Notable Features |
|
|
Modular
standardization |
|
Mass
customization of spaces |
|
'Room'
as basic building block |
|
L
shaped wing design |
|
Double
height spaces |
|
Unique
rhythmic pattern |
|
Construction
waste minimization |
Basic
Information |
|
|
Location:
Gifu, Japan |
|
Structure
: Reinforced Concrete |
|
Building Type: 10-Storey Public Housing Reconstruction |
|
Completion:
March 1998 (1994-1998) |
|
Building
Area: 584 m2 |
|
Total
Floor Area: 4,706 m2 |
|
Architect: Kazuyo
Sejima & Associates and Yamasei Sekkei |
Overview |
|
The apartment
building is part of a large scale public housing reconstruction
project located about 15 minutes from Gifu City by car. Four women
architects were selected under the coordination of Japanese
architect Arata Isozaki to execute the projects. This L-shaped Wing
designed by architect Kazuyo Sejima sits on the south-east part of
the site where the idea for the overall layout of
the development was to run the buildings around the perimeter. |
|
|
Site Layout
Plan
|
|
|
|
|
The Sejima
Wing housing units has been designed with a relatively shallow
depth. With such a depth, the ‘room’ becomes the only
basic building block. |
|
|
Standard
Floor Plan:
‘Room’ as basic building block |
|
These
blocks are combined in a variety of ways to produce a
multitude of apartment plans and sections, thus generating
complex elevations. |
|
|
Blocks
combined to create a multitude of apartment plans and sections |
|
Each
unit, consisting a few basic blocks, has provided with a
courtyard-like terrace. The terraces create holes in the
building through which the far side of the building can be
glimpsed, thus reducing the visual impression of massiveness. |
|
|
Terraces
allow glimpse of far side
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Modular
Standardization |
|
The use of
‘room’ as a modular building block is not difficult to
understand in terms of standardization of major building
components in any large scale housing development project. The
basic principle of minimizing construction waste at the design
level is achieved without doubt.
However, standardization of components and units in the design
of high-rise buildings often results in undesirable monolithic
volumes particularly in high density urban development. The
solution to such a problem demonstrates the design
possibilities which seldom surface in our surroundings. In
this housing project, the building form has been twisted to
run around the perimeter of the site, and the resultant form
becomes less massive as in the case of a plain slab. The
monolithic and monotonous characters in modular housing have
been further broken down with various elements. Double-height
spaces and terraces add characters to and punctuate the
elevations in a complex yet rhythmic way. |
|
|
|
Double-height
spaces add characters to both the internal space and rhythmic
elevations |
|
Careful
manipulation of spaces results in a variety of internal
spatial configurations. Monotonous character has been
dissolved and varieties generated while allowing the use of
standardized components. All in all, it is the building form,
internal spatial configurations and facade treatment that
determine the resultant appearance of a modular standardized
building. |
|
Mass
Customization of Spaces |
|
The
generated complex spatial configurations and elevations result
in more complicated design and construction process. Each
floor and each room thus require additional efforts and
attentions from the initial design stages to the management of
construction works. Although repetitious design of units and
buildings has often been argued as a sound practice in terms
of efficiency and economy while generating less construction
waste, it shall not limit the possibilities of how we design
the environment for ourselves the construction possibilities.
Mass customization of spaces and building forms in the context
of standardization and waste management become a new
challenge. New challenges however demand and encourage the
industry’s innovation and ability to move forward.
|
|
|
Mass
customization of spaces generates rhythmic elevations yet
demands new challenges
|
|
Conclusion
|
|
Resulting from the intention of standardization,
modular design however does not
necessarily generate monotonous buildings. It
is illustrated here that standardization allows not only efficient
and economic ways of construction, but also design varieties.
If standardization and modular design is one solution to
the mounting issue of construction waste, design varieties become
the major challenge of tackling the issue. Besides
architect’s imagination and innovative approaches to design,
design varieties however do require additional efforts on
designing every individual "variety". At the construction
side, it demands more sophisticated construction management skills
and practice. It is therefore both the architects and the contractors
responsibilities to take a more proactive and innovative
approach towards such a practice.
|
|
|
|
Reference
|
|
Levene,
Richard and Fernando Marquez Ceilia ed. "Gifu Kitagata
Apartment Building." Miscellany of others’ opinions and
own prejudices about the World, the Devil and Architecture.
ElCroquis 92 (1998): 138-153.
Teramatsu, Yasuhiro ed. JA Yearbook 1998: Competition Results.
Japan: Japan Architect, 1999.
"Gifu Kitagata Apartments Second Phase."
Shinkenchiku:2000 5 (May 2000): 93-109. |
|
All images are cited from
ElCroquis 92.
|
|
|