renewable materials recycle ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY non renewable materials decompose CLIMATE CRISIS Plastic waste after demolition Recycled Plastic waste The scheme (figure 9)3 portrays the cycle of building materials. To avoid materials being thrown into the ecosys-tem they are being recycled or decomposed, another way to avoid material waste is renovation. Lacaton & Vassal’s project focused on cutting the construction costs, the most common materials were polycarbonate sheets and concrete. figure 1 Shadowy Spaces Polycarbonate is a plastic product. Plastic waste causes immense pollution as 80%4 of it gets discarded into wild-life. However, polycarbonate is durable against impact and a tough material, clear polycarbonate sheets, as the ones used in the ‘greenhouse’ part of the building, lets in the sunlight almost as well as glass. It has insulation qualities that minimise the heat loss5. Semi-Sunlit Space figure 2 Sunlit Space Reflective c urtain a llows t he r esidents t o m anually control the amount of sunlight that enters stheir living unit. The building also collects the radiated heat from the sunlight, the walls and the roof are insulated with glass wool2, that and the triple glazed windows and the triple sliding door on the upper floor minimise the heat loss of the building. Polycarbonate sheets used in the walls of the ‘greenhouse’ and the roof also has some insulative qualities. Wind The vaults of the roof serve as air vents, where the stale air rises and travels to the ‘greenhouse’. The ‘greenhouse’ is equipped with a manually openable roof window, that allows the inhabitants to control the airflow of the building. 1 Ilot Schoettlé, Mulhouse, France by Lacaton & Vassal [accessed 14 December 2020] 2 David Mimbreroz, ‘Viviendas en Mulhouse Anne Lacaton&Jean Philippe Vassal’, Tectonica 19, plásticos, p.75 Concrete manufacturing is responsible for up to 8% of emitted greenhouse gases. While it is a concerning factor, concrete is also long-lasting and durable, the affordabili-ty and little maintenance that concrete demands makes it appealing material to use in construction. Concrete is also recyclable, so the demolition of concrete buildings may not produce a lot of waste6. figure 3 figure 7 figure 8 figure 4 The building was constructed on the grounds of a factory and the concrete base of the ground floor remains the same. 3 David Bergman, Sustainable Design (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2012), p. 19-27. 4 Hannah Ritchie and Max Roser, Plastic Pollution [accessed 14 December 2020]. 5 Omnexus The Material Selection Platform, A Complete Guide to Polycarbonate (PC) [accessed 14 December 2020]. 6 Civil Engeneering , Advantages and Disadvantages of Concrete () [accessed 14 December 2020]. figure 5 waste construction waste occupancy renovate Sunlight Solar energy is a constant resource that people have learned to harness in various ways. The Lacaton & Vassal’s building in Mulhouse explores bioclimatic design solutions, especially relating to sunlight, to provide comfort and cut energy costs for the residents. The ‘greenhouse’ on the upper floor is turned toward the south to illuminate the interior of the building. The clear polycarbonate roof and walls of the ‘greenhouse’, as well the large windows, allow most of the house to be illuminated by the sunlight.1 manufacturing waste demolition figure 9 CO2 emitions from manifacturing Decomposing Concrete after demolition figure 10 Using Concrete structures of previous buildings figure 6 Case study building as a building type essentially focuses on collective housing. Most of the spaces within home and connection to the streets are kept free. Living around community and allowing visual connections within homes makes it very successful. (Collage on left) OTHER BUILDINGS OF ITS TYPE Building programme: No fixed threshold for use Every tenant gets space on both ground and first floor ECONOMIC To furthermore relate the project to the climate crisis it is important to look at sustainability of living within the housing unit. What is important is the practice and ideas behind the project. The sustainability depends on three intersecting considerations. The diagram (figure 12) on this page describes, how societal, economic, and environmental practices overlay each other and three-dimensionally presents sustainability7. L SOCIA EN VIR ON figure 2 Comparing all the buildings by different architects that are part of the same experimental collective housing project The Lacaton & Vassal’s project in Mulhouse is an interest-ing case study, it was built specifically to reduce the cost of space, giving the residents an area about twice as big com-pared to average housing unit without increasing the price. To achieve that, it had to use building materials not often found in housing. Inspired by the local greenhouses, the ar-chitects used polycarbonate sheets and metal frame to build the upper floor of the project. The cost of material signifi-cantly decreased the construction price. The residents get to have an extra room, where to spend their time and expand their living space. The ‘greenhouse’ allows the sunlight to enter the space giving light and warmth, as showed before, manual ventilation and curtains to reflect the sun were implemented to help to regulate the inner climate. These aspects of the project present the multi-dimensional approach that architects take to build a well serving and sustainable house. figure 12 History plays an important role in the typology in the neighbourhood. Although all are mostly residential houses. Height stays same around the neighbourhood but in terms of use, freedom of space, flexibility in use and communal spaces around for gardening and vegetation helps grow community within the neighbourhood. Additionally, resources and worked within the community is also shared as tenants come from various backgrounds. Communal Approach: Pedestrianised communal space alongside building Logements, Shigeru Ban Logements, Shigeru Ban Colored Mutation, Jean Nouvel figure 1 ME NT AL figure 7 Manifesto of the architect and approach towards collective housing. Environmental Approach: Inducing winter gardens and vegetation Making maximum use of day light Greenhouse structure for heating Sliding doors for natural ventilation Bioclimatic building design Lacton and Vassal’s Building (in red) is part of a bigger experimental housing project, ‘Cité Manifeste’ consisting of 61 housing units designed by five different architects. Logements, Shigeru Ban All of them have different materials and form but the same design theology of responding to the climate crisis, giving flexibility to residents regarding use and making low cost 2 storey social house. -Use of local housing plan (carré mulhousien) -Rain water harvesting -Private gardens and terrace -External stairs for social interaction -Stepped back for communal space The project pursued the objective of crisis aspects of regulations and construction processes with solutions that were feasible for all stakeholders in the promotion and construction process. figure 3 Although they are all co houses, it differs from the case study building by having unsheltered and outdoor stairs. figure 4 figure 5 figure 6 Micro Green, Ducan Lewis Caratere Special, Matthieu Poitevin Colored Mutation, Jean Nouvel -Alternating between car park and entrance. -Public and private threshold -Winter garden -Metal barrier with plantation as secondary structure as curtain. -Natural ventilation -Threaded boundary wall to encourage social interaction. -Minimalism by using reusing materials from local construction site -Rain water harvesting -External balcony -Flexible use of internal spaces -Keeping roadways intact underneath -Internal use of bright colours to reduce industrial material affect -Rain water harvesting -Light through translucent peripheral walls -Backyards for garden space -Shaded alleyway for pedestrians Open and transparent like the case study building. The main is door is directly on road lacking a continuous communal space. Too small opaque and small windows compare to the case study building and lack of open garden at the front. figure 8 2 Comparison with similar type and typology Boreal/Tetrarc Architectes Social Houses Nantes, France Year: 2011 RELEVENCE TO THE STUDIO THEME BIBLIOGRAPHY 1 23 Semi-collective Housing Units / Lacaton & Vassal, ArchDaily(2012) [Accessed 14 December 2020] 16 figure 10 figure 11 Communal walkway (Tertiary) Greenhouse (Secondary) Concrete frame (Primary) figure 9 Communal vegetation figure 12 Built as 39 duplex apartments to explore individuality within social housing by distributing them within 11 housing blocks (6 rental, 5 sold). Programme as a nucleus made of a kitchen, a bathroom, toilets, and a staircase leaving the rest as a open plan (alike Case Study building) with glazed greenhouse winter garden windows viewing gardens that promote neighbourhood relationships. 2 A.Lacaton (November Conferences), (2014) [Accessed 12 December 2020] The whole scheme as a City manifesto is a creative response towards the new housing practise and is tightly bonded with the studio theme which is a creative response towards new housing. The case study is a manifesto for new, better housing within the existing structures. It is a repre-sentative for a sustainable design that considers people not only as inhabitants but as owners and contributors to the wider community aspect. It encourages the communi-ty through spaces and design to form relationships. By the cultural and historical relevance crates diverse and flexible ownership promoting community and wellbeing. David Bergman, Sustainable Design (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2012), p. 19-27. Márquez Cecilia, Fernando, and Richard C. Levene. Lacation & Vassal 1993/2017. 2017. 17 Neppert Gardens” 59 Dwellings At Mulhouse By Lacaton & Vassal - BMIAA”, BMIAA, 2015 [Accessed 14 De-cember 2020] 3 Abalos, Iänaki, Karine. Dana, Anne Lacaton, and Jean-Philippe Vassal. Lacaton & Vassal : Obra Reciente = Re-cent Work. 2G (Barcelona, Spain) N. 60. Barcelona: G. Gili, 2011. 18 Never Demolish, Ruby Press [Accessed 10 December 2020] 4 Architectuul, Mulhouse, France, by Lacaton and Vassal (2020) [Accessed 15 December 2020] 19 Ruby, Ilka., Andreas. Steiner, Ruby, Andreas, and Steiner, Dietmar. Lacaton & Vassal. 2G (Barcelona, Spain) ; No. 21. Barcelona: G. Gili, 2002. 5 Eumiesaward”, Miesarch.Com, 2020 [Accessed 14 December 2020] 20 Schittich, Christian., Andrea. Wiegelmann, and Institut Für Internationale Architektur-Dokumentation. Semi-detached and Terraced Houses. In Detail. München : Basel: Edition Detail ; Birkhäuser ;, 2006. 6 Fillion, Odile, Cité Manifeste de Mulhouse (2009) < https://imagesdelaculture.cnc.fr/-/citemanifeste-de-mulhouse-la-> [Accessed 13 December 2020] 21 Sinarquitectura, Niamey (Niger), Lacaton & Vassal, 1984, (23 September 2013)< http://arquitecturasinarquitectura.blogspot.com/2013/09/niamey-niger-lacaton-vassal-1984.html> [Accessed 7 Ilot Schoettlé, Architectuul.Com, 2020 on 11 De-cember 2020] [Accessed 14 De-cember 2020] Social Housing (14 dwellings in Cite Manifeste), (2020) 8 Is the right to housing real? Curry stone foundation, (2018) [Accessed 11 December 2020] [Accessed 12 December 2020] 9 Jeska, Simone, Transparent Plastics (Basel: Birkhäuser, 2008) 23 Social Housing in Mulhouse, France 2005 [Accessed 10 De-cember 2020] 10 Journal for architecture and urbanism, can design change society? (2016) [Accessed 11 December 24 Social housing, Mulhouse, Lacaton and Vassal (2005) [Accessed 13 December 2020] 11 Lacaton & Vassal”, Lacatonvassal.Com, 2020 [Accessed 14 December 2020] 25 Spatial Agency, Lacaton and Vassal [Accessed 14 December 2020] 12 Lisa Schmidt-Colinet, The Challenge of Inhabitation (2008) [accessed 14 December 2020]. 26 The manifest city – Mulhouse – 68 [Accessed 10 December 2020] 13 Îlot Schoettlé, Social Housing in Mulhouse (2005) [accessed 14 December 2020]. figure 13 figure 16 figure 17 figure 14 figure 17 figure 15 14 David Mimbreroz, ‘Viviendas en Mulhouse Anne Lacaton&Jean Philippe Vassal’, Tectonica 19, plásticos, 70-87. Simona Jeska, Transparent Plastics Design and Technology (Basel,Boston and Berlin: Birkhauser, 2008), p. 86-91. List of Figures RE-USE, RE-ADAPTATION, APPROACH TO SITE figure 1: Sinarquitectura, Niamey (Niger), Lacaton & Vassal, 1984, (23 September 2013)< http:// arquitecturasinarquitectura.blogspot.com/2013/09/niamey-niger-lacaton-vassal-1984. html> [Accessed on 11 December 2020] figure 2: Social housing, Mulhouse, Lacaton and Vassal (2005) [Accessed on 12 December 2020] figure 3:: Fillion, Odile, Cité Manifeste de Mulhouse (2009) < https://imagesdelaculture.cnc.fr/-/ cite-manifeste-de-mulhouse-la-> [Accessed 13 December 2020] Architectuul, Mulhouse, France, by Lacaton and Vassal (2020) [Accessed 15 December 2020] A.Lacaton (November Conferences), (2014) [Accessed 12 December 2020] figure 4: Authors own drawing figure 5: Authors own drawing figure 6: Authors own drawing figure 7: Social housing, Mulhouse, Lacaton and Vassal (2005) [Accessed 13 December 2020] figure 8: Social housing, Mulhouse, Lacaton and Vassal (2005) [Accessed 13 December 2020] figure 9: Authors own drawing figure 10: Authors own drawing figure 11: ASocial housing, Mulhouse, Lacaton and Vassal (2005) [Accessed 13 December 2020] TO PRODUCE HIGH QUALITY HOUSING AT A LOW COST figure 12: Authors own drawing figure 13:Social housing, Mulhouse, Lacaton and Vassal (2005) [Accessed 13 December 2020] TOWNSCAPE figure 1: SOMCO1 (Previous development) figure 2: New Development figure 3: Housing scheme arranged following existing historic geometric plan figure 11 7 David Bergman, Sustainable Design (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2012), p. 19-27. NEIGHBOURHOOD figure 4: Diagram highlighting the arrangement of apartments figure 5: The external view of the terraced housing design. Photos by Lacaton & Vassal. Accessed on 12/12/20 at https://www.lacatonvassal.com/index.php?idp=19 figure 6:The external view of the terraced housing design. Photos by Lacaton & Vassal. Accessed on 12/12/20 at https://www.lacatonvassal.com/index.php?idp=19 CREATIVE RESPONSE figure 1:Author’s own figure 2:Author’s own figure 3: Author’s own MODULARITY figure 4: Author’s own figure 5: Author’s own figure 6: Author’s own 96 UNIT figure 7: Diagram showing the performance of ventilation features within a unit. figure 8: Image showing how furniture is used to define thresholds within each unique apartment. figure 9: Image showing how furniture is used to define thresholds within each unique apartment figure 10: Image showing how furniture is used to define thresholds within each unique apartment DETAIL figure 11: Image showing a winter garden with a mobile screen slid back. Photo by Lacaton & Vassal. figure 12: Detail diagram showing the properties of the aluminium sliding door that defines the winter graden. MATERIAL EFFICIENCY figure 7: Author’s own figure 8: https://www.bmiaa.com/neppert-gardens-59-dwellings-at-mulhouse-by-lacaton-vassal/ figure 9: https://www.lemoniteur.fr/photo/les-projets-communs-de-lacaton-vassal-ettechnal.1912199/ensemble.1#galerie-anchor figure 10: https://www.amc-archi.com/photos/equerre-d-argent-2005-nomine-cite-manifeste-61-logements,3573/lacaton-vassal-cite-manif.10 figure 11: https://www.baunetz.de/meldungen/Meldungen-Ausstellung_in_Halle_ueber_Lacaton_Vassal_847347.html?bild=1 figure 12: https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/59-dwellings-lacaton-vassal figure 13: ttps://www.houzz.fr/photos/wohnungsbau-mulhouse-anne-lacaton-und-philippevassal-phvw-vp~20182060 figure 14: Author’s own figure 15: Author’s own figure 16: Author’s own ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY igure 1: Plan, Sun Path, authors own figure 2: Sun Illuminated Interior, authors own figure 3: Section diagram, Sun Curtain, authors own figure 4: Section diagram, Insulation, authors own figure 5: Section diagram, Wind Travel, authors own figure 6: Plan, Wind Travel, authors own figure 7: Photograph of the reflective curtain from BauNetz. {https://www.baunetz.de/ meldungen/Meldungen-Ausstellung_in_Halle_ueber_Lacaton_Vassal_847347.html] figure 8: Photograph of the roof vent from the Lacaton & Vassal webpage{https://www. lacatonvassal.com/data/documents/20190711-1603451917_The%20Architectural%20Review_compressed.pdf OTHER BUILDINGS OF ITS TYPE figure 1: Curated screenshot from google maps: Snapshot from google earth. Google Earth 2020 [Accessed 06 December 2020] figure 2: Collage of ambience of Lacaton and Vassel showing free spaces: Social housing, Mulhouse, Lacton and Vassal (2005) [Accessed 02 December 2020] figure 3: Logements, Shegeru Ban photoshopped photograph of building: MULHOUSE, HAUT-RHIN [Accessed 02 December 2020] figure 4: Parti Diagram for Logements, Shegeru Ban filled trace of building plan. MULHOUSE, HAUT-RHIN [Accessed 02 December 2020] figure 5: Micro Green,Ducan Lewis photoshopped photograph of building: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/189784571775105621/ figure 6: Parti Diagram for Ducan lewis filled trace of building plan. figure 7: Caratere Special, Matthieu Poitevin photoshopped photograph of building http://caractere-special.fr/en/la-cite-manifeste/ figure 8: Parti Diagram for Caratere Special, Matthieu Poitevin filled trace of building plan. figure 9: Colored Mutation, Jean Nouvel photoshopped photograph of building figure 10: Parti Diagram for Colored Mutation, Jean Nouvel filled trace of building plan. http:// www.jeannouvel.com/projets/cite-manifeste/ figure 11:Collage of and diagramming with adding humans to show buildings of same type: Social housing, Mulhouse, Lacton and Vassal (2005) [Accessed 02 December 2020] figure 12: Plan analysis of the building figure 13: Axo of material form Boreal figure 14: Axo od Lacton and Vessel figure 15: Elevations of both compared figure 16: Plan analysis of both houses figure 17: Photographs of building: Boreal, Tetrarc Architectes, Nantes housing, Arch Daily, (02 April 2012) [Accessed on 11 December 20] RELEVANCE TO THE STUDIO THEME figure 17: Author’s own COVER PHOTO: Maisons groupées, Cité Manifeste, Mulhouse - 2005 , available at: https:// www.domusweb.it/en/architecture/2009/03/10/lacaton--vassal.html CLIMATE CRISIS figure 9: Diagram, Cycle of Construction, taken from the David Bergman, Sustainable Design (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2012) figure 10: Axonometric diagram, Materiality, authors own figure 11: Collage, Sustainibilty, authors own figure 12: Venn diagram of Sustainibility , taken from the David Bergman, Sustainable Design (New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 2012) 97