CLIENT
YEAR
STATUS
PROGRAM
COLLABORATORS
Private
Ongoing
Initiation
Housing
NAGY Associates
An Block in Lockport consists of three buildings and a shared green field for agriculture activity. The buildings are positioned in a way that optimises sunlight into the courtyards. The northern buildings have four layers, while the southern building consists of two layers. Each building has its own courtyard separated by a low wall to give every community its own designated space. In the centre of the court is a greenhouse which functions as a meeting space and tool shed.
Each building has its own base measure creating a wide variety of unit sizes. Providing houses for students, seniors, couples, young families, and more. Each building can facilitate up to 35 units.
Families come in many different shapes and sizes, but they all have shared values and wishes. They want to feel comfortable and safe in their homes, connect with their neighbours, and be part of a thriving community. ACS: FAMILIA projects offer them that.
The FAMILIA Block is based on the traditional Dutch housing block. By opening the building block, it creates the opportunity to realiser a wider variety of building aesthetics. Every building block has its modular base measurements giving its unique identity, but still optimised for fast construction. The height of the buildings is optimised to maximise sunlight into the courtyards.
The rigid structure creates freedom inside the building, making it possible to develop different typologies in one block. The structure has the following grid measurements: 18ft (5.4m), 20ft (6m) and 24ft (7,2m), which are ideal measurements for families, but also singles, starters, young couples and seniors.
The different households require a variety in housing types. The flexibility of the buildings allows for different apartment sizes throughout the building. They are tailoring to singles and elderly apartments of around 505ft2 (47m2) up to bigger families with duplex units up to 2230ft2 (207m2) and up. The configuration of units can be adapted to the need of the neighbourhood.
The Dutch word for courtyard is ‘Hof’. It stands for garden and derives from the spatial organisation, a collection of houses surrounding a communal garden. The enclosed garden feels like a safe space and stimulates community. Residents become part of each other’s lives by seeing each other’s homes and passing one another in the courtyard. This plays a significant role in the social cohesion between residents. The courtyard is the place for communal activities, and is the place where traditions are born. Activities such as sharing meals, parties and other events strengthen the cohesion.
All the buildings are designed from the ground up as a modular load-bearing wooden facade system. The modular facade elements are highly customisable in aesthetic, material use and openings, creating variation and giving identity to every building. The panels are an integrated part of the architecture, translating the seams of the panels into architectural accents that illustrate and provide detail to the facade.
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