MArch PRAXXIS PS1 - SI ROTĂRESCU

PRAXXIS SANDRA - IOANA ROTARESCU MARCH PS1 PORTFOLIO mmu student number: 19090370 manchester school of architecture

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ABOUT PRAXXIS PRAXXIS is a (new) feminist atelier at the Manchester School of Architecture.

PRAXXIS look at architecture through an intersectional feminist lens and its aim is to take on architecture theory and practice from a feminist perspective.

It looks past the binary of society and to the intersectional qualities of everyone. How can these be applied to architecture? How does space and place become inclusive to all.

Through our projects we look at the personal and the political and how these affect us as individuals, and as a collective.

RESEARCH QUESTION Feminist attraction to communitarianism is easily understandable. Having rejected the self-interested, autonomous individual of liberalism as both mythical and undesirable, feminists find that a more social view of the self and a more collective, interdependent, and cooperative model of social relations has an obvious and reasonable appeal. Further, given women’s history and continued practice of attachment to others through traditional female roles and networks, feminist visions might even be expected to be communitarian.

But feminist rejection of communitarianism would also be understandable. The misogynist history of communitarian theorizing about what the principles and who the members of communities should be...

By acknowledging this, how can one create a community, by addressing the stigma around feminism, by being inclusive and bash down segregation that’s deeply embedded in today’s society, that provides equal opportunities and underline intersectionality for all residents, regardless of social constructs?

By acknowledging this, how does a proposed master plan, with housing at its core, address the stigma that is around feminism, become all inclusive and bash down segregation that is deeply embedded in today’s society, and promotes and responds to the needs of individuals, provides equal opportunities and underline intersectionality for all residents, regardless of social construct?

always personal// //always political the project refresh

FEMINIST ARCHITECTURE DIAGRAM SKETCH //FUSION BETWEEN PRIVATE SPACES, SEMI-PRIVATE SPACES AND SHARED SPACES

GETTING TO KNOW THE SITE the site In urban design there are 3 key rules to create a successful development. Before carrying out our own masterplan design, we analysed the surrounding neighbourhoods to see if and how they followed the rules the history the street the block the use

THE STRATEGY the urban zone the pedestrianised zone

the people are important Following the analysis and combination of the research, two zones have been identified to base the High Street Strategy on. The first will be to introduce an Urban Zone at the far end of Stretford Road. Here, there will be an emphasis on the introduction of public social infrastructure that, with the main provision of activities that were previously not present. The second will be to introduce a Pedestrianized Zone that focuses more on the reuse of the existing buildings and space to maximise the economic and social value of Stretrord Road.

Ultimately, the two zones will deliver strong ground floor strategies that provide a clear vision for the creation of a successful mixed use Hight Street.

This zone has been identified as the urban zone, which will benefit from various improvements, significantly in the external green spaces. The demolition of the car park allows and clears a zone for a potential housing site, however this will work in tandem with the adjacent green strips giving the option of creating housing on either site, and the remaining one can act as the public plaza or small sports intervention.

EVENT/ EXHIBITION SPACE - hosts community led activities & events

GREEN CORRIDOR - provides eco-friendly routes into the nearby parks

CLT HUB - conversion of petrol station to hub for CLT meetings

STREETSCAPE/URBAN SPACE IMPROVMENTS - lighting - widen footways - street furniture - rationalised parking bays - tree planting

MARKET STALLS/URBAN SPACE - mixed-use markets ran by the community - potential site for house typologies

LANDSCAPING/ALLOTTMENTS - CLT-led initiative, acting as frontage for hub

PF JONES WORKSHOPS - open up facade towards users on street

FRONTAGE IMPROVEMENT - active space improvment

WAYFINDING - guides users towards any major networks/ amenities in the vicinity

PUBLIC PLAZA/SPORTS COURT - gathering and leisure space for users - potential site for house typologies

THE STRATEGY//THE

URBAN ZONE

CAFE - stemming from workshops

reinvigorated entrance

park reconnection

CLT house

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FRONTAGE IMPROVEMENT - active space improvment of Arabic language school/ convenience store - relocate carpet/fridge to industrial suburbs - introduce restaurants that open till late

LEARNING STUDIO LIBRARY - partial refurbishment and implementation of a cafe and studio for work

STREETSCAPE/URBAN SPACE IMPROVMENTS - lighting - widen footways - street furniture - rationalised parking bays - tree planting

ANCILLARY SPACES - bike storage - acts as buffer between public amenity uses

GREEN CORRIDOR - provides eco-friendly routes into the nearby parks

THE STRATEGY//THE

PEDESTRIANISED ZONE

The improved bit of Stretford road would be pedestrianised; this zone would provide ways for the users to be redirected to different places in the proximity, for instance amenities, as well as eco-friendly routes that people could take to the park. We would enhance the frontages of the Arabic language school and convenience store and the open space that’s in front of them for a more active space. By modifying the street and making it pedestrianised we would include more street furniture, like lighting, for a safer feel, and bike storages, we would have the footpaths enlarged, and more trees would be planted. Also, the new Learning Studio Library would benefit from a partial refurbishment and implementation of a cafÊ and studio for work on the ground floor.

WAYFINDING - guides users towards any major networks/ amenities in the vicinity

reimagined pedestrian space

reintegration of High Street

improvement of school crossings

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ECONOMIC MODEL gather It is vital for the newly formed CLT to have a strong presence on the high street. this would have many benefits, such as: demonstrating investments in the highstreet; communicating directly to locals and increasing the reach of the CLT through "accidental discoveries". engage Stretford Road isn't a blank slate, and therefore it is vitally important that the new CLT engages with the existing community organisations, schools and businesses on the high street. The CLT must be for the people; by the people.

And those statements can not exist separately. identify oportunities Once the CLT has established itself within the community, it is time to identify oportunities and sited of untapped social potential.

Working with the existing community organisations could make the most of the varying scales of possible interventions. consider Using the new CLT office as a base, a broad series of community profiling and consultation was envisioned.

This would be enacted by local residents, with guidance from external sources, and would utilise a wide array of methods to allow the community to understand itself. refresh

filling for raised plant beds

rubble & reusable materials

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structural salvage

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DEMOLITION of the car park

new material

reducing monetary investment

training programmes on site vocational trainings

craft workshops on site

CLT broad series of community profiling and consultation, enacted by local residents, with guidance from extenal sources; it will allow the community to understand itself

profits feed into a community fund

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CONSTRUCTION

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IN USE

socially interaction & activity in spaces that might otherwise be left empty

FABRICATION

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spaces (pavilions, carts) used for creativity, on site, rent free

THIS PROCESS WILL NOT TELL THE COMMUNITY WHO THEY ARE, OR WHO THEY SHOULD BE

THE CHARACTERS The characters were an exercise to help us understand what intersectionalism is and design feminist housing schemes. the characters In order to be able to create a housing scheme and a community for the characters, it was essential to find out their characteristics first, what makes them unique. needs Using the characters' study and finding out their requirements, I began to connect them to each other (where do they meet, how do they interact?), seeing what common needs they had. So by using their common requirements, for work, home & hobbies, the housing scheme was slowly developed.

By exploiting these connections and requirements, three housing typologies we created.

These typologies meet the needs of each client, at various stages of his/her life. connections & typologies These typologies meet the needs of each client, at various stages of their life.

ACTIVIST

FEMALE

II Our group design intension was to connect the sides for better wayfinding and linkings between the opposite sides, while also keeping the side that faces Stretford Road appropriate for a High Street.

I Critical diagram of the site, in which it is shown the focal points that happen to be on all sides.

This way, as a group work, we decided it would benefit the area if would encourage circulation in and around the site.

III Once we decided on a strategy, we each took our own interpretation based on the characters and the Community Land Trust that we implemented in the Site Strategy and tried desining as feminist and appropriate as possible outputs intricate courtyard

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

outputs urbanisation public spaces

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MASTERPLAN semi-detached houses (typ 1) two bedroom flat (typ 2) one bedroom flat (typ 3) co-working spaces new street

The design of the building follows the formal intentions that have origin from the critical analysis of the site, and responds to the necessity of connecting and creating relations between the two opposite streets. The approach of this design is based on the utilization of the urban design rules, and their application on the site within the Stretford Road context.

The shapes of the blocks create a core courtyard that is considered as semi-private space, and it represents the place in which some of the communal activities are located.

From a feminist lense these points of view would create proper communities, services and activities.

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CONTEXT SECTIONS

Social Interaction:

Access:

Opportunities for Stretford Road

Restaurant/bar on the ground floor of the coliving space invites people into the masterplan, and engage directly with the new activated green spaces provided.

There is wheelchair access to all parts of the building, via the lifts. All doors have been designed to accommodate a wheelchair.

The workshop on the ground floor building invite the wider community of Stretford Road to learn new skills/trades and will form a part of the closed loop economic system planned for the masterplan, being in proximity to the proposed CLT in the Strategy Plan.

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Social Interaction:

Social Interaction:

Restaurant/bar on the ground floor of the coliving space invites people into the masterplan, and engage directly with the new activated green spaces provided.

Communal working space allows people in the building to operate and grow businesses from within Moss Side. It encourages people to collaborate with neighbours to develop new ideas.

living their also their

CONTEXT ELEVATIONS elevations scale 1:100 on A1

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M&E STRATEGY geothermal strategy unit heating plumbing ventilation rainwater pipes waste storage refresh button

SPACE HIERARCHIES public spaces semi-public spaces semi-private places fire escape In this plan is shown the direction of the fire safety escape, from the fire rated 60' doors to the centre of the courtyard, as the assembly point. It is clearly shown how is the strategy for blocks and their protected lobby and stairs. In this diagram is also possible to see the fire safety strategy of the semi-public spaces, such as the commercial spaces and the shops.

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The newly formed street is the public interface of the proposal; it is an opportunity for the residents to interact with the wider community, and vice versa. The spaces is thought as completely public space, from which there are the accesses to the commercial spaces. The aim of the courtyard is to create a space to harbour interaction between residents, with the potential to act as a facilitator to the exchange of their goods and services.

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MAKING TYPOLOGIES

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the kid suburban house

the volunteer flat apartment

the young professional flat apartment

3 people 2 single + 1 double 122 m2 20% of dwellings

2 people 2 double 85 m2 30% of dwellings

1 person 1 double 45 m2 50% of dwellings

needs The kid character comes from an international background and is still a child, so the best approach was to design a two storey home (that has, in fact, the same layout stacked on top of it), for the character's family and themselves to live,

needs Since the volunteer character is an old person who likes to get to have a sense of the community, an apartment would have been the best suit. The person would have a second room for guests and/or friends and everything would be in proximity in case there is a need for it.

needs The young professional is having some sort of mobility issue (unmentioned), so the best approach would be to design a layout that suits her needs. A small apartment for a business person who would be able to work on site on different locations available or in town.

GA PLANS flexibility scheme //colour coded schematic diagram showing how the typologies are positioned in the building ground floor first floor second floor fifth floor

kid house typology volunteer house typology young professional house typology commercial space

TYP 1: THE KID part b fire safety part k protection from falling part m access to & use of the building

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TYP 2:

THE VOLUNTEER part b fire safety part k protection from falling part m access to & use of the building

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TYP 3:

THE PROFESSIONAL part b fire safety part k protection from falling part m access to & use of the building

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TYPOLOGIES IN SECTION zoom in 1 zoom in 2

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kid house typology

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volunteer house typology professional house typology

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commercial space b

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made used different media (collage, hand and digital sketching, 3DS Max software rendering

INTERIOR VISUALS//MOMENTS

volunteer typology interior

cafe

young professional personal moment view

kid typology interior

interior distribution idea

library perspective co-working space axo

the decision to use different medias was, besides experimenting,to emphasise on intersectionality; no one is the same, but we are all equally beautiful.

kid typology interior visual of the living room

STRUCTURAL STRATEGY taken from the kid house typology roof structure windows façade refresh button

CONSTRUCTION SEQUENCE taken from the kid house typology scale 1:50 on A3 phase 1 phase 2 phase 3 phase 4 handover

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THE DETAIL

taken from the kid house typology roof window & wall floor foundation

frontal elevation

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ENVIRONMENTAL STRATEGY taken from the kid house typology

Energy Use Intensity (EUI) The building's EUI is 38 kWh/m2/ yr, which is higher than the 2030 challenge of 35 kWh/m2/ yr.

However, it is lower than the UK average of 40 kWh/m2/yr.

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part l: conservation of fuel and power

Energy Use Segments (EUS) Half of the energy is being used on heating the building, with nearly 5,000 kWh/yr being used.

Howere, it is lower than the UK average of 12,000 kWh/yr.

"Reasonable provision shall be made for the conservation of fuel and power in buildings by limiting heat gains and losses through thermal elements and other parts of the building fabric..."

Daylighting 60% of the floor area i underlit throughout the year.

The compliance with this regulation is demonstrated in

Daylight Factor The minimum daylight factor for habitable rooms within residential buildings is 1.5-2%. From the scale below, it can be seen from the plans that the average DF of each floor is meeting this.

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OUTDOOR VISUALS

RIBA PLAN OF WORK 07

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PRAXXIS ROAD MAP reflections bibliography & atelier inputs

ALL SCHOOLS PROJECT

HASSELT STUDY TRIP existing site key statistics intervention identification preliminary ideas intervention i intervention ii