ARCH4116 Architectural Design Studio D - Develop
Target Students BSSc4
Course Term 1&2
Course Type Studio
Teacher GOUDSMIT, Inge; PRICOP, Ioana; CHOW, Kelly; ROSSINI, Francesco; SUEN, Ricky
Studio D focuses on the concept of a 'social condenser,' defined as “programmatic layering to encourage dynamic co-existence of activities and generate unprecedented events” (Koolhaas, 2004: 9). In particular, we will design a (semi)public building within an existing context. The main objective is to inject social program that meet the needs of society by investigating and understanding those needs, and how architecture can address them.
Instead of adhering to the modernist belief that architecture, imposed from the top down, can create a better world, “at best, architecture can mirror the flux of the larger world in unprecedented designs and processes intended to defy predictable societal relationships. Architecture holds out the possibility that new, social configurations might emerge – but also the possibility that they won’t” (Dunham-Jones, 2013: 162). Design proposals should thus allow for the flexibility to be appropriated by users.
Designing a social condenser, we will prioritize the close relationship between the building and its social urban context, ensuring that the program effectively responds to the site and its people. We delve into the value of existing buildings as social condensers for their surroundings and emphasize the importance of preserving these structures within the urban fabric. By studying their historical significance, we will gain a deeper understanding of their contribution to the overall urban context.
