Case Study: The Study of Typologies

CASE STUDIES THE STUDY OF TOPOLOGIES

CALIFORNIA STATE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY, POMONA ARC 3020 / ARC 5040 / HOUSING / SPRING 2019 PROFESSOR IRMA RAMIREZ

JOSEPH DOUCETTE JOSE HERNANDEZ JOSEPH NANDINO

2

4. LANDFAIR APARTMENTS 10940 - 10954 OPHIR DRIVE, WESTWOOD, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES

TITLE IMAGES CIRCULATION UNIT ANALYSIS SITE LOGIC/CONCEPT/SCALE PUBLIC & PRIVATE/LIGHT & VENTILATION STRUCTURAL ORDERING SYSTEMS/MATERIAL

11.21BLOCK HOUSING RUA DO TEATRO 19, 4150-726 PORTO, PORTUGAL, EUROPE

TITLE IMAGES CIRCULATION SITE LOGIC/CONCEPT/SCALE UNIT ANALYSIS PUBLIC & PRIVATE/LIGHT STRUCTURAL ORDERING SYSTEMS/MATERIALS

19. ROKKO HOUSING KOBE, JAPAN TITLE IMAGES CIRCULATION SITE LOGIC/CONCEPT/SCALE UNIT ANALYSIS PUBLIC & PRIVATE/LIGHT & VENTILATION STRUCTURAL ORDERING SYSTEMS/MATERIALS

27. BROADWAY HOUSING 2602 BROADWAY SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA, USA

TITLE IMAGES CIRCULATION UNIT ANALYSIS PUBLIC & PRIVATE SITE LOGIC/CONCEPT/SCALE MATERIALS LIGHT & VENTILATION STRUCTURAL ORDERING SYSTEMS

38. KEY INFORMATION 39. LIVABILITY/CONCLUSION

TABLE OF CONTENTS

3

LANDFAIR APARTMENTS RICHARD NEUTRA

4

SOUTHWEST ELEVATION

NORTHEAST ELEVATION

5

AVE GLE NR OC K

LANDFAIR AVE .

N

GROUND FLOORPLAN

OPHIR DR.

AUTOMOBILE EXIT ROUTES CIRCULATION

CIRCULATION

CIRCULATION OCCURS ON THE FRONT AND THE BACK OF THE UNITS, BUT PRIMARILY THE FRONT CONISDERING THE ENTRANCE AREA OCCURS THERE. THE STAGGERING DESIGN OF THE UNITS ALLOWS FOR PARKING TO BE SITUATED OF GLENROCK AVE. AND LANDFAIR AVE. UNDER THE UNITS ALLOWING THE OCCUPANT TO HAVE A SHORT WALKING DISTANCE FROM THE CAR TO THE BACK ENTRANCE.

6

7&8

2

1 N

4

3

5

6

AMOUNT OF UNITS

UNIT A

UNIT B

UNIT C

AMOUNT OF UNITS

GROUND FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR

UNIT ANALYSIS

GROUND FLOOR

LIVING ROOM DINING ROOM KITCHEN

SECOND FLOOR

BEDROOM BATHROOM PORCH

GROUND FLOOR

SECOND FLOOR

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THE LOGIC NEUTRA TOOK WITH THE SITE WAS TO NOT BUILD UPWARDS, BUT TAKE A LONG HORIZONTAL FORM MAXIMAZING THE USE OF THIS CORNER SITE. CONSIDERING THIS IS A ROW HOUSE TYPOLOGY, HE TOOK THE ORIGNAL MASS, THEN SUBDIVIDED IT WITH SOME IRREGULAR PARTS AND FINALLY STAGGERED THE MASS AWAY FROM THE STREET ALLOWING FOR SOME BREATHING ROOM. HOWEVER, MORE IMPORTANTLY THE STAGGERING ALLOW NEUTRA TO CREATE A COURTYARD IN THE BACK FOR ALL THE INHABITANTS. THE CONCEPT OF THIS HOUSING IS TIED TO THE INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT THAT HAD OCCURRED IN EUROPE YEARS BEFORE. HOUSES OF THE INTERNATIONAL HAD A DISTINCT STYLE OF USING CERTAIN MATERIALS AND ADHEREING TO STRICT GEOMETRIC FORM.

52’ 30’

LANDFAIR APARTMENTS

SITE PLAN LOGIC / CONCEPT / SCALE

NEIGHBORING BUILDINGS

8

REGARDING THE MATTER OF LIGHT AND VENTALATION, IN THE LANDFAIR APARTMENTS THE GROUND FLOOR IS CLEARED OF WALLS ALLOW LIGHT TO COME INTO THE BUILDING UNINTERUPPTED, HOWEVER, WHEN WALLS DO OCCUR THEN THEY ARE DESIGN WITH CLERSTORIES THAT ALLOW LIGHT TO PENETRATE INTO DIMLY LIT AREAS. IN ADDITION, THE MAJORITY OF THE WINDOWS THAT LINE THE PERIMETER OF THE PROJECT ARE OPERABLE ALLOWING THE BUILDING TO RECEIVE A GOOD AMOUNT OF VENTALATION. NEUTRA DIVIDED THE STAGGERED UNITS HORIONTALLY WHEN IT CAME TO SEPERATING PUBLIC FROM PRIVATE. THE PUBLIC AREAS OCCUR DOWNSTAIRS, BESIDES THE KITCHEN, AND THE PRIVATE AREAS ARE UPSTAIRS. HOWEVER, THERE IS ONE ADNORMAL PIECE WHEN IT COMES TO THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE PROJECT WHICH ARE TWO FLATS STACKED UPON EACH OTHER. THERE IS A SANDWICHING OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC CONSIDERING THERE ARE PRIVATE PROGRAM RIGHT NEXT TO PUBLIC PROGRAM.

SECOND FLOORPLAN

PUBLIC PRIVATE GROUND FLOORPLAN

PUBLIC & PRIVATE / LIGHTAND VENTALATION

INTERIOR WALL

9

3’-2”

13’-3”

MODULE

THE STRUCTRAL ORDERING SYSTEM IS A RESULT OF THE STAGGERING WHICH COMES FROM THE MEASUREMENT OF THE STEEL CASEMENT WINDOWS. THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AMONGST RICHARD NEUTRA PROJECT WHERE HE TAKES THE DIMENSION OF A BUILDING MATERIAL STUCCO WALLS AND SETS THAT AS THE GRID FOR THE PROJECT. FOR THE MATERIALS, NEUTRA USED STEEL, WOOD, AND STUCCO WALLS. THE WOOD CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERIOR OF THE PROJECT, BUT ALSO IN THE TRELLIS THAT UNIFYS THE PENT HOUSES. IN ADDITION, THE CASEMENT WINDOWS THAT RUN ALONG THE ENTIRETY OF THE PROJECT ARE MADE OF STEEL. ALL WALLS ON THE EXTERIOR ARE STUCCO.

STRUCTURAL ORDERING SYSTEMS / MATERIALS

WOODEN TRELLIS STEEL CASEMENT WINDOWS

10

11

BLOCO DE HABITACAO NA RUA DO TEATRO (BLOCK HOUSING) EDUARDO SOUTO DE MOURA

12

EAST ELEVATION

NORTH ELEVATION

13

R.

R. TUNEL

A ID

ND CA SA BE AL IA

AR

RG

A

RU DO RO

AT

TE

GROUND FLOOR

SITE PLAN / CIRCULATION

AUTOMOBILE PEDESTRIAN EXIT ROUTES

WITH STREETS RUNNING PARALLEL TO SOUTO DE MOURA’S HOUSING BLOCK, THE ONE WAY STREET RUA DO TEATRO (NORTH) ALLOWS FOR VEHICULAR ENTRANCE TO THE UNDERGROUND PARKING SPOTS WHICH ALSO CONTAINS SEVEN STORAGE UNITS FOR THE SEVEN UNITS IN THE PROJECT. FOOT CIRCULATION OCCURS ALONG A SMALL COVERED TRANSITIONAL EXTERIOR SPACE, PROVIDING ACCESS TO THE HOUSING BLOCK AND THE PARKING BELOW. THIS SPACE CAN BE SEEN AS AN EXTENSION OF THE STREET. EXIT ROUTS APPEAR TO BE LIMITED TO THE MAIN STREET THOUGH AFOREMENTIONED SMALL TRANSITION SPACES.

14

R.

R. TUNEL

ID

ND

CA

A DO RO

AT

TE

SITE PLAN LOGIC / CONCEPT / SCALE

RU

THE HOUSING BLOCK PROJECT RESPONDS TO THE EVIRONMENT THORUGH VARIOUS WAYS, BOTH IN PLAN AND SECTION. THE FUNCTIONALITY AND NEW CONSTRUCTION SYSTEMS USED TO CONSTRUCT THIS HOUSING BLOCK RESULT IN THE ARCHITECTURE’S CONTRAST WITH THE IDENTITY OF THE EXISTING FABRIC OF THE CITY. WELL AWARE OF THIS, SOUTO DE MOURA PRIORITIZES COMPATABILITY WITH THE CONTEXT, DEMONSTRATING IT THROUGH VOLUMETRICS. THE DISCONTINUITY OF THE BLOCK’S PERIMETER (DUE TO THE FACADE’S RETREAT AWAY FROM THE STREET FRONT) FRAGMENTS THE ORIGINAL VOLUME INTO TWO VOLUMES. AS SEEN IN THE ENLARGED SITE PLAN, THE VOLUMES ATTACH TO THE EXISTING BUILDINGS, MAINTAINING THE URBAN FABRIC THROUGH THE ALIGNMENT OF THE FACADES. THROUGH SOME FORMAL MOVES (EX. PUSH AND PULL) BALCONIES ARE CREATED FOR THE UPPER TWO LEVEL DUPLEXES THAT CROWN THE TWO VOLUMES WITH DIFFERENT HEIGHTS. THE CIRCULATION CORE CREATES A SUBTLE INTERSECTION OF THE TWO VOLUMES, DIFUSING PEOPLE TO THIER UNITS. THE PROJECT REMAINS AROUND THE SAME HEIGHT AS THE EXISTING COMPLEXES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE PYLON (CIRCULATION CORE) AND THE LOWER LEVEL OF ONE DUPLEX. THE PROJECT’S SEQUENCE AND HOMOGENITY DETERMINE THE SCALE AND TYPOLOGICAL COHERENCE WITH THE ENVIRONMENT.

FIRST & SECOND FLOOR

15

6

7

5

THIRD FLOOR

FIFTH FLOOR

SA RG

BE

AL IA

AR

3&4

6

7

1&2

FIRST & SECOND FLOOR

UNIT ANALYSIS

FORTH FLOOR

UNIT TYPE A UNIT TYPE B

ABOVE THE PARKING AND GROUND FLOOR ARE SITUATED TO UNITS. TWO UNIT TYPES ARE FOUND THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT. FIRST AND SECOND FLOOR CONTAIN SINGLE LEVEL UNITS. THE THIRD FLOOR CONTAINS ONE MORE SINGLE LEVEL UNIT BUT IT IS HERE THAT THE DUPLEX UNITS BEGIN TO CROWN THE SINGLE LEVEL UNITS. TWO DUMPLEX UNITS ARE FOUND BETWEEN THE THIRD AND FIFTH FLOOR.

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THIRD FLOOR

FIFTH FLOOR

FIRST & SECOND FLOOR

UNIT ANALYSIS (PROGRAM)

FORTH FLOOR

BATHROOM OUTDOOR OFFICE

LIVING/DINING BEDROOM VERTICAL CIRCULATION

17

REAR FACADE

GROUND FLOOR

THE PUBLIC SPACE IS MAINLY FOUND ON THE GROUND LEVEL, ENCLOSED WITH GLASS. THE GARGEN IN THE BACK MAY BE CONSIDERED A SEMI PUBLIC SPACE DUE TO THE FACT THAT IT IS ACCESSIBLE TO BOTH THE PUBLIC AND THE TENANTS OF THE HOUSING BLOCK. THE EXTERIOR PAVEMENT IS EXTENDED INTO THE BUILDING. THE UNITS REMAIN AS THE PRIVATE SPACES OF THE HOUSING BLOCK WITH PRIVATE OUTDOOR BALCONIES FOR EACH UNIT. THE PROJECT OPENS UP ON TWO FRONTS ALLOWING IT TO BE VERY PERMEABLE. THE PROJECT’S MAIN FACADE IS PARALLEL TO THE SEA. EVENTHOUGH THE UNITS FOLLOW AN ALMOST IDENTICAL ARRANGEMENT, THERE IS A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN DAYTIME AND NIGHTIME ZONES, ALLOWING LIGHT TO ENTER THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THE FRONT FACADE CONTAINS ALUMINUM SCREENS TO ALLOW SOLAR SHADING AS WELL AS PRIVACY.

PUBLIC & PRIVATE / LIGHT

PUBLIC PRIVATE

SECTION

18

A

B

A

C

A

C

A

C

A

A

A

A

ZINC PLATES ALUMINUM SHUTTERS STEEL ROLLED THE MAIN FACADE CONTAINS ALUMINUM SHUTTER THAT SIT IN LING TITH THE STEEL ROLLED STRUCTURE. THE MOVEMENT OF THE SHUTTERS ALLOWS FOR THE REGULARITY OF THE BUILDING TO BE BROKEN AND ALLOWS PRIVACY FOR THE BALCONIES ON EACH UNIT. THE MATERIALITY ALSO ALLOWS FOR A DIALOGUE TO OCCURE BETWEEN THE LIGHT ARCHITECTURE AND THE HEAVY ARCHITECTURE OF THE ENVIROINMENT WHILE ACHIEVING THAT CONTINUITY OF THE URBAN FABRIC OF THE ENVIRONMENT. THE CIRCULATION CORE IS OF REINFORCED CONCRETE AND COVERED WITH ZINC PLATES AS IS THE UPPER FLOOR. THE UPPER FLOORS OF THE DUPLEXES THAT ARE NOT ALIGNED WITH THE MAIN FACADE OF THE PROJECT HELP REDUCE THE VISUAL IMPACT. AS MENTIONED BEFORE, GLASS ENCLOSES MUCH OF THE GROUND PUBLIC LEVEL. THE RHYTHM OF THE STRUCTURAL GRID FOLLOWS AN ALMOST “A B A” PATTERN BUT DEVIATES EVER SO SLIGHTLY. PRIMARY STRUCTURAL COLUMNS LIE CLOSER ALONG THE “A” AS SEEN IN THE DIAGRAM ABOVE.

STRUCTURAL ORDERING SYSTEMS / MATERIALS

19

ROKKO HOUSING I TADAO ANDO

A 20

SOUTH ELEVATION

SECTION

21

AUTOMOBILE EXIT ROUTES CIRCULATION

SITE PLAN CIRCULATION HAPPENS AT THE VERY CORE OF THE COMPLEX. THE PATH FOLLOWS THE SAME LINE AS THE DRIVEWAY TO THE SITE. THE PARKING HAPPENS ON THE FIRST OF TEN FLOORS. TWO STAIRWELLS DIVIDE THE COMPLEX DOWN THE CENTER, CREATING ONE CIRCULATION CORE.

CIRCULATION

22

FLOOR PLAN: TOP LEFT TO BOTTOM RIGHT 2ND FLOOR - 9TH FLOOR EACH OF THE NINE UNITS IN THE ROKKO HOUSING COMPLEX ARE UNIQUE. THE 5.4M X 4.8M MODULE ALLOWS FOR INTERCONNECTION VIA VOID SPACES. ALL EXCEPT ONE OF THE UNITS ARE TWO STORIES TALL. IN EACH OF THE UNITS THE LIVING ROOM SPACE CONNECTS TO THE OUTDOOR SPACE. THE REPETITION OF SETBACKS ALLOWS FOR THE ROOFTOPS TO BE TRAVERSED BY THE INHABITANTS ABOVE. BECAUSE OF THE SLOPE OF THE MOUNTAIN AND THE SETBACKS, THE OUTDOOR SPACES CAN OFFER UNIQUE VIEWS OUTSIDE.

1

2

1

6 4

2

7

4

5

6

7

9

9

5

8

UNIT ANALYSIS

3

9

23

TADAO ANDO IS ALWAYS TRYING TO INCORPORATE “ALLEY SPACE” WHICH ACTS AS A CONNECTION BETWEEN PRIVATE AND PUBLIC SPACE. THIS GRID IS BASED ON A 5.4M X 4.8M MODULE THAT ALLOWS THE UNITS TO FIT TOGETHER LIKE THAT OF A JIGSAW. IT IS HIS IDEA THAT THE IN-BETWEEN SPACES BETWEEN UNITS WILL CREATE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, AS WELL AS HOLD THE PROJECT TOGETHER ALONG THE GRID. ANDO USES BALCONIES AND OUTDOOR TERRACES THAT CONNECT TO THE LIVING SPACES OF THE UNITS TO ALLOW FOR A TRANSITION SPACE FOR LIGHT TO FILTER INTO THE COMPLEX.

OUTDOOR INDOOR

PUBLIC&PRIVATE / LIGHT AND VENTILATION

24

ROOF TERRACES

SETBACK TERRACE DIAGRAM SKETCH OF MODIULE DESIGN

SLOPE OF MOUNTAIN

SETBACK

THE ROKKO HOUSES QUALIFY AS BLOCK HOUSING BECAUSE OF THE CENTRALIZED SINGLE CIRCULATION CORE. IT COULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED SEMI-DETATCHED. THIS IS BECAUSE MANY OF THE UNITS SHARE WALLS WITH ONE ANOTHER. EACH UNIT ALSO HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE VIEWS WITH THEIR OUTDOOR SPACES. THE MAIN IDEA OF THESE UNITS WAS TO ALIGN THEM ALONG A 5.4M X 4.8M GRID SYSTEM. THIS ALLOWS FOR INTIGRATION OF UNITS VERTICALLY. EACH NEW UNIT GOES DEEPER INTO THE MOUNTIAN SIDE INTO A NEW SETBACK. THIS ALLOWS FOR A STEPPING THAT MAKES THE ROOF OF THE PREVIOUS UNIT THE TERRACE FOR THE NEXT. THIS DESIGN CHOICE WAS CHOSEN TO INTEGRATE THE MANMADE STRUCTURE INTO NATURE, HOWEVER IT IS SO STRIKING AND MONOLITHIC IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BLEND IN AS IT DID CONCEPTUALLY.

SITE PLAN LOGIC / CONCEPT / SCALE

25

EXPLORATORY SECTIONAL DRAWINGS OF THE SETBACK PARTS

MODULE DIAGRAM

THE ROKKO HOUSING IS STRUCTURED AROUND THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED 5.4M X 4.8M GRID. THE UNITS ARE 5.4M WIDE AND 4.8 METERS DEEP. AFTER A SET OF TWO STORY UNITS IS PLACED, ANOTHER SETBACK THAT IS 4.8M DEEP IS CREATED AT THE BASE OF THE FINAL FLOOR FROM THE PREVIOUS LEVEL. THIS CREATES THE STEPPING SEEN IN THE UNITS AND TERRACES. THE STRUCTURE LIKE ALL ANDO WORKS IS MADE OUT OF CONCRETE. IT IS SMOOTH AMD MONOLTHIC, ADDING TO THE MONOLITHIC NATURE OF THE PROJECT. AGAIN IT DOES CLASH WITH THE GREENERY OF THE MOUNTAINSIDE, BUT IT COULD BE SEEN AS THE INTEGRATION OF A MANMADE STRUCTURE. I BELIEVE ROKKO II DOES A BETTER JOB AT THIS INTIGRATION WITH ITS GREEN SPACES.

STRUCTURAL ORDERING SYSTEMS / MATERIALS

A

A

B

A

5.4M

5.4M

2.7M

5.4M

A 5.4M

26

27

BROADWAY HOUSING KEVIN DALY ARCHITECTS

28

BROADWAY BOLEVARD VIEW

COURTYARD INTERIOR

29

AREA: 33,000 SF 1.5 ACRES 33 UNITS 2 UNIT TYPES COURTYARD HOUSING FINISHED IN 2012

AUTOMOBILE EXIT ROUTES CIRCULATION

CIRCULATION

THE BROADWAY HOUSING HAS STREET LEVEL ACCESS ALONG BOTH BROADWAY AND 26TH STREET. FROM THERE YOU DIFFUSE INTO THE CENTRAL COURTYARD, THAT LEADS TO EITHER THE FIRST FLOOR UNITS OR TO MULTIPLE STAIRS THAT TAKE PEDESTRIANS UP TO THE SECOND LEVEL. FOR CAR ENTRY, A DRIVEWAY OPENS UP TO BROADWAY FOR UNDERGROUND PARKING. TWO STAIRS CAN BE USED TO EXIT THE PARKING INTO THE COURTYARD, AS WELL AS AN ELEVATOR.

30

UNIT A

4 2

1

3 5 6

10 11

UNIT A

UNIT B

9

8

7

UNIT B

UNITS PER FLOOR: 11 TOTAL UNIT: 33 LIVING ROOM DINING ROOM KITCHEN

UNIT ANALYSIS

BEDROOM BATHROOM

A 31

ORIGINAL MASSING

“STARFISH” COURTYARD

THE BROADWAY HOUSING WAS DESIGNED WITH THE INTENT TO BLEND IN PROPORTIONALLY WITH THE SURROUNDING CONTEXT MEANING THE SIZE OF THE HEIGHT AND WIDTH ARE IN HARMONY WITH SURROUNDING BUILDINGS. IN ADDITION, THE LOGIC TAKEN WITH THE SITE INVOLVES FOUR ENCOMPASSING MOVES. THIS STARTS WITH THE CREATION OF AN ORIGINAL MASS THAT TAKES ADVANTAGE SPATIALLY OF THE SITE, AND ALSO THE PROPORTION OF THAT MASS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. THE SECOND MOVE INVOLVES CREATING A STARFISH SPACE COURTYARD NEAR THE MIDDLE OF THE MASS. THE THIRD MOVE INVOLVES CARVING OUT LARGE OPENINGS TOWARDS THE PERIPHERY OF THE SITE. FINALLY, THE LAST MOVE EXTRUDES THE STARFISH INTO A SUNSCREEN LATTICE WORK THAT TRAVELS ALONG THE CATWALK THAT WAS CREATED TO CONNECT THE SECOND STORY. THE BUILDINGS REMAINING ARE FILLED WITH UNITS. THE FIRST FLOOR HAS THREE UNITS WHILE THE SECOND AND THE THIRD FLOOR ACCOMMODATES TWO BEDROOM UNITS.

CONNECTION TO THE EXTERIOR

30’

30’

LANDFAIR APARTMENTS

SITE PLAN LOGIC / CONCEPT / SCALE

“STARFISH” CATWALK TO CONNECT THE SECOND FLOOR

NEIGHBORING BUILDINGS

32

PUBLIC PRIVATE

PUBLIC / PRIVATE

*THE ENTIRETY OF THE SECOND AND THIRD FLOORS ARE PRIVATE.*

33

MANY OF THE MATERIALS USED IN THIS PROJECT WHERE SELECTED FOR THE PURPOSE OF CREATING A MORE CONDUSIVE AND TEMPERATE ENVORINEMNT FOR ITS INHABITANTS. THE BUILDING INCORPERATES WOODEN SLATS ALONG ALL OF ITS WALKWAYS TO ACT AS A SOLAR SHADE TO KEEP DIRECT SUNLIGHT OUT OF THE INTERIOR OF THE COMPLEX. THE FACADE IS COVERED WITH CANTED PANELS THAT CREATES A BARRIER BETWEEN THE UNITS AND THE FACADE, LOWERING INTERNAL TEMPERATURES. CUSTOM MADE METALLIC WINDOW FRAMES ADORN THE WINDOW SILLS TO FURTHER BLOCK DIRECT SUNLIGHT FROM ENTERING THE UNITS. THESE MEASURES ALLOW FOR COOL TEMPERATURES WITHOUT THE USE OF AIR CONDITIONING.

WOODEN SLAT SHADING

CANTED PANELS

MATERIALS

CUSTOM METAL FRAMES

34

EACH UNIT FACES THE STARFISH SHAPED CENTRAL COURTYARD. AN AMPLE AMOUNT OF NATURAL LIGHT ENTERS THE BUILDIGS TO ILLUMINATE EACH ROOM OF EACH UNIT WHETHER THAT IS THOURGH APERTURES THAT FACE THE COURTYARD OR ONES ON THE STREET SIDES. THE APERTURES ALONG THE PERIMETER OF EACH BLOCK (ESPECIALLY ALONG BROADWAY & 26TH STREET) CONTAIN PREFABRICATED CANOPIES/HOODS AROUND THE WINDOWS TO HELP REDUCE HEAT GAIN THROUGHOUT THE DAY. EACH UNIT ALSO RECIEVE VENTILATION REGARDLESS OF ITS ORIENTATION ON THE SITE. A WOODEN SOLAR SHADING SYSTEM ENCLOSES THE SECOND FLOOR ON THE COURTYARD SIDE, RUNNING ALONG THE ELEVATED WALKWAYS AS WELL.

LIGHTING & VENTILATION

35

90 DEGREE ROTATION

B

A

B

A

B

A

A C

35’-0”

90 DEGREE ROTATION

A 90 DEGREE ROTATION + MIRROR

C

9’-0”

22’-3”

22’-3”

10’-0”

12’-3”

THE BROADWAY HOUSING’S ORDERING SYSTEM HAS A RHYTHM THAT DIVIDES MOST BLOCKS OF HOUSING INTO THREE UNITS AND DIVIDES EACH UNIT ONE MORE TIME ALMOST IN HALF. ONE UNIT EXTENDS OUT BY 9 FT CREATING A L CONDITION. EACH BLOCK IS ALMOST IDENTICAL AND DUPLICATED ON THE SITE BY A 90 DEGREE ROTATION. ONE BLOCK IS MIRRORED ALONG WITH THE ROTATION AND LOSES A UNIT TO CREATE A COMMUNAL SPACE. THE OVERALL PLACEMENT OF EACH BLOCK ATTRIBUTES TO THE CREATION AND FORM OF THE CENTRAL COURTYARD. THE ELEVATED WALKWAYS ARE SUPPORTED BY SEVERAL GREEN COLUMNS THAT ARE TO RESEMBLE THE TREES FOUND IN THE INTERNAL COURTYARD.

STRUCTURAL ORDERING SYSTEM

36

37

LANDFAIR APARTMENTS

ARCHITECT: RICHARD JOSEPH NEUTRA YEAR BUILT: 1937 LOCATION: LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES COST: N/A TYPOLOGY: ROW HOUSING PROJECT DENSITY: 26 DU/ACRE NUMBER OF UNITS: 8 NUMBER OF UNIT TYPES: 2 PRIVATE OUTDOOR SPACES PER DWELLING UNIT: NA PARKING SPACES PER UNT: 1

ROKKO HOUSING I

ARCHITECT: TADAO ANDO YEAR BUILT: 1978-1981 LOCATION: KOBE, JAPAN COST: N/A TYPOLOGY: BLOCK & SEMI-DETACHED PROJECT DENSITY: 19.6 DU/ACRE NUMBER OF UNITS: 9 NUMBER OF UNIT TYPES: 9 PRIVATE OUTDOOR SPACES PER DWELLING UNIT: NA PARKING SPACES PER UNT: 2

KEY INFORMATION

BLOCK HOUSING

ARCHITECT: EDUARDO SOUTO DE MOURA YEAR BUILT: 1992-1995 LOCATION: PORTO, PORTUGAL, EUROPE COST: N/A TYPOLOGY: INFILL & BLOCK PROJECT DENSITY: 7 DU/ACRE NUMBER OF UNITS: 7 NUMBER OF UNIT TYPES: 2 PRIVATE OUTDOOR SPACES PER DWELLING UNIT: 1 BALCONY PARKING SPACES PER UNT: 2

BROADWAY HOUSING

ARCHITECT: KEVIN DALY ARCHITECTS YEAR BUILT: 2012 LOCATION: SANTA MONICA, UNITED STATES COST: N/A TYPOLOGY: COURTYARD PROJECT DENSITY: 68 DU/ACRE NUMBER OF UNITS: 33 NUMBER OF UNIT TYPES: 2 PRIVATE OUTDOOR SPACES PER DWELLING UNIT: N/A PARKING SPACES PER UNT: 2

38

DESIGNING FOR PEOPLE IS THE CONCERN OF LIVEABILITY. THERE ARE SIX CHARACTERISTICS ABOUT LIVABILITY: IMAGE BUILDING, PERSONALIZATION, ACCESS TO DWELLINGS, INTENDED USE FOR PRIVATE/ COMMON OPEN SPACE, ADAPTABILITY / FLEXIBILITY/, AND RELEVANCE TO URBAN CONTEXT. TO DESIGN WITH THESE CHARACTERISTICS IN MIND CREATES A NURTURING, LIVABLE AREA FOR ANY HUMAN BEING. THE FOLLOWING WILL BE AN ANALYSIS OF LIVEABILITY THROUGH FOUR PROJECTS, AND HOW THEY EACH UNIQUELY HANDLED THESE CHARACTERISTICS. TO START, THE BROADWAY HOUSING IN SANTA MONCA, CA DESIGNED BY KEVIN DALY ARCHITECTS IS A 33 UNIT LOW INCOME HOUSING PROJECT THAT BLENDS NICELY INTO THE URBAN FABRIC. THERE IS NO EXPLICIT PRIVATE OPEN SPACE, HOWEVER CONSIDERING THIS IS A NEW APPROACH ON A COURTYARD TYPOLOGY THERE IS A PLEASANT, AND GRAND OPEN SPACE THAT OCCURS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE UNITS. SPATIALLY IT RESEMBLES A STARFISH AS SEEN THROUGH THE SHAPE OF THE GREENERY THAT OCCURS IN THE INNERMOST PART OF THE COURTYARD, AND ALSO THE WOODEN SUNSCREEN REINFORCES THAT SHAPE. THE INTENDED WAY TO CIRCULATE THROUGH THE COURTYARD IS ON FOOT, AND THERE IS EVEN A SEGMENT OF THE COURTYARD DEDICATED TO A COMMUNITY GARDEN, AND CHILDREN’S PLAY. IN ADDITION, THERE IS A CATWALK THAT NEARLY RESEMBLES THE STARFISH SHAPE ASWELL THAT WEAVES ABOVE CONNECTING ALL THE UNITS. IN TERMS OF ACCESSING EACH UNIT, THE OCCUPANT WOULD MOST LIKELY WALK FROM THE UNDERGROUND PARKING STRUCTURE AND COME UP INTO THE PUBLIC COURTYARD. FROM THERE MAKING THEIR WAY TO THEIR RESPECTIVE UNIT BY MANUERING UNDER THE CATWALK THROUGH THE GARDEN TO ONE OF THE MANY THREE BEDROOM UNITS ON THE GROUND LEVEL, OR TAKING THE STAIRS TO THE CATWALK THAT CONNECTS TO EVERY FRONT FOOR OF THE TWO BEDROOM UNITS. EACH ACCESS IS NOT NECESSARILY UNENCUMBERED, BUT A PLEASANT STROLL THAT INVOLVES A UNIQUE PATH OF TRAVEL FOR EACH UNIT. PERSONALIZATION PLAYS AN INTERESTING ROLE AS COLORED CANTED PANELS FROM MINT GREEN TO WHITE CLAD EACH SEGMENT OF THE HOUSING PROJECT. THE WINDOWS EVEN TAKE ON A CHARACTER OF THEIR OWN AS THEY REACH OUT MAXIMIZING SOLAR SHADING. THE BROADWAY HOUSING ALSO TOOK IMMENSE CARE WITH FITTING INTO THE URBAN FABRIC BY BEING PROPORTIONAL TO THE NEARBY BUILDINGS AND ALSO CREATING FOUR PATHWAYS THAT CONNECT THE INTERIOR COURTYARD TO THE PERIMETER. IN TERMS OF FLEXIBILITY OR ADAPTABILITY THIS PROJECT SEEMS RATHER RIGID. THE LANDFAIR APARTMENTS BY RICHARD NEUTRA IS AN 8 UNIT HOUSING PROJECT LOCATED IN WESTWOOD, LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA. THIS IS ROW HOUSE TYPOLOGY WHICH CREATES A COMMON OPEN COURTYARD IN THE BACK BY THE STAGGERING OF THE UNITS. IN ADDITION, THE UNITS AT THE END HAVE THEIR OWN PRIVATE OPEN SPACES. TO ACCESS EACH UNIT, AN OCCUPANT WOULD PARK ON EITHER END OF THE PROJECT, AND WALK ALONG THE STREET ACCESSING THEIR UNIT FROM THE FRONT. THE ACCESS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL UNIT IS VERY SIMILAR. THIS PROJECT IS ALSO LACKING IN FLEXIBILITY AND PERSONALIZATION. THE UNITS THAT OCCUR AT EACH END OF THE PROJECT ARE UNIQUE IN THEIR SIZE, AND OR BY THE ADDITION OF A PORCH, BUT THE REST OF THE UNITS ARE EXACTLY THE SAME. AS FOR FLEXIBILITY, THERE IS NOTHING THAT IS OPERABLE OR CHANGEABLE IN THIS PROJECT WITHOUT BEING DETRIMENTAL TO THE DESIGN. ITS RELEVANCE TO THE URBAN CONTEXT IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH ITS SCALE WHICH IS IN PROPORTION TO THE SURROUNDING BUILDINGS, AND ALSO BY THE STAGGERING OF THE UNITS AWAY FROM THE STREET ACHIEVING A

LIVABILITY / CONCLUSION

BIGGER THRESHOLD OF SPACE BETWEEN THE UNITS. SOUTO DE MOURA’S BLOCK HOUSING IN PORTO, PROTUGAL ADDRESSES THE URBAN FABRIC OF THE CITY QUITE WELL. ITS NEW CONSTRUCTION METHODS CAUSE A CONTRAST BETWEEN THE IDENTITY OF THE EXISTING BUILDINGS AND HOMES ALONG RUA DO TEATRO STREET. BUT, AWARE OF THIS, BY OFFSETTING ONE OF THE VOLUMES (CREATED BY A FRAGMENTATION), THE TWO NEW VOLUMES SIT FLUSH WITH THE ADJACENT BUILDINGS, KEEPING THE EXISTING FAÇADE LINE. THE PROJECT RESPONDS TO ITS CONTEXT IN BOTH PLAN AND SECTION. THESE TWO VOLUMES JOIN TOGETHER THROUGH A CENTRAL CORE OF CURCULATION. THIS SEVEN UNIT PROJECT PROVIDES PRIVATE OUTDOOR SPACES TO EACH UNIT THROUGH BALCONIES THAT HAVE ALUMINUM SHUTTERS. THESE BALCONIES PROVIED A VIEW OF THE SEA TO WHICH THE PROJECT SITS PARALLEL TO. THE GROUND FLOOR IS THE MAIN PUBLIC SPACE WITH AN OUTDOOR GARDEN IN THE BACK OF THE PROPERTY. THE PROJECT INTEGRATES ITSELF INTO THE CITY WELL, THE PROJECT FAILS TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY. WITH JUST A SINGLE CORE OF CIRCULATION AND PRIVATE OUTDOOR SPACES, THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY IS NOT THERE. THE PUBLIC SPACE BELOW ARE THE ONLY SPACES FOR INTERACTION AMONGST THE INHABITANTS. THE LIGHT CONSTRUCTION AIDS IN REDUCING THE VISUAL IMPACT FROM STREET LEVEL AS WELL. MATERIALLY, THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE LIGHT ARCHITECTURE (BUILDING) AND HEAVY ARCHITECTURE (ENVIRONMENT), AIDS IN NOT DISTORTING THE IMAGE OF THE BUILDING AND ITS ENVIRONMENT. LASTLY, THE LIABILITY OF THE ROKKO HOUSING IS CHARACTERIZED BY ITS MODULATION, JIGSAW-LIKE CONNECTION, AND MONOLITHIC STATURE. THE UNITS ARE ARRANGED SO THAT THE IN-BETWEEN SPACES ON THE UNIT LEVEL BECOME THE OUTDOOR TERRACES SPACES, AND THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TWO MAJOR SECTIONS OF THE COMPLEX BECOME COMMON OPEN SPACES FOR ALL INHABITANTS. THE IMAGE OF THE BUILDING ITSELF IS IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE LUSH GREENERY OF THE ROKKO MOUNTAINSIDE. THE DESIGN CLAIMS TO BE AN INTEGRATION WITH NATURE, HOWEVER, THE COLOR OF THE CONCRETE FAÇADE IS ABOUT AS OPPOSITE AS NATURAL GETS. THIS FAÇADE IS NOT STATIC, HOWEVER. AT FIRST GLANCE IT WOULD APPEAR TO BE A SIMPLE STACK OF BOXES, BUT UPON CLOSER INSPECTION THERE IS CHANGING RHYTHM AS YOU EXPLORE THE COMPLEX. THIS IS BECAUSE OF THE INDIVIDUALITY OF THE UNITS. ALL THE UNITS ARE QUITE NICE, OFFERING A UNIQUE LIVING SPACE IN EACH OF ITS NINE UNIT. THIS OFFERS A WIDER RANGE OF PERSONALIZATION THAN SAY THE BROADWAY HOUSING THAT OFFERS TWO UNIT TYPES AMONG 33 UNITS. THE TWO UNITS AT THE PENULTIMATE AND FINAL FLOOR ARE THE MOST LAVISH, ALMOST AS A REWARD FOR SUCCESSFULLY TRAVERSING 9 STORIES. BECAUSE OF THE SETBACK STEPPING, NATURAL LIGHTING IS NEVER A PROBLEM FOR THE UNITS. EVERYONE HAS ACCESS TO AN OPEN OUTDOOR SPACE THAT IS FAIRLY SECLUDED TO THAT CLUSTER OF UNITS. WITH THE OUTDOOR SPACES ALSO BEING AT DIFFERENT ELEVATIONS AND HORIZONTAL PLACEMENT ALONG THE MODULE, ANDO CLAIMS THAT EACH HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE VIEW. I WOULD BE SKEPTICAL OF THIS CLAIM, NOT NECESSARILY HOW EACH ONE WOULDN’T HAVE ITS OWN UNIQUE POSITIONING, BUT BECAUSE IN THE END THEY ARE ALL FACING DOWN THE SLOPE OF A MOUNTAINSIDE. THAT IS THE BEST VIEW THAT EVERYONE HAS.

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