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THE CHALLENGE
DESIGN FOR A CLEAN PLANET
Nº 1
A Problem Shared
Realizing the negative impact of households on the environment, ANDREAS TJELDFLAAT suggests a co-living environment to lessen the load.
A communal space suspended above the street in an urban neighbourhood consolidates household amenities while strengthening bonds between residents.
How did you prepare for ‘The Challenge’? ANDREAS TJELDFLAAT: I studied reports by the World Health Organization and Eurostat that identified households as the single largest contributor to emissions of ozone precursors. As the most significant sources of domestic pollution are closely connected to the city's infrastructure, utility services and air space, it was clear to me that the effectiveness of a solution would depend on the extent to which it interfaces with a building’s envelope – and with the city as a whole. What’s your solution? A communal space suspended above the street in an urban neighbourhood. By consolidating household amenities among residents; utilizing sustain-
able, high-efficiency fixtures and equipment; and tying into social programmes and civic services, we could minimize the total impact of household pollution, while strengthening bonds between residents with communal dining, co-ops and community board meetings. What kinds of sustainable fixtures and equipment do you propose? Everything from water-recycling bathroom fixtures and induction cooktops to internal waste- and recycling-management facilities. Smart ventilation and heating/cooling systems and wind-turbine energy collection would reduce energy consumption. Civic services could include drone delivery, urban farming and food subscriptions.
How would people access shared facilities? Multistorey volumes suspended above city streets could feature bridges that connect households in adjacent buildings. The centralization of the various functions would allow the installed fixtures and equipment to be upgraded to high-efficiency units – waterless toilets, for example – while the supply of food and resources could be consolidated and products chosen for their low environmental impact. You’ve also made the building itself more efficient . . . Yes. The optimized interior space targets water pollution, soil contamination and interior air pollution. The exterior fights air pollution with a titanium dioxide coat-
