Buurtschap fabricage
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
Category
Project Description
Buurtschap fabricage proposes transforming a collection of partially vacant, monofunctional office areas scattered in the Randstad metropolitan area into a network of multifunctional productive campuses. A reinterpretation of modern monasteries, buurtschap fabricage gather people interested in alternative, sustainable and communal ways of living and working.
Geographical Scope
Project Region
Urban or rural issues
Physical or other transformations
Which funds
Year
Description of the project
Summary
Buurtschap fabricage proposes the transformation of a collection of partially vacant, monofunctional office areas scattered in the Randstad metropolitan area into a network of multifunctional productive campuses.
The project is a response to the current housing crisis in the Netherlands, which is limiting the access to housing for many social categories, while offering little space for non standard housing typologies.
Taking into account urgent climatic crises we are currently facing and given the significant influence of the construction industry in the greenhouse gases production, the project also develops ways of reusing existing building stock as a sustainable alternative of providing new housing units.
To propose an alternative model for current urban development, the project searches for inspiration in a long Dutch tradition of seeing work as a collective effort and typologies organically developed for collective housing and community building.
Buurtschap fabricage create a network of 4 productive campuses in former office parks. Each project is designated for a different target group and located in a different city.
The existing office buildings are used in a twofold way. On a basic level they provide an affordable floor area allowing for provision of generous shared spaces. Additionally, their typology provides a starting point and informs the design strategy which aims to overturn existing typological distribution to create a new layout. As a result each project is a combination of existing buildings and new additions. The spatial configuration is then filled with four programmatic layers: housing, workshops, productive landscape and leisure areas. Positioning, accessibility, scale and character of each programmatic area depends on the location of the specific project, in each case however creating an exciting juxtaposition of existing and new; housing and productive areas distributed in a gradient of public, communal and private spaces.
Key objectives for sustainability
The key objective of my concept in terms of environmental sustainability is changing the use of the land. Redevelopment and densification of existing urban areas has a huge environmental benefit in comparison to transforming natural areas for development. Creating a dense, mixed urban fabric within existing city limits saves space for natural areas and reduces need for new infrastructure. Additionally, it helps to reduce necessity for long commutes. Transformation of generic office areas into a place which can spark a sense of belonging will also improve resilience and durability of a neighbourhood.
“Demolition is probably the worst thing you can do in terms of sustainability” (A. Lacaton, J.P. Vassal)
In my concept I reduce the demolition to minimum, which is uncommon in urban densification. Taking advantage of the flexibility of the concrete structure of the majority of generic office buildings can host new housing. Additionally, existing, prefabricated building components are reused in the design of redevelopment. Expansions of the existing structure are realised with biobased or circular materials, with application of wooden structure elements. Using special connection details ensures that new construction is demountable, allowing adaptation of the project as well as reusing building elements in other projects.
The concept of the communal building includes a communal production of green energy, water waste management. Buildings are equipped with solar panels, and small wind turbines. Rain and grey water is reused in the landscape irrigation, organic waste used in compost for fertilising. Applying described solutions on the scale of a community rather than individual household makes integration of them easier and cheaper, therefore more accessible even to lower income populations. Integrating food production covers part of the demand with local produce and at the same time helps to educate about the role of food and its production in the built environment.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
In terms of the aesthetics, the project sets up two main goals. On one hand, it aims to create a strong identity in undervalued locations at the fringes of urban areas, on the other, to architecturally express its sustainable and inclusive ambitions.
To establish a strong sense of place in homogeneous, monofunctional areas, the project is organised with geometrical rules and sets strong limits, allowing residents to take ownership of created space. In this sense, the initial decision about the project location becomes an aesthetic approach: instead of focusing on the spectacular, the project aims to search for beauty and create it in places which are not obvious, but which are everyday working environments for many. To enhance the identity of the area and stress the importance of inclusive communities, special focus is paid to shape spaces for communal activities. These rooms are formal exceptions in otherwise restrained language of the project. Located both indoors and outdoors they vary in functions: a communal living room, gym, vegetable garden, patio etc. They assume various forms, loosely inspired by their purpose, in every case offering generous scale and proportions.
Facades of preserved buildings, often symmetrical, stone clad and corporate in style, are exposed and contrasted with new additions, lightweight and unassuming structures. The rational, new additions, at times appear hightech, and have almost selfmade character at others. Additionally, transforming the pastoral landscape of cosy features and parking into a productive one, creates a completely new setting for the buildings and generates a strong visual effect. Energy producing elements, such as solar panels are playfully exposed on the facade of new buildings, stressing the environmental ambition.
By shifting the aesthetic focus to sustainability and inclusion in creating everyday environments, the project aims to contribute to the general architectural discussion of our time.
Key objectives for inclusion
Main goals of the project in terms of inclusion can be described in two parts: creating a resilient and diverse community within the transformed neighbourhood and establishing a productive relation with its surroundings.
Creation of a strong community starts with participative design process. During a series of workshops the future residents define the scope of the collective program, decide about energy production and productive landscape. Built space is designed to support that idea by being composed with individual housing units gathered around a collective living room, which in turn borders a larger collective space. Creating gradients of publicness and carefully designing transitions, the project offers a place for resilient communities to develop. To address groups which are currently marginalised within the housing market, housing units vary in size and are designed for different target groups: families and singles, starters and elderly. Collective part of the programme includes different productive spaces: workshops, study rooms, studios etc. which allow the residents to develop business ideas or learn skills in a low risk way. With various professionals working in the communal areas it is easy to exchange ideas, learn skills and build a professional network. Sharing various spaces and amenities, related both to housing and productive areas, make the project more affordable for the residents, while offering opportunities which no commercial development is offering.
Transformation projects are located outside of the city centres, in the areas dominated by production facilities or office complexes, often bordering low income neighbourhoods. Placing publically accessible programmes, like workshops and small shops, on the ground floor creates relation with project surroundings. Residents can use this space to provide services and sell products, while visitors can temporarily rent spaces and tools for smaller projects and initiatives.
Physical or other transformations
Innovative character
As described above the three dimensions of the project are strictly related. The project strives to transform underused urban fringes into homes for resilient communities and this goal can only be achieved with a sustainable and inclusive approach. Architectural design in all its aspects: programmatic decisions, structural solutions and material choices contributes to achieving main goals of the project. Sustainability and inclusion are also translated into a language of architecture, expressing the ambitions of the project. The design focuses on creating generously proportioned spaces for communities and exposing reused, ecological and energy producing materials. As such, the project aims to contribute to broader architectural discussion, advocating for shifting professional focus to everyday architecture and developing the language of architecture which is related to current challenges and contemporary techniques.
This approach can be exemplary because it can contribute to the necessary societal transition of our time. Following the words of former Chief Government Architect, Floris Alkemade, to stop climate change, we need radical changes in our lifestyles, which are scary for many people. It is a crucial role for designers to visualise this change which will allow an open discussion about the future and create enthusiasm for it.
