Affordable, Adaptable, Low Carbon Housing - Manifesto

OLIVER BALDOCK SECTION

MANIFESTO 01

DEVELOPING AFFORDABLEMANIFESTO ADAPTABLE LOW CARBON HOUSING

Oliver Baldock | Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios | Architecture Apprenticeship Level Seven

01 | REUSE FIRST, BUILD SECOND

WE WANT MORE FROM OUR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE OUR FUTURE CITY HAS ALREADY BEEN BUILT, WE NEED TO LEARN HOW TO ADAPT TO LIVE IN IT. AJ's RetroFirst Campaign 1. Cut VAT rate of refurbishment

2. Promote the reuse of existing building stock through planning guidance

"Local authorities in London have become constrained to think of their land and social housing as "assets", not use values, leading to a dismissal of the social and environmental costs of demolition and displacement"

Retention, wherever possible, and repurpose of the existing buildings within a city is not only a significant method of reducing the embodied carbon a construction project. It also ensures that the character and history of a place isn't lost. This improve community

- Mara Ferreri

3. Stimulate the circular economy by insisting all publicly funded projects look to retrofit

relations and develops an approach to the architectural language of a place.

Rather than starting from a blank canvas, we are inspired by, learning from and improving on the history of a place.

A snapshot of demolished buildings in Camden over the past decade

02 | CONTEXT BEFORE EVERYTHING OR: LOVE THY CITY

WE WANT TO LEARN FROM & RESPOND TO OUR ENVIRONMENTS 3

DEVELOPING NEIGHBOURHOODS THAT FOSTER CONNECTIONS WITH AND STRENGTHEN EXISTING COMMUNITIES. 1 "Instead of a clear delimitation of spaces ... controlling a series of thresholds, from neighbourhoods to the entrance gate to the apartment door - the everyday practices of degrowth are not so spatially bound and open the home up for collaboration rather than enclosure."

- Pernilla Hagbert Learning from and feeding into the narrative of what already happens in and around the site we're currently working on is a key design principle for us.

Whatever we design needs to work with what exists. Whether it ties in or stands out, the outcome needs to be positive for all the stakeholders

in the project. The local and wider community are an important part of that.

Our proposals look to provide, beyond an abundance of new housing, resources which are currently missing in the local communities. This can take the form of improved public amenity spaces or community rooms, to be substantial investments such as libraries, food kitchens or market space.

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We also see local communities as a resource of information, to understand where investments is best directed and where there are opportunities for improved density.

1. King's Cross St Pancras 2. Camden Lock 3. St Pancras Hotel 4. Agar Estate, Camden 5. Community engagement app designed in Intensive 2.3

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03 | SUSTAINABILITY BREEDS AFFORDABILITY

WE WANT TO SAVE THE PLANET & OUR BANK BALANCE

DIAGRAM

PROMOTING LIFESTYLES WHERE SUSTAINABILITY IS SECOND NATURE, AND WE BENEFIT FINANCIALLY FROM IT "The general model for sustainable settlements must be mostly small and highly self sufficient local economies, self-governing, under social control, in which nonmaterial pursuits deliver rich life satisfaction."

- Ted Trainer A sustainable lifestyle comes in many different forms and at many different levels. Depending on location and accessibility, a car-less commute to work may be impossible, as an example However, for the majority, with the right access to public transport, infrastructure and amenities, sustainability can equal affordability.

The issue, as with the whole of the climate emergency, is public

perception and awareness.

Typical Domestic Carbon Scores

Sustainability does not need to mean giving up all elements of your current lifestyle. And whilst our individual footprints are important to know and managed, they pale in significance to the scale of pollution coming from industries and companies.

Average per Briton (from 2006) 10.92 tCO2 per year

We work with our clients to ensure that any cost savings produce from our design choices are passed on to the end user. This leads to rents that are truly affordable, no matter the average income of wherever the site is located. The improved fabric efficiency directly passes on cost saving in the form of lower bills, and the benefits of any renewable energy sources are felt in the pockets of the residents.

Recreation 1.95 tCO2

Aviation 0.68 tCO2

Heating 1.49 tCO2

Education 0.49 tCO2

Food 1.39 tCO2

Phones 0.1 tCO2

Household 1.37 tCO2

Jeff Bezos (2018) 2,224.2 tCO2

Clothing 1 tCO2

Elon Musk (2018) 2,084 tCO2

Commuting 0.81 tCO2

Roman Abramovich (2018) 33,859 tCO2

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2 1. Commute costs, Vancouver (Poulos et al.)

2. Guerin&Pedroza, France 3. Casanova Hernandez, Netherlands 4. Peter Barber, UK

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04 | LIVE HOW YOU LIKE

WE WANT HOMES TO SUIT WHO WE ARE AND HOW WE LIVE BESPOKE, AFFORDABLE HOMES DESIGNED BY YOU, FOR YOU. WE BELIEVE COMFORTABLE HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT "In the capitalist market real estate is seen as a profit-making investment rather than as fulfilling a human need."

- Lina Hurlin We look to engage with the end user early on in the design process (typically Stage 2) to understand how we can best adapt our designs to their needs.

We develop affordable panelised solutions which are flexible in their assembly allowing for a variety of designs in both size and layout. Key elements such as bathroom and kitchen pods remain unchanged and are developed offsite thus reducing both time on site and overall costs.

OPTION A LOWER LEVEL

OPTION A UPPER LEVEL

OPTION A SHORT SECTION

OPTION B LOWER LEVEL

OPTION B UPPER LEVEL

OPTION B LONG SECTION

The intent is that any additional time required in the early stages of the project for additional user engagement is more than compensated by a reduction in the construction period.

Our research shows that providing greater control over the design encourages longer tenancies and stronger communities, further reducing costs over the lifetime of the building. It also, importantly, breeds happier residents, and that is our ultimate aim.

The ideas of the happy city are discussed in further depth within this portfolio.

1. The UI for an application focused on end user integration developed in Intensive 2.3

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05 | CHANGE WHEN YOU NEED

WE WANT TO PICK'N'MIX THEN REMIX A HOME THAT ADAPTS WITH OUR CHANGING NEEDS AS BOTH AN INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY "Who has the right to shape the city? It is earned through the act of habitation. If you live out your life in the shared urban landscape, then you have the natural right to participate in shaping its future" - Charles Montgomery We work with our clients, residents and communities to understand their needs and how those needs will change over the lifetime of the project. We want to allow the inhabitants to grow within these spaces, so creating the opportunity for them to adapt and change the internal layouts of these projects, creates more opportunities for these people and families to stay in their homes, and therefore, their communities. A lot of this work happens within the detailed design of these modules, finding ways to

introduce flexibility into whatever we produce.

However, we also need to work with our clients, to understand what they want and to promote these ideas to them. Longer tenancies create greater security for the residents, which reduces maintenance costs, advertising fees and complaints from the local communities whilst improving the value of these assets.

Furthermore, through these innovations we hope to improve the stigma around social housing, promoting it as a viable, perhaps better alternative to housing ownership in a financial environment where buying a house is becoming less and less of an option for the majority of millenials.

STAYING IN OUR HOMES FOR LONGER MEANS BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES

06 | WORK WHERE YOU WANT

WE WANT WORK TO WORK FOR US []

THE PANDEMIC HAS SHOWN WE CAN WORK IN THE UNLIKELIEST OF SPACES. NOW LETS MAKE THOSE SPACES WORK FOR US.

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2 212.5mm

225mm

212.5mm

245mm

245mm

225mm

280mm

We want to provide options for our residents, we recognise that one size doesn't fit all so we look to provide different solutions to enable flexibility with how we live our lives.

We work with existing communities and new residents to understand what resources are missing. Then through sustainable investments we work to create options below at a highly subsidised rate.

The Kitchen Table Requirements – the kitchen table, a laptop and possibly a notebook.

Pros - Convenient, uncomplicated. No specialist equipment and no need for investment.

Cons - The lure of the toaster and TV, can feel temporary, lack of face to face contact.

The Home Office Requirements - a dedicated space within the home with a sole purpose

VARIABLES

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COMPUTER

SENSES CHANGE IN VOLUME, LIGHT & PROXIMITY

VOLUME

280mm

SENSING INPUT DEVICE

300mm

LIGHT

225mm

Pros - Privacy, adequate storage, replicates office environment

245mm

NEMA 17 STEPPER MOTOR

PRIVACY

CAM SYSTEM: CONNECTION TO A A 300mm

Cons - Lack of face to face contact, could be valuable living space Communal Workspace Requirements - mobile equipment Pros - Human contact, good atmosphere.

Cons - Lack of privacy and lack of personal space Office Unit Requirements - Small unit space Pros - Informal office space, privacy

CONNECTION TO B

INPUT TO OUTPUT DEVICE

CONTROLS THE THRESHOLD AT WHICH THE PROCESS BEGINS

A

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245mm

280mm

300mm

300mm

3 "The blended experience of working and living in a virtual world has taught us that we can be much more flexible in the way we think about work. We don’t need to gather together every day to be productive, but we can also see very clearly that working virtually will never replace the experience of gathering together, brainstorming, and deeply connecting with one another."

Cons - Small investment - WeWork

OPTIMISER

B

A

1. A study of alternatives to traditional office desk space - completed in Intensive 1.3

A MORE SUBTLE APPROACH

2. Using a change in work place approaches to encourage a more collaborative work environment

SPEED | TEXTURE | ATMOSPHERE

3. The development of environmentally responsive acoustic partitions as part of Intensive 1.3. Explored later in the portfolio 4. Creating integrated work solutions within the design of an apartment. Intensive 1.4 4

07 | PLAY WITH WHOMEVER

WE WANT OUR KIDS TO PLAY OUT & WE WANT TO PLAY OUT TOO CREATING EASY ACCESS TO HEALTHIER ROUTINES SUPPORTS HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES

"I let go of my handlebars and raised my arms in the air of the cooling breeze, and I remembered my own childhood of country roads, afterschool wanderings, lazy rides and pure freedom. I felt fine. The city was mine. " - Charles Montgomery

The COVID19 pandemic has shown us the importance of our homes. It has also shown us the importance of our streets. Not only are they places for outdoor eating and gathering, they are places of fun. Any opportunity to ditch the car and get on a bike should be taken. London's cycle and quietways are an amazing resource.

Last week, for the first time in my five years working at FCB Studios I cycled the 9 miles into work. Forget about

the 25 minutes on the Victoria line from Walthamstow to Warren Street, I was cycling through residential streets, wetlands and parks, a commute far better for both my body and my mind. However, when this structure is backed by resources such as adequate schools, shops and entertainment facilities, all within a reasonable distance, we get urban areas centres around the bike and foot.

Appropriate Urban References: • Paris & the 15 minute city • Enrique Penalosa's work in Bogota, Colombia • Amsterdam's change from a carcentric to a cycle-centric city • Political decision making behind Copenhagens cycle-ways • The evolution of bike sharing (moon et al.)

The 15 minute city A proposal for Paris, where the fundamental elements of daily life are all easily accessible within a 15 minite walk or cycle of your home

08 | FROM POSSESSION TO EXPERIENCE

WE WANT SERVICE DEVELOPING MODELS OF SHARED OWNERSHIP ACROSS COMMUNITIES AND CITIES TO REDUCE WASTE AND COST "Cohousing communities enable and encourage efficient sharing habits.

Car, tools, toys and clothes for children are reused and services are offered between residents of the cohousing communities and its neighbours" - Francois Schneider For these ideas to be successful, they need to be backed by an infrastructure network which allows for the freedom to move away from traditional models of ownership. Those of use living in rurual parts of the country are far less likely to swap their car for a ride sharing app, as the density of villages and towns make this idea unviable. Cities are ideal for this, and with the right kind of government support, the removal of cars (as one example) can significantly benefit the majority of people.

SERVICE MODELS TO IMPLEMENT The changing expectations of future generations is geared towards fewer possessions whilst seeking more experiences. The younger generations are more willing to pay for services of all kinds, in order to have things on demand. In some instances this is a revival of a period when services or technology would have been too expensive to own, such as launderettes, in other instances the internet of things is providing greater access to resources than we could ever own in a lifetime, such as Spotify.

Below are some ideas of these services.

General Handy-person Plumber Electrician Cleaner Laundry & Drycleaning Gardener Waste Management Furniture Hire

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Delivery Hub Collective Workshops Tool hire

A top-down and bottom-up approach are needed to create a real impact. This has been seen in other countries and other cities, and London needs to follow suit, especially post-COVID19.

1. Map of electric chrging points across London.

2. Zipcar and Uber as alternatives to ownership.

PRIVATE CARS ARE STATIONARY 95% OF THE TIME

Carpool or Carsharing service Car Hire (Zipcar) Taxi (Uber) Bike sharing service Electric Bike Hire (Lime) Food Delivery Service Meal Delivery Service 2

09| FROM GLOBAL TO LOCAL

WE WANT OUR ENVIRONMENT TO BRING US CLOSER TOGETHER KITCHEN TABLES & WORKSHOPS PLACES TO CONGREGATE, EAT, DRINK, CHAT AND WORK - TOGETHER

Case studies of interest on this topic: "Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody" - Jane Jacobs

Miethauser Syndikat: a model of collectively owned houses and tenements in Germany.

Twin Oaks, Virginia: a non-monetary eco-collaborative community

Christinia, Denmark a freetown with the objective of creating a self-governing society Round the Bend Conservation Cooperative, Melbourne a non-monetary eco-collaborative community

POTENTIAL USES WITHIN DEGROWTH MODELS

WORKSHOPS

KITCHEN Potential facilities that align with degrowth objectives. These objectives ensure that any value created through these services and spaces stays within the local community. This helps to fund a local economy.

Fix it yourself stores Hydroponic farms Hospital Doctors Hairdresser Drinking fountains Bakery Hardware store Outdoor free gyms Community bank Market stalls Parks Launderettes Libraries Time bank facilities Car clubs Tool borrowing centres Cycle shares / Storage Food kitchen / Food waste storage Anaerobic digestors Retraining / education facilities Local council hubs Counselling centres Green tech hubs Renewable battery storage Working from home hubs Swap shops Common garden (see Granby Winter Garden)

FOOD HUB

PUBLIC SPACE SHARED AMENITY

TAKEAWAY

LIBRARY

REPAIR SHOP

LAUNDRY

The microcentre with its many entrances and exists is a multifunctional space allowing for engagement with other people and for avoiding the. It is not a collection of small businesses but an integral element of a cooperative neighbourhood run by both waged

ENTRANCE

CRECHE

OFFICE

professionals and unwaged volunteers.

rationing to our lifestyles, but rather than trading we should be sharing.

Such approaches combined with elements from the list to the left could provide lifestyles aligned with One Planet Living guidances and the SDG's. We need some form of

Ideas based on work by Widmer and Scheider.

10 | MOVE SLOW AND GROW

WE WANT TO BREATHE

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PLANT EVERYTHING THAT DOESN'T MOVE "People who live in areas with more parks are more helpful and trusting than people who don't, regardless of their income or race. Nature is not merely good for us. It brings out the good in us."

- Charles Montgomery Appropriate and well-designed green spaces can create amazing social spaces. Well placed trees can create natural shading devices for south facing homes with the bare branches of the winter months allowing the sun in, whilst shading windows in the increasingly hot summer months.

We see landscaping and natures intervention as an important aspect integral to our design work, rather than a tacked-on discipline. Combining this manifesto point with the previous ideas helps to establish a strong approach to urban design. Our current projects look at removing vehicular lanes to create room for urban trees and planting, simultaneously reducing pollution and creating a natural barrier to traffic.

The Benefits of Trees: • Beautify & create a biophilic presence (proven to improve mental health) • provide cool shade • retain soil / prevent erosion (less of an issue in urban centres) • detain and retain storm water (especially important considering recent flooding in urban centres across europe) • sequester CO2 • filter particulate pollution therefore improving air quality • cool the air by evapo-transpiration (in addition to providing shade) • provide animal and bird habitats • produce flowers, fruit, fragrance • offer play opportunities for children • absorb sound • reduce crime (again scientifically proven) • increase real estate values because of the above • create planting and maintenance jobs • humanise over-scaled urban spaces (Trees in Buenos Aires)

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1. Study of urban heat islands in Melbourne, 2017 2. Mapping Urban Heat Islands in Virgina, NOAA

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Floating garden, Bristol UK Green walls, Biarritz, France Alzingen School, Luxembourg Parklet, London

7. Roof Garden, HDB Singapore 8. Payley Park, New York 9. Highline, New York 10 10. Parklet, London