Collage Houses

Project idea

The purpose of the project is to create 9 houses for 9 families that live together in a small comunity. The project is built around a base structure that provides people with the posibility to extend their living as they need.

Project description

This project started from the need to accommodate 9 families that will live together in a samll comunity in a district of Bucharest Roamania. The district of Straulesti is a place with small individual houses. The main structure of the district was designed in 20th century, but it has now evolved into a mix of design and spontaneous settlement. The general feeling of the space in this district is given by this mixture of systematized design and people's need for personalization. The concept of Collage was extracted from the site's atmosphere and the implementation of the project follows the "all over" concept.
The project proposes a steel structure that tracks the main lines of the urban space. Between the lines of the structure the families that live here will build their homes with as much space as they need, with the possibility to expand this space in the future. The project starts with 9 houses arranged in the form of terraced houses, with 2 common areas, one common kitchen and one big living space with play room. In the illustrated version the courtyards of the houses form a common space where the 9 families can interact, spend time and be together. An individual house is deigned with an inside private yard, with minimal space that a young family need.
In time the project can evolve in a very dense form of habitation, with houses and without common spaces.

Technical information

The structure is build from steel beams and columns, with an existing permanent skeleton and a secondary structure that is build where the people need it.

Co-authors

RADULESCU Maria-Catrinel