Description

This building was intended as an experiment in spatial, technical, and conceptual strategies to explore the development of flexible apartment buildings able to react long-term to the changing preferences of residents. The basic principle was formed by the “Open Building” concept of the Dutch architect John Habraken in which a building is understood as a composite of two systems: the support system forming a stable and shared property and an infill system, which is individually owned and interchangeable. Here the concept was realized with a series of constituent subsystems: a skeletal structure based on a multi-layered grid, a modular facade system and technical infrastructure that can be easily renewed at any time.

U-shaped levels are laid out to enable the creation of completely different apartment types and sizes, and remain open to the neighboring buildings, thus providing room for green spaces. In contrast to the layouts of conventional apartment buildings, which need to be standardized in order to anticipate the potential demands of future users, the conditions here proved congenial to having 18 residential units designed by 13 different architects in direct contact with the future residents of each.

The individual designs are fundamentally different from one another. Some (apartment
a
, for example) are reminiscent of the spatial character of a single-family home: they are individually designed and comprised of two stories with wraparound facades. Others (
b
, for example) connect open living spaces with individual cabinet-like private rooms. And still others (
c
, for example) incorporate traditional Japanese elements such as sliding walls to create flexibility of use. The first unit conversions have successfully illustrated the ability of this open framework to incorporate changes.

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Originally published in: Oliver Heckmann, Friederike Schneider with Eric Zapel (eds.), Floor Plan Manual Housing, fifth revised and expanded edition, Birkhäuser, 2018.