Nianru Bei
Adaptive community houses. RWTH Aachen (Germany)
Society and living conditions are constantly evolving due to demographic changes, diverse lifestyles, and shifting housing needs. To address these challenges sustainably, we must rethink living spaces to make them adaptable and long-lasting. Flexible, size-adjustable apartments offer a promising solution, helping to build strong communities, foster a sense of belonging, and use space efficiently for both economic and social benefits.
This thesis focuses on implementing flexible design concepts and construction methods. The primary goal is to create as many affordable, needs-based, high-quality living spaces as possible for various social and age groups, support the development of resilient communities, and enhance the surrounding urban environment.
Flexible concepts such as zoning, the combination of basic units, and their dimensions are analysed based on existing examples and evaluated for efficiency. Given the site's depth, interconnected T-shaped structures with a central staircase were selected for their efficient use of space, providing many potentially switchable rooms and communal areas.
The proportion and boundaries of communal versus private areas are also analysed based on existing references. For this project, communal areas and infrastructure are placed on the ground floor, with size-adjustable communal areas on each upper floor.
The east-west façades feature stick façades, which are open and transparent, allowing more sunlight and encouraging visual connections to the backyards. In contrast, the south façades use French doors for sun protection. This design aligns with the building’s structure, where the load is supported lengthwise rather than across the width.
The zoning plan requires that construction on the north side of Lochner Street be set back at least 10 meters from the property line to protect the plane trees along the street. To comply with this, the design includes an outdoor extension of the ground floor communal areas to maximize space while maintaining a distance from public areas.
SCHUNCK cannot guarantee the correctness of content and expression. The participants themselves are responsible for their entries. The copyright of the projects underlies to the authors, any reproduction or use of the shown material is strictly forbidden.