materials: the units destined to rotate are rea-

tion of ﬁxed and mobile parts. The development process

lized with a wooden structure, while the ﬁxed ones are

can be divided in 4 phases, according to the amount of

made of steel structure and plasterboard panels. The

rooms that the user wants to add as a consequence of

space for pipes is already provided in the additional

rotation.

modules and it connects with vertical pipes placed in

In Phase I, the dwelling is composed of 1 common space

the bracing walls that divide the apartments.

module (dining room and living room), terrace, kitchen

The transportation is really efﬁcient thanks to the

and 1 bathroom on the ﬁrst ﬂoor and 1 master bedroom

“pack system”: the module is carried as a box, made of

with its own terrace and a deposit on the second one.

the steel frame of the module and the parametrical pre-

In Phase II, on the ﬁrst ﬂoor, the common space modu-

fabricated panels of the module. The pack is placed in a

le rotates in 45° creating a bigger living room with spa-

vertical position on the truck. In a single transportation

ce for a studio. The master bedroom rotates 90° to add

with a traditional truck (12 meters in length) it is possi-

one bedroom module, reorganizing the terrace. A new

ble to carry 4/6 boxes at the same time. Then the modu-

bathroom can be added on the second ﬂoor. Phase III,

le will be assembled in the construction area provided

the user can ﬁnish the rotational movement to 90º of

at the ground ﬂoor of the building, and lifted in the right

the common spaces module, adding an even bigger

position with a crane.

space. On the other hand, another single bedroom can be added eliminating the second ﬂoor terrace. A third bathroom can be added on the second ﬂoor. There is also the possibility for the owner to rent part of

150 PHASE 1

Temporal Terrace

Master Bedroom

FIXED PART kitchen / bathrooms

MOBILE living room / bedrooms

Living Room

PHASE 2

Master Bedroom

Temporal Terrace

+2 Bedrooms

FIXED PART kitchen / bathrooms

MOBILE living room / bedrooms

Living Room Expansion

EVOLUTION PHASES

Living Room

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155 CONSTRUCTIVE PROCESS

Main Structure

Internal Partitions + Basic Elements

Panels pach system _ Bigger module

Module assemblage

156

+ House Luka Milovanovic

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158

Incremental housing is a stepby-step process. It goes by different names, but fundamentally, incremental housing is an integral urban development process, building housing communities and citizens. It is not quick, immediate or complete, but choice remains with the owner. It starts with a starter core shelter. + House

159

Housing is the oldest and, through all historical periods,

re for living.

the most common function in human settlements, re-

Based on the idea of a traditional terraced house sy-

gardless of size and type. Modern residential buildings

stem connected with public space, the main feature of

(houses) and housing as a function on the “extension” of

the project is clear spatial organization. An inner public

historical lines are related to the human need for shel-

core is making a spine between two groups of dwelling

ter, although today a lot of housing means more com-

units, positioned in a way to emphasize the physical

plex situations. The ﬁrst shelter that was made by man

concept of the 3D terraced housing system.

were implied by simple structures made of wood, and

Initial dwelling units occupy half of the possible hou-

then more complex structures that were possible to bu-

se space. It is organized as duplex and designed as an

ild with the help of available tools. Later on began the

apartment for two containing a bedroom, living room,

construction of increasingly complex houses.

kitchen, toilet and bathroom. The main feature of the li-

In order to reduce the chaos of the industrial city, Le

ving unit is the clear direction of enlarging space provi-

Corbusier proposed to operate through four spatial fun-

ded by structural frame.

ctions: housing, work, recreation and transportation.

The process of enlarging the initial living units is held

Some contemporary authors propose that the concept

in two phases. Each of the phases would be ﬁnished by

of function should be replaced with the notion of pro-

fulﬁlling half of the frame, which in the end would re-

cess and solutions that accompany these processes

sult with a double sized house. The area of the house is

are urban functioning. That functioning possesses of a

80m² in the beginning and 160m² at the end of the pro-

strong dose of cyclical, constantly changing systems.

cess.

The idea of incremental housing as a part of the urban

A designed building has 40 living units, 20 on each side

process can also provide an answer to what is a house

of the core, making a wall-tower. As a non-contextual

as a living space in present time, and what it will be in

system, the building can be placed in various locations,

the future.

answering the problem of making a structure for living.

Starting with this question and putting it in a physical

The whole structure is ‘perforated’ with public spaces,

shape, shape which is part of a process. We combine

such as a garden, bar, restaurant, and kindergarten, and

the process with an advanced technology system, as a

ﬁnishes with a roof garden surrounded by a system of

contemporary tool, in order to provide modular struc-

cranes which are pointing to the main feature of the

tures suitable for making small scale projects (house)

project-dynamism.

which can grow to become urban residential buildings, but also a system which can become a mega-structu-

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House of Breeding Shi Ying

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The model is based on the ďŹ xed living room, which breeds into a different size house. The advantage is that each circle plan contains one family, so it is more ďŹ&#x201A;exible and the interference is much less than in other kinds of houses. Using normal material could accomplish an efďŹ cient and low-cost house. House of Breeding

169

The model is based on the ﬁxed living room that breeds

so it is more ﬂexible and the interference between nei-

into a different size house where you can add a bedro-

ghbors is less than other kinds of modular houses. In

om, bathroom, and kitchen and reading room to meet

the meantime, if the family grows, it also provides the

different demands. The covered area varies from 65

opportunity to be divided into two family units.

square meters to 90 square meters up to 130 squa-

Speaking of the material, the external wall of the mo-

re meters, moreover split into two small families. The

ther structure part is made of reinforced concrete, whi-

units are made of prefabricated elements so it could

le the interior walls are wooden panels, and the rest of

also be replaced and isolated according to different

the wall is glass walls. The modules are steel panels

functions. When it transforms from the smallest one to

with the interior of wooden panels. Using normal ma-

the biggest one, the space could open as window and is

terials could also be a way to lower the cost of the buil-

more and less, so the solution is to leave the rest of the

ding so as to accomplish an efﬁcient and low-cost hou-

wall as a glass wall so it could be bright with more light.

se.

The mother structure uses steel column-beams, be-

The location is in Porta Vittoria-BEIC, where there is a

cause the straight beam is more economical and rea-

big park and railway station nearby. So in terms of both

sonable than curved beams. The beam does not com-

landscaped and transportation it would be a good loca-

pletely follow the curve of the ﬁxed living room. The 1.4

tion to place the house. The location is a linear disposi-

meters beam is cantilever, and for the module structure

tion so it could take full advantage of the circle view, to

technology, the curve beam is prefabricated in the fac-

make each family have the best view of the open space.

tory. Basically, the connection technology is divided in

This area is particular because both the left and right

two parts because of the limitations of the truck; the

side have open spaces. So I proposed building two brid-

width of one basic module is 2.5 meters, so the bedro-

ges to connect these two parks to have a continuous

om is combined with two basic units. Consequently, the

space for the residents to rest and communicate with

technology is applied in order to combine these two

each other. The concept brings open space to the com-

units into one bedroom. Another one is to connect the

munity.. Moreover, the open space has two different le-

module with the mother structure, to make the best of

vels, the outside area is more public and the inner park

the hinge method with bolts and the steel plate to make

inside is private for only the residents.

the structure more stable, while at the same time leaving some space for replacing different function units in order to make the house more variable. The advantage is that each circle plan contains just one family

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Jenga tower Ilaria Positano Teresa Pontini

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Jenga tower is a residence of 24 apartments situated inside the Tortona district in Milan. It has been designed to ďŹ t the ďŹ&#x201A;exible needs of young users and travelers. For this reason each apartment can increase its surface adding different spaces and almost duplicate its starting surface. Jenga Tower

179

The main aim of the project is to develop a ﬂexible sy-

apartment. On the ﬁrst ﬂoors all the services and the

stem of apartments easily ﬁtting the needs of different

public spaces are concentrated including a public bar,

kinds of users. For this reason, Jenga tower is a residen-

relaxation area, and a common space for the users. The

ce hosting 24 apartments where the surface can vary

building is situated in a strategic position that permits

from 50 to 90 m² each one. This speciﬁc characteristic

a really deep relationship between users and the city.

of the building to adapt and continuously vary is always

In fact, Jenga tower will occupy an empty lot at the end

made evident through the use of colors and the move-

of via Bergognone, a dead-end street adjacent to the

ment of the façade, which continuously changes its ap-

railway of Porta Genova. It is actually a critical point in

pearance.

the urban context where a physical connection betwe-

The composition concept follows this idea. Starting

en Tortona district and Ripa di porta Ticinese on the op-

from the basic grey module of 50 m², the users can de-

posite site is missing. At the same time the proximity

cide to increase their own apartment by the insertion of

with both via Tortona and the railway represents a real

other two differently colored modules, one of 25 m² and

opportunity for the building to create the missing con-

the other one of 12,5 m², containing additional bedro-

nection through a bridge passing through the ﬁrst ﬂoor

oms, a studio, a kitchen etc.

bar and the railway can also be used for the transporta-

To reach this aim, a modular constructive system, ba-

tion of the modules.

sed on prefabricated modules, has been studied in or-

The ground ﬂoor is a public open space in continuity

der to permit this ﬂexibility and furthermore allow the

with the surrounding urban context while the ﬁrst ﬂoor

building to rise up rapidly. Every module respects stan-

hosts a bar and the entrance from the bridge.

dard dimensions of 2,5x10 m suitable for transporta-

Here the logic of the prefabricated modules is substitu-

tion by train or truck and it arrives at the site already

ted by an open space with big glass surfaces and dou-

prepared to be inserted into the main permanent ste-

ble height that allows the view of the binaries and the

el structure.

city.

The internal circulation is guaranteed by a concrete

The third ﬂoor, instead, is reserved for the users and it is

central core with an elevator and staircase that per-

a sort of common space for studying, relaxing or socia-

mit the direct access to the apartments, placed two per

lizing. In this way the building becomes a crucial point

ﬂoor. Each apartment has its own terrace that incre-

for the city, inside an area that is becoming more and

ases the quality of the space, and a second entrance

more one of the most representative places in Milan.

with a small additional kitchen which permits eventually to create a small space for a studio or a third small

180

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181

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ĨĂĐĂĚĞ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ĂŐŐƌĞŐĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ

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186

Archi-Scape Yifan Zhang

187

188

Free-aggregation and selfpropagation units are a reďŹ&#x201A;ection of the spontaneous building activities happening in cities. Every living unit acts as an individual system deriving facility inputs from the pre-set connectors in the initial structure. This building is the city itself, just in a smaller scale. Archi-Scape

189

The logic composition of the building system is derived

segments, each two of which share one geothermal

from cities. Free-aggregation and self-propagation

heat pump generating energy for radiant ﬂoor heating.

units are a reﬂection of the spontaneous building

Due to the open structure system, the initial structure

activities happening in cities. If the units are the

does not provide extra heating/cooling or ventilation

individual buildings in the cities, the passage space

inside the initial structure. Mechanical ducts and

will be fairly enough to be regarded as the imitation

hydraulic pipes have been moved totally out of each

of the city streets, where the interaction of social and

ﬂat, and every living unit plays as an individual system,

individual networks happen.

deriving facility inputs from the pre-set connectors in

As mobility and diversity have been the principal of

the initial structure, plugging into the ﬂat at certain

conceptual thinking, the design of the whole structure

positions (radiant ﬂoor connectors, water pipes, soil

is supposed to ensure this signiﬁcance. Based on the

stacks, etc.) - quite a manifesto for mobility.

concept, a quarter circle of a self-sustainable steel

There are two types of living units, the main body (self-

structure is put as the basic systematic propagation

propagation and low mobility) on the outer surface of

segment.

the building and the portable body (high mobility and

The sample circular building is a result of combining

can travel with owners) on the inner surface. All the

four basic segments together (four circulation cores

walls are kept away from the columns in the initial

serve related segments), with a totally open ground

structure.

floor, five residential functioning floors, and a public-

The virtual location for the circular sample system

friendly common roof, which acts as the beneﬁt given

is in the Bicocca-centro, surrounded by Via Chiese

back to the city. Individual living units, self-supported

and Viale Piero and Alberto Pirelli. The whole site, 4.6

by lightweight metal truss, are independent secondary

hectares, was divided into three parts: a residential

structures to the initial structure.

area to put the building, a green buffer zone (a public

The elementary steel structure makes safe, ideal-

park) playing as an intermediate in between the

sized living space possible for the residents, and

factory and living area, and a city parking area for the

considerable common ground that awaits stories and

whole neighborhood. The circular shape of the building

events to happen.

is a radical demonstration to break the existing

Four bracing structures at the beginning of each

urban fabric (grid), showing a dissimilar developing

segment stabilize the whole structure against lateral

possibility in the way of self-contextualizing and

loads, e.g. wind load.

centralizing, because this building is the city itself, just

Totally independent ventilation systems serve different

in a smaller scale.

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196

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Colorful Balcony Cao Shicong Meng Yao

199

200

The system is adaptable to many urban situations, from slab building to courtyard building, with various combinations of living units and vertical connections. In the living unit, temporary and permanent terraces as well as the colorful balconies provides ample outdoor public space for the family. Colorful Balcony

201

Our design target is to provide a changeable housing sy-

permanent terrace. The 8m width of the mother struc-

stem in an urban background. The initial motivation is

ture provides an outdoor balcony along the apartments.

to use the modular system to reduce the cost of pro-

The modules compose of the steel skeleton and pre-

duction and installation. According to the carrying size

fabricated panels mainly of wood. The steel skeleton

of a truck, we chose a modular size of 2.5m x 3.1m x 6m.

ensures enough strength for the duplex to stand. In

To assemble these modules into an apartment, we cho-

between the ﬁrst and second layers of modules, the-

se a duplex system, which has the beneﬁt of compact

re is a roll for sliding the modules in, in order to redu-

space and better privacy.

ce the height of the mother structure. The prefabrica-

To place these modular apartments, we provided a

ted panels are well insulated with wood ﬁber. Wood

mainly steel mother structure with vertical connec-

ﬁber is also a sound proof material and provides enou-

tions. The layout of the mother structure can be very

gh time shifts to reduce the energy demand for heating

ﬂexible since it is also composed of modular units of an

and cooling. We chose an autonomous HVAC system for

L, T, or plus shape. Those units could be arranged into

the apartments since the number and position of the

slab or courtyard building according to the situation of

apartments are ﬂexible. It is composed of an air-water

the site.

heat pump and prefabricated radiant ﬂoor system. With

The apartment grows by adding modules to the exi-

the photovoltaic panels generating energy for the buil-

sting ones. The initial setting is six modules with one

ding, the net consumption is greatly reduced by about

bedroom and one living room. The secondary setting is

40%.

by adding two modules on the ground ﬂoor of the du-

The growing modular system is adaptable to many si-

plex, to provide another bedroom and also a study. The

tuations, from a single unit settled on the open ﬁeld to

ﬁnal setting is by adding another two modules on the

a multilayer building arranged along the street. The sy-

ﬁrst ﬂoor, to provide a third bedroom with separate toi-

stem also has the potential of forming different kinds

let, kitchen and a small living room, which could be to-

of courtyard. The ground ﬂoor can be used by commer-

tally divided from the original apartment with a second

cial and public activities. The open space on the mother

entrance. The settings are designed according to the

structure can also be used for plant cultivation. The ur-

changing needs of a family from a single person, to one

ban environment is changeable and friendly. Taking the

couple, to one couple with some children and to a fa-

shorter time needed for construction into account, the

mily with some tenants. The common space inside the

system could be a solution for urban housing needs.

apartment consists of living rooms, a temporary terrace that changes according to the setting of modules and a

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The Symmetrical Home Cai Gaoyu Liu Mairui

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Just two types of modules can apply for all the modular units needed where any two can be combined into one complete space in a house. Different combinations can generate a variety of spaces of a house. Wood is chosen as a main material. Easy producing, quick assembling and timesaving are key words we think about all the time. The Symmetrical Home

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Nowadays, with the increasing growth of population on

plugged in one main mother structure and hinge to the

earth, the instant housing is talked about a lot.The main

structure, so a steel frame structure would, our opinion,

two factors of instant housing are time-saving and

be the best option in. We use fresh concrete as little as

energy saving; at the same time it is better to supply a

possible, for this reason a prefabricated concrete ﬂo-

variety of accommodation.

or is considered.

Considering these factors above, our project is focusing

Last but not least, environment-friendly is another

on quick producing, quick assembling, high transporta-

thing we have to think about, wood is natural material

tion and easy installation and so on. We analyzed the

which is easy to get and one the building materials that

dimension of each function of conventional housing,

Is easy to recycle.

such as washroom, bedroom, kitchen, corridor, living

Façades and internal walls are mainly made of wood so

room and so on.

that we get very low energy consumption in our project.

What’s more, in order to minimize the number of modu-

We pick Porta Vittoria in Milan as our project site. It has

lar types in factory, a total of just two sizes of modular

public infrastructure and the underground Porta Vitto-

types can be used in our project.Our thought is that the

ria railway station.

lesser the quantity of modular types, the quicker pro-

Also there are several bus stops around which could

duction in the factory.

lead to the city center.

But less types doesn’t mean less variety in uses. Ano-

On the south there are three new towers, in our master

ther factor is easy and quick transportation; thinking

plan we put three towers facing to them in order to re-

about the general size of a truck, we optimize the di-

spect the urban texture, we set back several meters on

mension of a module so that it can ﬁt the size of nor-

the north so that the empty space is ready for a linear

mal truck.

park along the main street which continues the green

When they arrive on site, two modules would weld to-

view of the huge public park on the west.

gether into a complete room needed.Generally saving

In conclusion, easy producing, quick assembling and

time is saving money in this society, so we prefer to pro-

saving-time are all key words we think about all the

duce the ﬂoor, roof, walls and even furniture in a facto-

time.

ry, not only can we save production time in the overall time of construction but we can also get higher quality than on site. Controlling the construction time on site is also crucial in our project, since our module is supposed to be

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Up! House Li Gege Yu Simin

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The atmosphere in the hang up system is divided into three levels: parallel with the horizon, lower than the horizon, and the third higher than the horizon. The level parallel to the horizon is used to connect the site with the surroundings that has a neutral character. Up! House

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To some extent, the Scalable Modular Apartments Buil-

le the higher part is apparent but private apartments.

ding is, in a way, another expression of Metabolism, an

What is very fascinating is that on one hand, we do a de-

architectural movement in Japan, during the 1960s -

sign, which belongs to its unique topography, and on the

1970s.

other hand, we create several places for trafﬁc and pe-

And maybe the most famous building is the Nakagin

ople, and for public activities and private apartments.

Capsule Tower, designed by Kisho Kurokawa.

We use a composite structural system to support the

Some of the differences in our project are that the hou-

apartment.

se needs to be scaled between 65m² to 130m², which

For the original 65m² part, an ordinary-looking load-be-

means that the users should have the possibility to add,

aring wall is adopted. While a truss cantilever system is

subtract or substitute space units according to their

used for the new 65m² part, which is above the plan pa-

needs during the year.

rallel with the horizon.

The new parts of the apartment will arrive ready to use

So as a result, at ﬁrst, the building just looks like a ver-

on site and should be installed in a few hours.The user

tical tower, but as time passes, the building grows and

should buy a starting set of a minimum composition of

sprawl just like a tree getting more branches. In short,

modules, but with the spatial possibility to add extra

we want to use this way to create a metaphor. People

modules in future, for instance when the family has a

passing by will realize the changes of the building by its

baby.

appearance, which makes a boring vertical tower stran-

Aside from what is mentioned previously, the urban pu-

ger and stranger, day by day.

blic space could be kept, so our group chose to hang up the building. The site is around Bicocca University and it is in a basin shape which is 6 meters lowers than the surroundings. The atmosphere in the hang up system is divided into three levels: parallel with the horizon, lower than the horizon, and the third higher than the horizon. The level parallel with the horizon is used to connect the site with the surroundings that has a neutral character. Relatively, the lower part is covered with public space such as commerce, the gym, galleries and so on, whi-

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House in expansion Aamir Ahmed Patel Abhay Kaushik

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The house you initially built or purchased may be perfect for you for some time, but sooner or later you will need to expand it. The Expanding House really offers ample opportunities for enlarging existing rooms without demolishing them. One of our key focuses has also been to develop smart homes with a focus on energy and health. House in expansion

233

So you want more space. A little extra room because the

ces, ofﬁces, shopping, services, green areas and pu-

family is growing, children or parents are moving back

blic spaces. Our proposed site is located in the city life

home, you’ve started a home based business, you’ve

complex to the south. The site area is 10,700 sqm. Loca-

always wanted that conservatory, or any of the thou-

ted in one of Milan’s most prestigious residential are-

sand other reasons why your existing house just isn’t

as, CityLife is a short distance from the old city Centre.

big enough or vice versa?

It is connected to an efﬁcient public transport network,

Here is the perfect solution!!

with the Tre Tori station of the new metro line 5 in its

The house you initially built or purchased may be per-

central square.

fect for you for some time, but sooner or later you will

The project involves the construction of three skyscra-

need to expand it. The Expanding House really offers

pers, with dedicated areas for ofﬁces, stores, restau-

ample opportunities for enlarging existing rooms wi-

rants and services.

thout demolishing them. One of our key focuses has

In addition, more than 50% of the available area -

also been to develop smart homes with a focus on ener-

168,000 sqm (1,810,000 square feet), will be devoted

gy and health.

to a park characterized by a landscape that evokes the

As technology advances, so do our homes. Some

geography of Lombardy. There will also be underground

technologies have yet to become common today; this

parking space for around 5,000 vehicles. The area is fur-

expanding house has features that might someday

ther away from the existing public transportation net-

become just as common as the television in your li-

work, but the CityLife area will be served by a new exten-

ving room. Automated lights, curtains and home enter-

sion of the metro line 5, currently under construction.

tainment systems have been on the market for a whi-

The dedicated station will be at the Centre of the “Piaz-

le, but recently, tech companies around the world have

za Tre Tori”. Work on the project started in 2007. Alumi-

debuted advanced home technology from Modular hou-

num corrugated sheet cladding on the façade, 100mm

ses to expanding houses, keeping in mind the demand

x 100mm box section wooden louvers designed for sun

of modern families and their lifestyle.

shading & rotating geometry, Double Glazed Windows

The Expanding House comes with Solar cell panels and

with micro structured shading foil between sheet glass.

a rechargeable battery power the house, while a mana-

Doors - PARIGI model, Leaf made by a hardwood, pe-

gement device monitors the total power supply.

rimetral frame and covered up with MDF panels ﬁlled

CityLife covers an overall area of 366,000 sqm. The tran-

with a paper honeycomb (15mm knit). Thickness of the

sformation plan provides for a structured and balanced

panel 45 mm (40mm for sliding doors).

mix of public and private functions, including residen-

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Do our houses really seem to belong to our contemporary times?