Description

The “machine for living” model: prototype of an autarchic housing unit as module for a new town-planning scheme. The building is set freely into the landscape and oriented entirely according to the course of the sun: clear east-west orientation. Optimization of floor plans according to Corbusier’s “Modulor” measurements and laws of insulation. A central access corridor (every two or three stories, without natural lighting) is surrounded by four basic spatial modules (criterion of industrial construction) that are varied in up to three levels and three parallel units. This allows a variety of apartment sizes and layouts, a total of 23 floor plan types were developed for this project. All apartments (except for the 1-room apts.) are maisonettes. The great room depth between the two only 3.66-m-wide crosswalls is utilized to maximum advantage; the apartments follow consistent zoning (relationship between incidence of light and depth of room). Living rooms or joint play areas open up toward outside (living rooms are always two stories, opening out to continuous terraces); bedrooms (minimized) on upper floor (galleries) or on setback story below; sanitary rooms and kitchens toward central corridor. Through-living spaces, both horizontal and vertical. Large common terrace on roof (recreation facilities). Comprehensive service facilities (hotel, businesses, offices, and restaurants) on two full stories (level 7/8), like gym, pool; also crèche and kindergarten.

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Originally published in: Oliver Heckmann, Friederike Schneider (eds.), Floor Plan Manual Housing, fourth revised and expanded edition, Birkhäuser, 2011.