ABOVE THE CROWD
Lifting people to new heights of living
What would be like to live in a house up above other buildings, elevated over the city crowd or 100 feet from water below, comfortably lifted to heights where you can see the distance and enjoy the breeze? What if you could climb on top of a crane in the harbour and put your home there? Can you imagine waking up in the morning with the view of the Harbour Bridge, taking the lift to the ground floor and discovering that you live on a tiny lot downtown?
The proposal is a modular constructive system based on prefabrication and on-site assembly. The basic idea is to build where nothing else could be built, such as in narrow lots and street corners, consuming as less ground as possible. Since these spaces would not be suitable for residential purpose their cost is far lower than average and the amount saved is traded for building quality and affordability. As displayed below, three real sites have been chosen to show the proposal’s adaptability on real city contexts.
The use of steel makes possible to reach high spots and find space in each direction with timber slabs hung to the top of the tower. The dwelling units benefit from height and have large views on the surroundings. Transparency and visual lightness of the envelope are provided through extensive use of glass. Direct sunlight and heat are prevented adopting a semi-transparent material between glass panels where needed. This type of glazing ensures a soft diffused lighting of the space and the right amount of privacy.
The core functions either as building structure and vertical circulation. Floor plates are distributed along with the spiral circulation saving space usually occupied by hallways. The rooftop is conceived as a collective space in the form of a “cascade of terraces” where residents can access for leisure, outdoor activities or just a glimpse to the horizon. At ground level, instead, the micro-footprint of the building preserves transit, views and an open-air public area.
