Building Design in housing cooperative
Basic information
Project Title
Building Design in housing cooperative
Full project title
Design of a sustainable multi-family buildings in Łódź for deliberative housing cooperative
Category
Prioritising the places and people that need it the most
Project Description
The work consists of a research and design parts as it is a Masters Diploma in Architecture. The first one focuses on the idea of Deliberative Cooperation and Housing Cooperatives with deep dives on socio-economic situation in european cities and a chapter about wood being a future material for architecture in cities. Second part is the design of two multi family housing buildings placed on difficult small forgotten plots in Poland, Lodz in the city center made in wooden structure technology.
Geographical Scope
National
Project Region
Poland
Urban or rural issues
Mainly urban
Physical or other transformations
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
EU Programme or fund
No
Description of the project
Summary
The work consists of a research and design parts. The first one focuses on the idea of Deliberative Cooperation. It is explained where does the idea came to mind from for this type of investment, and where did the name of it came from. Deliberative Cooperation was introduced to show what type of cooperation it could
be. Next the situation on the housing market and socio-economic plane is presented to show a problem that Deliberative Cooperation could be an answer for.
It is also presented, how the new refreshed technology of once traditional material in building is wood, on the basis of an Austrian company Thoma Holz. This part
shows that the future of building in cities could be wood. The new act in Poland introduced in March 2023 on Housing Cooperatives is also described, which in its
concept is very similar to the previously presented Deliberative Cooperation. To sum up, the SWOT analysis was created, thanks to which the opportunities and threats for the development of Deliberative Cooperation and/or Housing Cooperative were examined.
On the basis of the conclusions from the first part, a design of two variants of multi-family residential buildings in the urban fabric was created, which presents the possibilities that could be achieved by the Deliberative Cooperation or Housing Cooperative. The aim was to simulate what such a building could look like, where it could be located and how it would function, and what it could achieve in terms of architecture and urban planning in the city of Lodz.
Overall target group is everone who looks to buy an appartment with lower price and bigger impact on the building itself, which is these days mostly young people. An objective was to find out if the Deliberative housing cooperative is capable of being a real answer to socio-economic problem for the lack of apartments for young people in the european city centers. It was also important to make the building sustainable and recyclable thus made out of wood.
be. Next the situation on the housing market and socio-economic plane is presented to show a problem that Deliberative Cooperation could be an answer for.
It is also presented, how the new refreshed technology of once traditional material in building is wood, on the basis of an Austrian company Thoma Holz. This part
shows that the future of building in cities could be wood. The new act in Poland introduced in March 2023 on Housing Cooperatives is also described, which in its
concept is very similar to the previously presented Deliberative Cooperation. To sum up, the SWOT analysis was created, thanks to which the opportunities and threats for the development of Deliberative Cooperation and/or Housing Cooperative were examined.
On the basis of the conclusions from the first part, a design of two variants of multi-family residential buildings in the urban fabric was created, which presents the possibilities that could be achieved by the Deliberative Cooperation or Housing Cooperative. The aim was to simulate what such a building could look like, where it could be located and how it would function, and what it could achieve in terms of architecture and urban planning in the city of Lodz.
Overall target group is everone who looks to buy an appartment with lower price and bigger impact on the building itself, which is these days mostly young people. An objective was to find out if the Deliberative housing cooperative is capable of being a real answer to socio-economic problem for the lack of apartments for young people in the european city centers. It was also important to make the building sustainable and recyclable thus made out of wood.
Key objectives for sustainability
The key objectives of the project were to see if the idea of the sustainable way to finance and build the housing buildings in city center with the Deliberative Housing Cooperatives is possible.
The main idea was that families and individuals can buy apartments that are less expensive as there is no developer that wants to make money on it.
The other idea was to make the buildings out of wood structures, specificaly Moon Wood concept made by for example Thoma Holz from Austria.
Lastly the designs were placed on small forgotten plots in the city center that no developer would make money out of thus they would probably be empty for years to come.
These terms were met by designing two buildings for a housing cooperative, in wooden technology on the small difficult plots in the city center.
The main idea was that families and individuals can buy apartments that are less expensive as there is no developer that wants to make money on it.
The other idea was to make the buildings out of wood structures, specificaly Moon Wood concept made by for example Thoma Holz from Austria.
Lastly the designs were placed on small forgotten plots in the city center that no developer would make money out of thus they would probably be empty for years to come.
These terms were met by designing two buildings for a housing cooperative, in wooden technology on the small difficult plots in the city center.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
The aesthetics quality of experience for people objectives were to make less classic, blocky grey and modernist multi family housing buildings with an architectural detail and function that answers the need of its owners and their
community.
These objectives have been met by designing two variants of a multi family building that answers the need of the housing cooperative as individuals and community by designing individual appartments (each one diffrent and suited for the owner) and the common spaces for all residents to use.
The asthetics use wooden details and brick, both of them being the soul of the Łódź city which is famous for its old brick factories and even older wooden weaver's houses that can still be found on some of the streets. The desing of the facades of the buildings in this way connects with the cultural heritage of the place and its people.
community.
These objectives have been met by designing two variants of a multi family building that answers the need of the housing cooperative as individuals and community by designing individual appartments (each one diffrent and suited for the owner) and the common spaces for all residents to use.
The asthetics use wooden details and brick, both of them being the soul of the Łódź city which is famous for its old brick factories and even older wooden weaver's houses that can still be found on some of the streets. The desing of the facades of the buildings in this way connects with the cultural heritage of the place and its people.
Key objectives for inclusion
The objectives were to make it more affordable for people (mainly young people that still do not own a place to live in) to purchase an appartment in the city on only cheaper as there is no developer but also to make them included in the process of designing a place where they may live a big portion or their whole lives in.
This project can be an example for People and Archtiects that it is possible to design, build and live in a place that a group of people has financed and deliberatively designed together to fit their needs while paying 20-30% less for it compared to buying a ready appartment from a greedy developer that you often anyway have to pay earlier before they build it to be in the queue.
How Citizens benefit
While creating the project I have consulted as many people on tehe topic to gain some information on how would they see themselves participating in a housing cooperative like that. Their impact is immeasurable. Their involment was strictly informative.
Physical or other transformations
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Innovative character
The innovative parts of the projects is the whole Idea of Deliberative Housing Cooperatives that could be one of the an answers to the global housing problem. The other part is of course the use of wood in the design of both variants of the building in the project. The use of wood to make buildings in the cities and its centers has been mainly build with concrete and steel.
The mainstream would be buying ready overpriced apartments from developers made in ceramic/concrete and steel which after 50 of 100 years cannot be recylced and is not as cost effective and healthy for people and enviroment as wood is.
The mainstream would be buying ready overpriced apartments from developers made in ceramic/concrete and steel which after 50 of 100 years cannot be recylced and is not as cost effective and healthy for people and enviroment as wood is.
Disciplines/knowledge reflected
The main disciplines that have reflected in the design are of course the proffesors on the Lodz University of Technology,, mainly Architects and Constructors. Their interaction was through me, the soul creator of the project. They added a value of proffesional knowledge both practical and theoretical.
Methodology used
The methodology and aproach was academic, as the project is an Architectural Masters Degree Diploma. A number of research methods were used to create the work. Analyzed various existing sources on a given topic. Books, scientific articles, Internet articles and one video material available on the Internet were used.
Existing buildings related to the topics discussed in the work were examined using the case study method. A summary based on the collected information was compiled in a SWOT analysis.
Additionaly the Design has been made in 2D, 3D software and with the help of classic hand sketching.
Existing buildings related to the topics discussed in the work were examined using the case study method. A summary based on the collected information was compiled in a SWOT analysis.
Additionaly the Design has been made in 2D, 3D software and with the help of classic hand sketching.
How stakeholders are engaged
I have conducted a conversation with a local mayor of a small town to gain some information from the legislative part of housing cooperatives. She has shed a light on the Act on housing cooperatives that was being made in Polish parlament at the time. The Act was finihed and accepted by the governent just as I was finishing my work on the project so I have added a chapter about. It is very important in the whole work, as it is nicely showing that it Housing Cooperatives can have additional help from the local Governments.
It has been a grat value for the project as it showed that with the help of the local governemnts the Cooperatives could buy the plots from the cities with a reduction of price, possibility of paying in installments and paying with the appartments themselves.
It has been a grat value for the project as it showed that with the help of the local governemnts the Cooperatives could buy the plots from the cities with a reduction of price, possibility of paying in installments and paying with the appartments themselves.
Global challenges
Local communities could form small groups of Housing cooperatives, build their multi-family buildings that they need and thus reduce the problem of housing in the cities. They can take matters in their own hands without waiting for local governments or developers to do it for them, making it more expensive in the process. It is a Global problem, but the local inhabitants of towns and cities could in this way at least partially make the situation better. The cities would also benefit from that as on a small scale some empty plots or abbandoned buildings could be revitalised and thus slowly but surely make the cities fill the gaps and make them more lived in and beautifull, with the ideas and work of the local communities themselves with design from wihtin and not from the outside.
Learning transferred to other parties
The whole idea could be replicated in any European city. The socioeconomic situation in the housing market in Europe is getting worse each year. This could be on of ways to make it more ecomomicaly viable, sustainable and "taylor-made" for not only Young people but all European citizens. It could become a new sector of proffesion for architects, as many firms could focus on Housing Cooperatives only. Lastly City Halls and Local Governments could create these kind of Housing cooperatives with its local communities.
Keywords
Sustainable
Socioeconomic
Cooperative
Housing
City
