Italians Do It Better ! Correcciones Tipologicas - Milan 2014 APFC Juan Herreros profesores : david archilla, lina toro asistentes : daniela duarte, esteban salcedo
A - CROSS rethinking urban living saptarshi mitra 05 14
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A - CROSS rethinking urban living
its a journey that imagines a reorientation of concepts of functional space and existing use patterns of private ground to create a community that in essence is flexible, and connected, both literally and figuratively. there is an attempt to create A CROSS (a link/connection) between the traditional milanese way of life, and the global parameters of a flexible adaptive city. physically the architecture generated out of these goals manifests as a connection system ACROSS (through/ between/ from one point to another) of the existing block system .
concept
investigation
intent
the investigation was into the existing city structure of milan at one hand, and on the predominant existing types on the other hand. the study of the site also resulted in interesting observations at the scale of the urban tissue.
questions
is there a pattern on the kind of figure grounds observed and the street networks? what is the kind of traffic pattern and urban pressure experienced at the site? is there a predominant type? what are the characters of the type? what is the nature of the existing open space?
block character
existing figure ground in the city core
city streets
CITY
the city has concentric circular streets, with a orthogonal grid subdivision. added dynamism in block characteristics and street network is created by presence of a diagonal grid that creates alternate paths of movement and interesting urban situations (see block character diagram). The further away from the centre, the more orthogonal the urban footprint is. A series of radial streets diverge from the centre of the city. The site - OESTE 1 is on one of these radials.
the road layout around the site is totally orthogonal, and the E-W roads experience much more traffic and are more dominant that the N-S streets. the existing figure ground creates a strong perimeter block situation, with almost no visual connection of the internal green spaces to the outside. its a series of introvert blocks, and there exists a strong commercial edge on the ground floor. though there are opportunities to connect to sizeable green public spaces, the nature of the existing types creates an insular, introvert, ‘gated’ feeling. the N-E corner of the site has the maximum urban presence
understanding the site
SITE major traffic (width equals presence) urban nodes commercial edge green
EXISTING BLOCKS
the existing
there are two predominant types in the existing the first is the multistorey linear residential block, with shared walls and common stair wells. the other is the building with a zone of private ground, creating a gated community. its clear from the analysis of the existing that there is a very strong introvert character to the existing urban system, a departure from this existing system of spatial configuration is the starting point for the intervention strategy.
the system of space
existing types
implementation
intent
aspects of focus
reversing the existing nature of introvert open space structure and creating an urban public space in the true sense of the term.
modifying the figure ground modifying access from the street a balance between retained and the new
first concept
the residential blocks run in the N-S direction, as ‘fingers’. the spaces between these fingers become open spaces
modifying the concept connections to the larger open space
the open spaces respond to surrounding open spaces, and also get tailored to create an hierarchy
existing blocks
retained blocks
the process of implementation would be a process of balance, with an understanding that the existing residential fabric is valuable in terms of embodied energy and character of the existing. urban street character
overall figure ground
the new intervention retains the street presence of the old, with a more public ground. the barrier free public space creates possibility of urban dialogue, and the ground acts like an urban space for the city.
two open ended open spaces are formed between each two fingers. connections become nodes of social and cultural activities, and house major facilities and services.
posture
intent tools
to transform the way the ground and other open spaces in the area of demonstration interacts with the rest of the city and with the users. an urban corner urban plaza a shopping street through the intervention
an area, character of intervention
the new configuration creates unrestricted public spaces. these spaces are of various scales, and different characters are imagined for each of them. however, all these spaces are connected at the ground. this larger gesture creates an useable space of concentrated activity that acts as a concentration point for the zone surrounding it.
corner
urban plaza
public space above
streets through built
street character
the elevation illustrates various possibilities of creating spaces with different characters. these together would create the public nature of the intervention, thereby inverting the space type of the existing.
streets through the built the corner with maximum urban presence
connected open spaces not on ground
public plaza
program
there are two basic aspects to the program. the first aspect is the intended physical transformation as discussed above (implementation). the second aspect hinges on the demands of a way of life mirroring global preferences, on the ideas of adaptability, flexible spaces and a system that is multipurpose and robust. choices, connections and new functions are additional aspects that modulates the intervention.
A GLOBAL CULTURE in a city like Milan , where there is a significant number of people from outside the country, an ideal neighbourhood has to reflect the global image of a neighbourhood today. the rate at which things change is really high. art, music and popular culture is now more transient than ever. the logical rationale to a new neighbourhood lies in its quality of being robust enough to be adaptable. like the plazas of the old city, there is a need to create public spaces in the true sense of the term. the ground is freed for the city and the terraces are activated to create public spaces for the residents.
choice of functional distribution
main programmatic components are the residences, the commercial spaces and facilities. institutional functions cater to programmatic diversity and increase the hinterland of impact. a component of space is allocated to unforeseen functions. space is dedicated for modern functional requirements like knowledge banks, datacentres, connected workplaces, archives of audio and video, etc. the functions from different blocks are connected together to create a programmatic diversity defined by the particular route an individual takes through a building. multiple routes result in choice.
actual distribution on site
* though the final functional distribution shows a distribution by block, the connections make each corridor functionally diverse. this drawing shows the overall functional diversity, and the different aspects of programme incorporated into the site.
the project
intent
elements
the major ideas in section are that of connectivity and paths of movement, with a free ground and a green roof. the major ideas in plan are systemic design, flexibility of space use and urban response. the major ideas of material use is based on a creating a collage city, with the existing as a backdrop, configurable new, and connections that are highlighted in a specific material. urban public space a place of memory green roof flexible and adaptable spaces retrofitted existing architecture nodes and connections
IDEAS IN SECTION
main levels
nodes
the main intention in section is creating indeterminacy in paths of movement from point A to point B A-CROSS the connected superblock. with choice comes intrigue, and interest is never lost the connecting floor and the roof are the two main foci in the section. the active public nature borrows heavily from milanese culture the style and materials of the connections are transparent and create a contrast to the existing and new inserted residential ‘fingers’ functions
there are a number of types of functional arrangements
probable functional distributions
sections - intermediate - probable materials
the section above explores possible materials of the old and the new, creating a collage city. the landmark has a surface treatment that makes it stand out. the nodes have a transparent treatment to distinguish it from the more permanent treatment of the retained blocks
IDEAS IN PLAN a system of structure and infill is adopted for the new residential blocks, increasing flexibility. the ground is left open through and through the overall system of intervention aims at creating urban spaces that can create meaningful relationships in terms of physical / visual relationships to existing urban spaces in the surrounding fabric. a plaza with a landmark occupies the corner of the site that experiences the maximum urban pressure. it becomes a place of memory.
plan- initial
FINALS
final ground plan and section
CONNECTED FLOOR
its a public space which holds community functions catering to both the needs of the block ( gyms/ work cells/ community meeting spaces/ workshops , etc.) and the needs of commercial and entertainment functions ( lounges/ meeting spaces/ cafĂŠs/ restaurants, etc.) . It also has space unoccupied for future use. one can take exciting routes across the superblocks, traversing various kinds of architectural situations and this creates intrigue and surprise both.
image of the lounge
plan - floor 5
THE ROOF : A CONTINUOUS URBAN GREEN the intervention looks to transform this existing situation by radically transforming and revitalizing terraces across the superblock. the nature of this space is essentially green and is a much needed respite to the lack of physical connection to the ground.
roof landscape imagined terrace
occupying the connected floor
STRUCTURE AND SYSTEMS
EXISTING RESIDENCES
the types single or double loaded
NEW RESIDENCES the main structural grid also accommodates the service lines. to cater to a range of requirements there are both single floor and also double floor units. the slabs and structure cores are the permanent parts of the system, and all other construction is a system of dry walls, hence are temporary
resultant facade
the grid demonstration plans
the basic types of existing apartments are perfectly functional in terms of space, light and ventilation.
facade
there are two modifications. the sloping roofs have been removed to create terraces that are usable and connected. at floor 5 the existing structure has been retained, but the residences have been removed to create streets that connect the different functions together. a zone of transition space has been attached to the retail functions on the ground level.
NODES various nodes are identified and detailed as holders of key nonprogrammatic spaces. these spaces are centred around the necessity of flexibility, and are the only means of connection between the residential ‘fingers’.
BRIDGES
axonometric view
material
demonstration plans see image 1 for visualization
the connecting bridges is the element that connects the residential fingers and the nodes in a direction A-CROSS the main blocks, thus replicating the grid pattern of the streets in the sky, and joining various functions and spaces, both old and new together.
energy
in light of sustainability and to reduce loss is embodied energy, much of the existing residential fabric has been retained as is (dark grey hatch in final ground plan). the new insertions follow a systemic approach, hence lines of services and water supply and drainage are predetermined, thus efficient. its a system of plug in. the green roof creates a thermal barrier, and major residential blocks are oriented E-W which results in good daylighting and ventilation glare reduction and heat load is reduced in the large commercial nodes by using moveable screens. direct heat load on the shopping faรงades on the ground is reduced by creating a semi open transition space.
minimum reconfiguration of the existing
orientation of the blocks
systems of energy in new residences
responsive screens
images
the following three images talk about three aspects of the project image 1 : streets through the built image 2 : streets in the sky image 3: the overall intervention - going A-CROSS the city
IMAGE 1 : STREET THROUGH THE BUILT the image attempts to show the experience of the streets in created on the ground and how the blocks are connected by nodes. a zone of green space softens the harshness of the paved street. the image also shows floor 5 and how the node connects to it.
IMAGE 2 : STREET IN THE SKY the image attempts to portray the experience of the streets in the sky. on the left are the bridges that connect one building to another, and they are imagined to be of material that creates a contrast with the existing. the green unrestricted open space imagined on the ground is seen in the background.
intention
IMAGE 3 : A-CROSS THE CITY the image attempts to portray the new intervention in the existing fabric, and how the final result is a connected superblock. the roof becomes a connected terrace, and spaces become permeable at the ground.
existing new
original state
but surely
Italians Do It Better !