JANICE TENG | PORTFOLIO

THE BRIEF:

 

The key design question for this brief was:

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Is it possible to build in the middle suburbs of Sydney at around three times the current dwelling density and provide good places for living? ; both in the short term with respect to the impacts of the existing surrounding low-density environments and in the long term as entire suburban precincts densify?

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In addition to this, students were asked to consider the concept of human situations in reference to David Leatherbarrow's theoretical suggestion of the idea of an architectural project as an ensemble of settings that accommodates and represents particular patterns of human life in a particular place; in conjunction with Bernard Tschumi's proposition that architecture is the discourse of events as much as the discourse of spaces. Three human situations were identified:

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1. Activities

2. Social interaction

3. Thermal Comfort

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The project brief was for a co-housing development of three dwellings in the suburb of Mascot. The clients were:

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1. A family (married couple, two young daughters)

2. A retired couple in their early-sixties

3. A tenant

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Furthermore, students were asked to collaborate in teams of two - four to create co-housing precincts that encouraged sharing programme and sustainable living practices.

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THE PROGRAMME:

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- Living, sleeping and dining spaces for the three dwellings/collaborative precinct

- Services

- Recreational space 

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THE SITE:

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Situated on the corner of Sparks St and Hicks Ave, the lot for the collaborative precinct, is close to the main road and is nestled in amongst a neighbourhood of both mixed-use properties and recreational public zones.

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THE DESIGN:

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The architectural manifesto for this project: 

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Successful architecture considers the
following human situations: activities, social
interactions, thermal comfort, and sustainability.
It encompasses the built environment and its
relationship with nature, and can act as a mirror
of its contextual zeitgeist. As an architect, it is our
responsibility to design and consult with our clients,
to create spaces, which are an expression of
various relationships.

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The intention for this co-housing project on a micro scale, was to firstly create an environment, which allows for the facilitation of human activities, such as eating, preparing a meal, relaxing with family sleeping, etc., with a focus/prioritisation of communal spaces. This is such that the inhabitants (in this scenario: the family, elderly couple and the tenant) are fully able and comfortable to use the spaces to their potential. This potential refers to how my aim is to not prescribe and rigidly dictate the activities of the households, rather provide a guideline for the space's use and promote flexibility.

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It is also my aim to allow the three households the flexibility in their degree of social interaction. While communal living is prioritised, the occupants are able to opt for a more private/intimate situation, such that they utilise a "selective control of access to the self or to one's group" (Altman, p.18).
Additionally, it is an intention to utilise sustainable design strategies to achieve thermal comfort for the occupants, and on a macro level, the betterment of the environment in general. This entails, the careful use and consideration of resources. It is also my aim to incorporate and encourage ecologically sustainable lifestyles - worm composting and urban farming. In hand with the co-housing concept, this sustainable living agenda also entails the involvement of the community (the neighbours in the Mascot precinct).

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SOFTWARE USED:

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- AutoCAD

- Adobe Photoshop

- Adobe InDesign

- Revit

- Physical Model Making