Modular Interactions
Basic information
Project Title
Full project title
Category
Project Description
In the middle of the agricultural area outside of Vienna, residential blocks are hindered by streets that are overfilled with cars. Containing people from different parts of the world and life, Thürnlhof lacks public space and a sense of community.
As an approach, an app allows the neighborhood to control the development of their surroundings by gaining a voice in deciding the production, positioning, functions and the future of prefabricated modules for social interaction.
Project Region
EU Programme or fund
Description of the project
Summary
North of the Central Cemetery at the outskirts of Vienna, Thürnlhof appears with a high density of big residential compounds with mixed typologies. In the middle of the agricultural area, the only possible connection to the city center is through car.
In the area of Thürnlhof, Simmering there are many oppositions in different levels, that cause problems in everyday life. What do these oppositions mean for a city domain? As long as there are different classes, levels and origins it is impossible to avoid contrasts. These contradictions should be brought in interaction with one and other, and make people look from different points of view to create a social community.
As medium, an app is developed to bring communities around different areas and city parts together. The main aim of this app is for the communities themselves to control the development of their surroundings and functions of the modules, both public and semipublic according to their positioning. One module is 4x4 meter, that is flexible, prefabricated in the area itself, can be added onto and taken apart.
In this project, different phases are analyzed and one scenario is presented.
Key objectives for sustainability
The area is divided by streets that are overfilled with cars, which cause separation between residential blocks. Although the area is surrounded by nature, people do not have the possibility to connect with each other and their surrounding because of the lack of communal areas.
The app allows the citizens to gain environmental awareness by giving them the opportunity to track their daily consumption and activities, but also creates a community by enhancing the feeling of inclusion through letting them be a part of the development of their neighborhood. That way unnecessary building and its impacts are avoided.
Through reusable building elements, that are prefabricated in the area, a fast developing area of the city continues to grow with less waste and more social interactions.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
Every newly added living area is different from one and other, not only through their urban development but also the functions of the centers, which give the districts their unique atmosphere, even though prefabricated modules are used.
As one of the hubs, in the experiment lab, new ideas for modules can be tested. According to usage of the modules, the users get the opportunity to play a role in how a module is designed, how it looks and what other functionalities it can have.
Key objectives for inclusion
The living modules are differentiated according to their context in smaller scale, creating hubs around the district without separation between the individual areas and neighbors:
- Non-flexible living structures strictly define streets and giving direction. The expansion is limited inside the constructive frames of the building.
- Semi-flexible structures allow creation of communal areas. Modules can be added outside the structure. The structure however cannot be changed.
- Flexible structures let the user to create its surroundings and its content. New modules can pop up or change according to public demand. The structure can be changed freely or new structures can be added for further expansion.
Innovative character
Bringing both locally prefabricated, flexible modular structures and technology within reach in a global scale can create communities not only between different cultures but also between people with varying interests. It is to create a common ground that develops together and encourages individuals to follow their likes with a sense of solidarity.
A simple 4x4 module can develop into unimaginable structures by including every citizen in the process.
