Eight different units are designed based on a modular “game” system.
The original inspiration of this cubical module came from the possibility of the folding action and the implied space in a corner condition. Through the Bristol models, I discovered various of potential spaces only cutting and folding two intersecting surfaces. I took two intersecting surfaces (a corner condition) as one module, and iterated different modules within the same volume. Because of the volumetric constraint, each module actually implies a cubicle space, and by combining those “cubes”, a systematic expansion of this system was revealed.
The corner condition was developed into a more concrete inhabitable volume with human scale. I created a 13’ x 13’ x 13’ cube and embedded it with different folding surfaces that serves as “furniture” in a room. Each module has its own volumetric characteristics, for example, some of them have more enclosure while some of them seem to be more open. Therefore, different programs and activities could be imagined in different modules with multiple dimensions and perspectives.
Starting with designing one-bedroom units (around 500 square feet big), I aggregated the unit with three cubes, providing a two storeys loft with the area of 507 sq ft. Since it is duplex, vertical circulation is needed, which intangibly set “rules” for this modular game.
I finally decided on six different modules with eight sets of units.
In those six modules (I will use labels that shown on the drawing), Z has a more enclosed space that enable more private activities, such as sleeping or working, which would be on the second layer of the unit.
X and Y provided vertical circulation, so one of them should be in the unit aggregation.
R, G, B are spaces that have more flexibilities, which could be combined with Z and X & Y, serving as shared spaces for example living room or kitchen.
“’Already public housing is being sold off. Why is it that they’re building this luxury tower right in the middle of public housing? We think this is a racist development,’ said Wendy Chung of the Chinese Staff and Workers Association.” At 250 South Street, there is an elegant tower under construction, standing tall with almost 70 stories alone one block north of the bridge, which is known as the One Manhattan Square. With the label of luxury apartment, the building project is protested by many Chinese and Hispanics, who has been suffered from the increasing rent in LES.
Challenging against the One Manhattan Square, the idea of my
project is developed as a replacement of this existing construction. My project
would be affordable housing complex for the low-income community, mainly for Chinese
and Hispanic neighbors who are facing with the evacuation and increasing rent
problem. Since the target group is mostly consisted with small nuclear families
and elder couples, my housing project would be the “aggregating game” about one-bedroom
units with a constrained volume but different characteristics.
Ideas of the extra program inside the housing project was
inspired by the demolishment of the Pathmark, which served the largely
low-income area in surrounding neighborhood.
By curving into the “void” of the structure, I want preserve this grocery
as an important local communal place, and to fill it with more interactive
moments, turning the void into a shared space. The negative void at the center would
hence become a positive pubic space, which not only serve as a bridge between
two buildings, but also makes connection between the surrounding neighbors in a
lager scale with the housing project.
