Thursday 26 April 2012

[30] Determining design elements for constructing an integration in a community.


Imperviousness as an element of designing separation in community.
The grid model of most suburban ares clearly creates a pattern of segregation, where only the street and pavement are shared with neighbours and public. This linear scheme is impermeable, it also requires a vehicle as a way of transportation which is another element of setting people apart from each other. It gives people no opportunity for criss crossing paths. According to Jacobs blocks should be short to increase path options between points of departure and destination and therefore enhance social development. This could be observed in housing communities like house boat wharfs or slums, were the linear pattern is broken down into much shorter blocks.   


Permeability as a successful elements of designing community.
One of the reasons why densely populated areas like slums or house boats communities are such successful places to live in, is their walkability pattern. In places where people get around by foot and pass the homes of their neighbours at great proximity and every day, a certain level of trust, familiarity and even relationship is being developed. They know each other faces, voices and even cat names what generates a social bond and kinship of residents. The only private space is between the walls of their homes and everything around is  being shared by all residents. There are no non-tresspasing zones in their design as there is no need for them.







Saturday 14 April 2012

Tuesday 10 April 2012

[28] TERMINATED. Prefab housing using intermodal freight containers.

The airSpace Architecture project requires a cheap, prefabricated, easy to assemble, portable but durable material. The building method  should not at any way interfere with the adjoining buildings - due to the impossible to overcome planning permission applications and laws of preservation of historic buildings that are in place in central London. 

Shipping containers are in many ways an ideal building material because they are strong, durable, stackable, cuttable, movable, modular, plentiful and relatively cheap.
The benefits:
Fire, mold and insect damage resistant,
Strength and durability - designed to resist harshest of weather conditions,
Modular, standardised measurements that can be combined into a large structures,
Easy to transport,
Low cost, especially of the used containers,
Environmentally friendly.

Due to their modular nature they generate flexible and adaptable arrangement solutions. A house, made out of intermodal freight containers, rather than being a fully finished product right from the start would be a structure that grows over time, as the needs of inhabitants change. 




[27] Parasitic form speculations.