Simon Christiaanse-Master of Architecture-Superfurniture

superfurniture academy of architecture amsterdam graduation project 2012-2013 simon christiaanse

committee 1. René Bouman (mentor) 2. Ira Koers 3. Hüsnü Yegenoglu 4. Paul de Vroom (examiner) 5. Chris Scheen (examiner)

motivation

problem

assignment

1. Personal fascination for integrated furniture and multifunctional elements in houses, like bedsteads, windowsills, stoves and integrated cupboards.

1. Conventional houses do not meet the demands of nowadays. Most houses offer insufficient facilities to the increasing complexity of the housing program and the associated goods.

1. Come up with an alternative for making houses.

Houses that are spatial more interesting and offer a wide range of facilities.

2. Personal fascination for spatial relations within house interiors, for example how Loos made a “theater for the family“ and how many contemporary Japanese architects make open connections between living- and sleeping rooms.

3. Fascination for all the stuff people have in their homes and how they struggle with it.

2. Spatial potential is hardly used in conventional houses. Most houses are just an accumulation of very generic separate rooms.

2. Develop a method, which offers a spectrum of possibilities and is suitable for general use.

3. Design a series of small houses to show some very specific examples of how the method is used.

problem 1

solution

superfurniture

This is what a lot of architects pretend they make: A very minimal decorated house with just some design furniture and hardly any goods

This is how many people live: They like to have their belongings nearby and store them in space consuming furniture

superfurniture

What I propose: Offer both qualities next to each other. Pile up all goods so the space left can remain free of mess.

problem 2

solution +

exterior walls

=

separation walls

+

house

Most house interiors are just an accumulation of separate rooms House components (or a combination of them) get their own room with their own circulation space Furniture and other goods have to be added to make the house livable, but violate the spatial qualities Every room has very similar spatial qualities

exterior walls

=

superfurniture

The whole envelope of the house as a free field to be used House components find their place in the free field and don’t need their own circulation space Furniture and other goods are integrated in the architecture and are used to make volumes and space Possibility to create a variety in spatial qualities

house

working with mass & space exterior, mass & space

working with mass & space mass, space & program program without mess & privacy program with privacy demand program with mess and / or privacy demand

types four different spatial configurations for superfurniture

type #1 the core house

basic scheme & variations

impression

characteristics free

high guided medium

zone components

low

routing

orientation

privacy

program

goods

type #2 the yurt house

basic scheme & variations

impression

characteristics high

low

medium

free

components medium

guided

routing

orientation

zone

privacy

program

goods

type #3 the en-suite house

basic scheme & variations

impression

routing

orientation

zone

components low

high medium

medium

guided

low

free

medium

characteristics

privacy

program

goods

type #4 the ant house

basic scheme & variations

impression

characteristics high

zone

guided

low components

low

medium

free

medium

low

routing

orientation

privacy

program

goods

case studies the superfurniture types tested in specific situations

case study #1 house in a sheepfold

location

eemdijk

ee

m

eemmeer

eembrugge

baarn

ee

m

amersfoort

the resident age: 26 years current situation: living with his girlfriend profession: furniture maker passion: wood

...and his wishes

a house for two persons

goed view on surroundings

flex work places

a woodstove

have dinner with friends

comfort & health

grow herbs in the windowsill

place to read a book

typology

doesn’t offer much internal privacy, but perfect for just a young couple offers 360 degree view & leaves characteristic elements of the sheepfold untouched very simple scheme can be challanged by many manipulations to meet the many demands having one big piece of furniture as a house is a great statement to make for a furniture maker

section A scale 1:50

A

B

groundfloor scale 1:50

groundfloor scale 1:50

A

B

level one scale 1:50

section A scale 1:50

detail

section A

section B

scale 1:50

scale 1:50

groundfloor scale 1:50

detail scale 1:10

A

case study #2 house in a pumping station

location

eemdijk

ee

m

eemmeer

eembrugge

baarn

ee

m

amersfoort

the resident... age: 62 years current situation: just found the love of his life professsion: trader passion: vintage films

...and his wishes

a house for one + one person

daylight for precise work

store his movie collection

minimal facilities

show historical movies

repair and maintain everything

typology

dramatizes the hall-like atmosphere of the existing building basic scheme offers a lot of storage space for the many goods free open space can be transformed in a cinema and offers a lot of freedom for this entrepreneur living in just one space fits very well with his no-nonsense attitude

scale 1:50

B

detail

B

groundfloor scale 1:50

scale 1:50

scale 1:50

B

B

groundfloor scale 1:50

B

level one scale 1:50

section A scale 1:50

section A

section B

scale 1:50

scale 1:50

B

B

groundfloor scale 1:50

detail scale 1:10

case study #3 house in a cowshed

location

eemdijk

ee

m

eemmeer

eembrugge

baarn

ee

m

amersfoort

the resident age: 32 years current situation: with wife and two children profession: planner passion: his children

...and his wishes

a house for four persons

a couch to crush on and watch tv after work

place for his work from home day

places for the children to play

keep an eye on the children while working or cooking

lots of storage

kitchen in the middle of the house

typology

the shape of the “thick walls“ accentuate the shape of the existing building and leave open view to the top. offers the possibility to close of parts of the house for more privacy cut outs offer views and make it possible to overlook the whole house several bedstead-like niches offer the children a place to play and store their toys

A

B

groundfloor scale 1:50

A A

oundfloor scale 1:50

B

level one scale 1:50

section A scale 1:50

section A

section B

scale 1:50

scale 1:50

case study #4 house in a haymow

location

eemdijk

ee

m

eemmeer

eembrugge

baarn

ee

m

amersfoort

the resident...

age: 36 years current situation: with wife and 3 children profession: musician passion: music & family

...and his wishes

a house for five persons

a music studio

room for spontanious events

daylight

friends can always visit

sleep all in one room

typology

scheme can interact with the patchy shape of the building envelope offers possibilities to organize privacy, without losing the feeling of being connected can open for daylight from all sides offers all kind of stages for spontanious performances and jam sessions

section A scale 1:50

A A

B

B

groundfloor scale 1:50

section A

section B

scale 1:50

scale 1:50

A

A

B

groundfloor

level one

scale 1:50

scale 1:50

groundfloor scale 1:50

A

B

level two scale 1:50

section A scale 1:50

section A

section B

scale 1:50

scale 1:50