48-773 Chi Zhang
Configuration of Amenity Plugins in Hutong This project is an extension of my thesis "Hutong Plugin". The core concept of my thesis is to demolish the self-built, attached buildings in the historic neighborhood, reclaim the illegally occupied courtyard space, and resort to plugin boxes which create new shared facilities, including bathroom, kitchen and laundry, in collectively owned courtyards. Through this way multiple privately built facilities are changed to one common facility construction, natural sunlight condition is improved, more outdoor space is liberated. This project focuses on using grasshopper as a tool to explore the configuration problem of different plugin boxes in the courtyards, according to the urban context and data.
I. Context
Figure 1: Beijing, modern or historical?
My thesis site locates at Beijing, China. I am going to explore the possibility of renegotiation of common courtyard space in very dense and crowded historical district. Speak of the image of Beijing, some people would say the tall buildings represents Beijing, but most would say it’s the historic buildings and patterns that make Beijing so different.
Beijing
Xisi North Neighborhood
Site
CHINA
Xisi North Neighborhood
Inner City
Figure 2: Site location
I. Context Courtyard
North House
East House
Entrance
West House Reversely-set House
Figure 3: The composition of Chinese traditional courtyard
Beijing courtyard housing (Siheyuan) is a very iconic housing morphology. One courtyard housing has a courtyard in the middle and four buildings surrounded. This idea to design it like this is to shows the hope of sharing tranquility and happiness in a family.
Figure 4: Courtyards birdeye view
I. Context Previous Amenities Are Transfered to More Bedrooms
Families build Their Own Kitchens on the Courtyard Space
Basic Living Space (Bedroom)
Amenities Space (Bathroom, Kitchen, Storage)
Figure 5: Spatial Change in Courtyards
During this transformation, the courtyard outdoor space property changes from private to common, legally it a common property of all those who own the houses around the courtyard. The space has also changed a lot. Because of the increase of resident density, almost all the rooms of the houses are turned into bedrooms, while they used to be kitchens, bathrooms, storerooms and so on. But people can not survive with out these amenities, so they start to build their own additional buildings inside the courtyard space. All the families attempts to build their own amenities in the common courtyard, the result is the courtyard is fully occupied by these additional buildings. And because they are self-built houses and most of the residents who live here are not wealthy, these building are really in bad condition. Besides, they block almost all natural light and natural wind, which makes the original buildings dark and wet. Also they don’t meet the need of fire control. This is not individual case, but already become a pattern in the historical neighborhood.
I. Context
Figure 6: The self built attached buildings in one couryard
Figure 7: The self built attached buildings in in the neighborhood
II. Analysis
Figure 8: Relevent System-the couryards shapes and sizes
Filtrate all the courtyards in the neighborhood that are available for plugins, which means the building type is residential, the courtyard size is at least lager than one Plugin box, and is not historic preservation building. According to the size and shape of each couryard, try to fit as many boxes as possible.
II. Analysis
Figure 9: Relevent System-accessibility to other public amenities
The neighborhood usually has public amenities such as bathroom or reading room for the residents. Use these amenities to draw service circles, those couryard within these circles might have lower priority for this type of amenities. For example, the couryard which is next to a neighborhood bathroom may not have a bathroom plugin in theri courtyard. Instead they can use the space for some other purpose.
Figure 10: Relevent System-family with elderly
For those families with elderly, bathrooms can not be spared even if they are close enough to publim bathroom.
II. Analysis
Long Term Residents Family 1 Male 65 Retired Female 60 Retired
Floating Population Family 1 Male 34 Work Female 32 Work Female 8 Study
Playing Chess Reading Newspaper
Taking Care of Child
Storage Growing Flowers Basking
Toilet Laundry Cooking Shower Study
Surf the Internet Taking Care of Senior Long Term Residents Family 2 Male 70 Retired Male 43 Work Female 40 Work Male 15 Study
Fitness
Floating Population Family 2 Male 26 Work
Figure 11: Relevent System-what do different people need
The user type of the families who live in one couryard is an important factor that influence the decision making of what kind of plugins they need in this couryard. The diagram above shows what do different family type need in the courtyard. According to the basic living demands, I designed three basic plugins and four scenarios to assemble them.
IV. Component design
Figure 12: Plugin-Bathroom
Figure 13: Plugin-kitchen
IV. Component design
Figure 14: Plugin-Laundry
V. Component Deployment
Figure 15: Configuration Scenario 1Kitchen+Bathroom+Laundry
Figure 16: Configuration Scenario 2 Kitchen+Bathroom+Laundry
V. Component Deployment
Figure 17: Configuration Scenario 3 Kitchen+Bathroom
Figure 18: Configuration Scenario 4 Kitchen+Laundry
V. Component Deployment
Small Site Good Daylight No Elderly Close to Public Bathroom
Small Site Medium Daylight
Long Site Good Daylight
Square Site Medium Daylight
Figure 19: Configuration Examples
In this section, I try to think of an algorithm that can help configurate the plugin boxes into the courtyards.I use four parameters: 1. couryard size 2. courtyard shape(whether it can accommondate a scenario or not), 3. whether is within the service circle of public toilet, 4. whether have elderly in family. Then I give four scenarios that can be configurated in the couryards according to the algorithm. and give some examples in the neighborhood that what are the typical situation of the four scenarios. The next step is to use grasshopper to loop through all the couryards and put the scenarios in.
V. Component Deployment Size larger than 7.5m*2.5m?
N
Y
Within the public toilet serving radius?
Y
Scenario 1
Y
N
Courtyard can fit Scenario 1?
Y
N
Courtyard can fit Scenario 1?
Have elderly in family?
Y
Scenario 0 (nothing)
Scenario 4
N
Courtyard can fit Scenario 2?
Scenario 1
N
Y
Courtyard can fit Scenario 2?
Y
Scenario 2
Figure 20: Grasshopper Algorithm
Scenario 2
N
Scenario 3
N
Scenario 3
VI. Final Design
Figure 21: Final design rendering 1
Figure 22: Final design rendering 2
Figure 23: Final design Configuration
Figure 24: Final design Configuration