Architectural Design V-IX: Living Together 2.0 (M.Conen)

Abstract

For us Living together means rethinking housing and investigating how architecture could host not only human needs, but also the presence and agency of plants, animals, microorganisms, water etc. Moving beyond an anthropocentric approach, we require new spatial typologies, porous structures, generous thresholds, systems for managing water and enhancing biodiversity.

Objective

Critical thinking, personal attitude •demonstrate, through design work, a critical understanding of climate change and the ethical responsibilities of the architect •reflect on pieces of work in progress or already completed both individually and in conversation with peers and faculty •demonstrate, through design work, a growing knowledge of contemporary and historical architectural dis- course •critically interpret requirements and working priorities in relation to your personal capabilities Construction of a narrative, working methodology •conduct qualitative site analysis through photography and observational drawing •use archives to conduct systematic analysis into social history, uses, materials, etc. •assimilate small, fragmentary observations into broad understanding of the place •clearly and effectively convey your ideas through oral presentations Conversion of concept into an architectural project •develop a constructional, structural and environmental concept for the project •formulate a spatial concept for a project whilst understanding the conceptual, spatial and programmatic conditions •design with reference to historical, political, cultural and other creative and technical fields •incorporate information and inspiration from input lectures Representation •develop a critical eye with photography of place •develop model making skills of small conceptual models, as well as working models made of everyday household materials with precise conceptual purpose •demonstrate high technical and critical proficiency in 2D and 3D CAD drafting and modelling •develop your skills in image making, composition and collage •develop an understanding of different media of representation and know when to use them

Content

“To live together in the world means essentially that a world of things is between those who have it in common, as a table is located between those who sit around it; the world, like every in-between, relates and separates men at the same time.” Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998 As Hanna Arendt succinctly puts it, we all live together. Whether in a house, a city or on Earth. Living always takes place in relation to, dependence on or community with others. For us Living together means rethinking housing and investigating how architecture could host not only human needs, but also the presence and agency of plants, animals, microorganisms, water etc. Moving beyond an anthropocentric approach, we require new spatial typologies, porous structures, generous thresholds, systems for managing water and enhancing biodiversity. Living together calls for an architecture that makes ecological processes visible and tangible, where domesticity and landscape are intertwined. It opens up the possibility of inhabiting the city differently, — through reciprocity, care, and coexistence across species. In Zurich living together became a vivid subject in the 1980s, which were marked by intense political, social, economic and ecological unrest. Issues long pushed to the sidelines – such as gender equality, environmental pollution, and the consequences of unlimited growth – moved more to the centre of public debate. The dissatisfaction with traditional family structures led to new forms of collective living and fostered lively debates around squats, serving as laboratories for alternative housing practices. Architecture and floorplan typologies became an active tool to rethink forms of domesticity and communal life. The most emblematic projects out of that era (Hellmi, Dreieck, Karthago, Brahmshof) evolved through action, negotiation and in some cases conflict. A new sensibility emerged: the value of neighborhood centered social networks, the understanding of living as a process with changing housing needs, and the urgency of inexpensive and adaptable building structures. The ideas forced architects to experiment with new floor plan solutions. This semester, we will engage with this heritage and examine its potential in the face of today’s challenges: housing crisis, reuse of existing structures, the loss of biodiversity and water management. We are focusing on the urban area alongside the Zürichberg, following the edge of the forest, moving between green spaces and the city along the hillside. Through a heterogeneous mix of multi-family houses with mixed typologies and a highly fragmented parcel structure, we will generate conditions in order to host architecture projects where contemporary utopias of how to live together can start reshaping the existing urban tissue of the city. We will explore together these great examples of the 1980s, collaborating with experts who will guide us through the analysis of the embedded qualities of the sites. We will engage in hands-on modelbuilding, stage them to create fantastic images and experiment with the floor plan as a design tool.

Resources