the INCREMENTAL house

Just catching my breath again. Check back soon for more postings from Paris, London, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden.....a bit too much to keep up with at the moment....

This project is most marked by its facades. I doubt anyone would really take that much notice if it wasn’t for the surface treatments. I was not totally clear on the overall organization of the project, but I found the two exterior facades of perforated metal shutters beautifully filling space around a corner building. I knew there was another part, but couldn’t find it, and realized it was on the inside of the block. I waited around until someone came out of the door, and snuck in to get a peak. It was a quiet and intimate space, with a very different language than the facades on the outside. The sounds of dinner were emanating from each unit, and since the open space was relatively small, I quickly began to feel out of place and like a voyeur. I snapped my pictures, made a few quick drawings, and went back outside to draw the outer façade. The façade was a fascinating approach, continually offering a different treatment to the street, depending on the mood of the inhabi...

“You know, it is always life that is right and the architect who is wrong.” -Le Corbusier Facades showing variety of changes Skyscraper units Arcade units (the open part was once completely filled in) Enough of this ribbon window.... Same design, different alterations Original design and lived-in design (as of 10 years ago, many less now...) In 1926, Les Quartiers Modernes Fruges were completed on the outskirts of Bordeaux . Commissioned by the eccentric industrialist Henry Fruges and designed by the famous modernist architect Le Corbusier, the project heralded a new era in modern housing that espoused Le Corbusier’s focus and interest in mass production, social housing, and artistic endeavors. Although the original project called for 150 houses, only 50 were actually built. There were four different kinds of units built: skyscraper, arcade, staggered, and zig-zag. Each offered their own unique formal characteristics, but all were based on a similar module (5x5 meters), a...

Taking quick break from architecture, I have had the unfortunate coincidence of being in Europe during EURO2008, only the third largest sporting even in the world. My last night in Instanbul, I watched on TV Turkey stage one of the greatest comebacks ever, scoring three goals in the last 15 minutes to beat the Czech Republic, then listened to chaos in the streets. While in Switzerland , (one of the host countries), I was actually able to get tickets (thanks Claire, Jessica, et al) to see France and Italy play (sorry France ). And then in Zurich , I watched numerous others games out on the streets with tens of thousands of other people. I think the ending of the Croatia-Turkey match was one of the most incredible ever. With two minutes to go in extra time, Croatia scored, sending the mass of Croatian fans in hysteria. In fact, right next to us, someone lit a massive flare and as the police and firemen busted in to try and control it. Watching all this madness, I misse...

This newly completed project offered the most visually interesting exterior. In essence, each unit has a large enclosed outdoor room. In many ways, the form is created by ensuring that each unit can have such a large outdoor space while still ensuring good access to natural light and ensuring a good bit of privacy. I arrived just before sunset and many people were having dinner out on their balconies. It looks quite dynamic, but in reality is pretty simple. It is pretty high end living, though. I do wonder what would happen if people were allowed to build in or enclose the balconies like they do in Cairo …. More Info: Gmur and Steib Architekten

The overall project leaves the space in between as active and effective public zones. The tightest area between buildings is a café, another area a small football field, on the other side, a playground, then a garden, etc. The facades are rich in their formal approaches, and varieties they offer the building and surrounding areas. They give a hint of the variety inside, but do somewhat mask the complexities of the three dimensional jockeying going on inside the building. There is a range of unit sizes as well as heights and three dimensional spaces within the building. Solid project. More Info: Stuecheli Architecten

Construction allows for variety on each floor (much like commercial office buildings) Variability of each floor and building unit One of the strengths of this project is the public hardscape which fills in most of the negative space between the buildings, which house many units that look directly onto the plaza. While I was there, numerous kids were out riding their bikes and playing, while their mother or father occasionally would come to the window or balcony and look out. The interspersed gardens, lawns, and playgrounds offer much softer edges. The variety of the massing and siting give effective views of movement, and the balconies and awnings give the project a strong flare with a sense of variety. The construction method (long timber planks connected to a concrete core) ensured a lot of flexibility within each floor. In fact, each floor of each building has a completely different layout or units. It was a test case to show how future changes can take place, but I do...

Floor plans showing variety of possible layouts. This is a nice and very sophisticated project, and the architect made time to meet with me (unlike many of the others). He was proud of this project, almost like a grandparent telling me about all the accomplishments of his grandchildren. There are many beautiful moments in this project. The one that interested me most was the flexibility in which the units can be designed and arranged. By using indeterminacy as a design approach, this project successfully met the needs of a housing cooperative seeking a variety of possible housing options within the same building. There can be large groups of people living together or even self contained one room studio apartments, depending on the make up of the residents at that point. There have been about 5 or 6 changes of sizes of the residences, but they all depend on a collective decision. From a design standpoint, it is very easy for a household to expand and add space, but it de...

A prefabricated modular house option. This was a quick introduction into the extraordinary standards or craft and excellence within the Swiss built environment. This particular unit had three modules. The spaces were really nice, large windows (very common) and variation within each module. It was cheap and had to be erected quickly (within 6 months). The owner complained that it was cheap (built by the Germans) and only really made to last 20-30 years, like most of the houses in the US …..overall nice project, but very difficult to do much with it in the future. It is a mobile and versatile project until it is actually built, then it is finished… More Info: Bauart Architecten or Weberhaus

On the way to Grabunden Nice Housing. Everywhere Bike Shelter Amazing mountains you can't get lost in Attention to detail Meticulous Piping and Insulation Tram Signage: Saws. Crampons. Bananas. Guitars. Wow, what a change from two weeks ago. The Swiss know how to do things right. The craft, level of detail, and attention to getting things right in the built environment is quite extraordinary. And, oh how I love the public transportation system. It is clear, easy, and gets me within two block of anywhere I need to go. No hassling with the rickshaw driver here. The quality of life here is amazing, I think the highest in the world ( Zurich and Geneva ). It is clean, there is cold, fresh, drinking water flowing out of the most beautiful fountains, you can swim in the lakes in the middle of the city, there are ping pong tables everywhere, and the mountains……wow. The train system is unreal, punctual, taking you to the most amazing places, and everyone takes advantag...