Residential Buildings: A Typology 9783035603538, 9783035603286

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Residential Buildings

Graphic Design and Drawings: Sebastian Schaal, Martin Trefon Assistance: Simon Gallner, Leon Schmidt

Translation from German into English: Usch Engelmann, Rotterdam Julian Reisenberger, Weimar (p. 10–25, 28–29, 122–124, 218–219 and 324–325)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data A CIP catalog record for this book has been applied for at the Library of Congress. Bibliographic information published by the German National Library The German National Library lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available on the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de. This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, re-use of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in other ways, and storage in databases. For any kind of use, permission of the copyright owner must be obtained. This publication is also available as an e-book (ISBN PDF 978-3-0356-0353-8, ISBN EPUB 978-3-0356-0357-6) and in a German language edition (ISBN 978-3-0356-0327-9).

© 2015 Birkhäuser Verlag GmbH, Basel P.O. Box 44, 4009 Basel, Switzerland Part of Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston Printed on acid-free paper produced from chlorine-free pulp. TCF ∞

Printed in Germany

ISBN: 978-3-0356-0328-6

987654321 www.birkhauser.com

Günter Pfeifer and Per Brauneck

Residential Buildings A Typology

Birkhäuser Basel

Table of Contents Designing with typologies today

10

I  The Courtyard House

26

Floor plan types

30

Garden courtyard house Group of Houses “Matosinhos”, Eduardo Souto de Moura Brick house, FKL Architects Detached house, Ernst Linsberger Group of houses “Amstelveenseweg”, Claus en Kaan Group of houses “Quinta da Barca”, João Álvaro Rocha Student project, Martin Trefon Residential ensemble, Lang + Schwärzler Detached house “Haus X”, Netzwerkarchitekten Group of houses “Interreg 2”, Motorplan Project “Buchholz Ost”, Atelier 5 Residential house, MADA s.p.a.m. Student project, Oliver Schaper Student project, Hong Viet Duc Project “Brünnen Nord”, Atelier 5 Courtyard house study, Markus Rommel Detached house “Rua do Crasto”, Eduardo Souto de Moura Residential house, Patrick Gartmann Student project, Jan Hendrik Hafke

32 34 36 38 40 41 42 44 46 48 49 50 52 53 54 56 58 60

Shared courtyard house Student project, Daniel Lenz Student project, Alexandra Jagiela Student project, Sandra Dolder Student project, Marco Sedat Student project, Beate Heigel Project “Buchholz”, Rainer Oefelein

62 64 66 68 69 70

L-shaped house Three studio houses, Becher + Rottkamp System houses, G. A. S. Sahner Project, Günter Pfeifer Student project, Leon Schmidt Student project, Sebastian Schaal Student project, Simon Gallner Student project, Martin Trefon Student project, Kamilla Pätzhold Student project, Per Brauneck Student project, Kathrin Ellner

72 74 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83

Group of L-shaped houses Group of houses, Roser-Kuhn Group of houses “Dammstraße”, Roser-Kuhn Student project, Eva Martini

84 86 88

Patio house Detached house “Casa No Litoral Alentejano”, Aires Mateus & Associados Weekend house, Ryue Nishizawa OS House, Nolaster Residences in Minusio, Raffaele Cavadini Detached house, Krischanitz & Frank Student project, Nik Wenzke Student project, Jan Kucera Group of houses “Kleine Rieteiland”, Bosch Architects Apartment house, Ryue Nishizawa Group of houses “Gooimeer”, Neutelings Riedijk Group of houses “Liquid Sky”, Pentaplan

90 92 94 96 98 100 102 104 106 108 110

Atrium-type house Detached house “Machiya”, Kazunari Sakamoto Detached house “FOB Home 1”, FOB Architects Apartment house, Kazunari Sakamoto Student project, Sebastian Schaal Student project, Sebastian Schaal

112 114 116 117 118

II  The Row House

120

Floor plan types

126

Without staircase Group of houses, Roland Schweitzer Student project, Katja Fischer

128 129

Longitudinal staircase Group of houses “Falkenweg”, Johannes Kaufmann Solar houses, Harry Ludszuweit Group of houses “Sackpfeife”, Walter Stamm-Teske Thomas de Beer houses, Neutelings Riedijk Ecumenical residential house, Günter Pfeifer Group of houses “Serrewoningen”, Bedaux de Brouwer Residential area “Pilotengasse”, Herzog & de Meuron Student project, Leon Schmidt Student project, Simon Gallner Student project, Markus Guennigmann Group of houses “Voltstraat”, Rijnvos Voorwinde

130 132 134 136 138 140 142 143 144 145 146

Group of houses “Jagdgasse”, Holzbox ZT Group of houses, Bedaux de Brouwer Group of houses “Quartier Mc Nair”, d-company Project “Wachsendes Haus“, schneider+schumacher Group of houses, baumschlager & eberle Group of houses “De Landtong”, Frits van Dongen 28 apartments, Bosch Haslett “Scheepstimmermanstraat” house, MVRDV

148 150 152 154 156 158 160 162

Transversal staircase Project “Karower Damm”, Rolf Mühlethaler Residential park at Betzenberg, AV 1 Drive-in row houses, Geurst & Schulze

164 166 168

Longitudinal split-level Residential park at Kirchhölzle, Günter Pfeifer Group of houses “Nofels”, baumschlager & eberle LBS “System houses” project, Günter Pfeifer Student project, Sebastian Schaal Student project, Martin Trefon Student project, Catrin Kuchta Schrader

170 172 174 175 176 177

Transversal split-level “Diagoon Houses”, Herman Hertzberger Student project, Per Brauneck Student project, Felix Mantel Student project, Martin Trefon Student project, Jörn Rabach

178 180 181 182 184

Back-to-back Residential complex, Oscar Gil Delgado Ringstraße development, Fink + Jocher Student project, Kai Dibutch Student project, Sabine Svrcina Student project, Kai Dreker Student project, Roland Pier Student project, Duc Tuan Tong Tran Patio houses, Van Sambeek + Van Veen Architecten Group of houses “02 + 14”, Köther & Salman Group of houses, Claus en Kaan 99 patio houses, Atelier Zeinstra van der Pol 44 patio houses, Kees Christiaanse architects and planners

186 188 190 191 192 194 195 196 198 200 202 204

Front-to-back Student project, Eva Zimmermann Student project, Claudia Wall

206 207

Student project, Christoph Winterling

208

Back-to-back, “vis-à-vis” Student project, Gabriele Pinter

210

Two-zone house Group of houses, Herzog + Partner Group of houses “Kranichstein”, Herzog + Partner

212 214

III  The Town House

216

Floor plan types

220

Row “Kölner Brett” housing, b&k+ brandlhuber & kniess Rhine residence, Neff Neumann Architekten 20 apartments, Wiel Arets Architects Luzernerring housing estate, Michael Alder Bülachhof residences, Marc Langenegger Aspholz-Nord residential housing, pool Architekten Aspholz-Süd residential housing, Darlington Meier Architekten Schwarzpark residences, Miller & Maranta Leimbachstrasse multi-storey housing, pool Architekten Gifu Kitagata apartments, Akiko + Hirosi Takahashi workstation Diploma project, Alexander Scholtysek Diploma project, Eva Martini Student project, Florian Götze

222 224 226 228 230 232 236 238 240 244 246 250 252

Twin row IBA twin row, Günter Pfeifer Rotherbaum housing estate, Atelier 5 Holzstraße housing scheme, Herzog + Partner Diploma project, Valeska Bühler

256 258 260 262

Single-aspect row Cité Saint Chaumont housing, Francis Soler Student project, Kathrin Hinkel Student project, Martin Trefon

266 268 270

Perimeter block – continuous Botania complex, Frits van Dongen, de Architekten Cie. Nordlyset residences, C. F. Møller Architects Student project, Angèle Tersluisen Student project, Annika Kingl

274 276 280 282

Perimeter block – perforated Rotterdamer Straße housing complex, Herman Hertzberger Vogelbach housing development, Michael Alder Void/hinged space housing complex, Steven Holl Architects 81 housing units, Philippe Gazeau Student project, Janna Jessen Student project, Valeska Bühler Student project, Philipp Zindel

286 288 290 292 294 298 302

Infill Space Block Hanoi model, C+A Coelacanth and Associates “Urbane Living 1”, abcarius + burns architecture design Kunert town house, Nalbach + Nalbach Tilla Lindig Straub town house, Nalbach + Nalbach Loft house, Buchner Bründler AG 26 housing units, Philippe Gazeau Lychener Straße housing, Walter Nägeli and Sascha Zander Student project, Martin Trefon Student project, Sebastian Schaal

306 308 310 312 314 316 318 320 321

IV  The Freestanding House

322

Floor plan types

326

Semi-detached Parvilla I, Tham & Videgård Hansson Arkitekter House W, Bayer & Strobel Architekten Patchwork house, Pfeifer Roser Kuhn Architekten House of the present, Allmann Sattler Wappner Architekten House C, Per Brauneck Vogelsang farmhouse, AmreinHerzig Architekten Three family house “In der Hub”, Morger & Degelo Architekten Hadersdorf model housing estate 3, Hans Kollhoff Architekten Hadersdorf model housing estate 4, Steidle Architekten Villa Overgooi, Next Architects KBWW house, MVRDV Two houses, Gigon/Guyer Architekten Home for architects and artists, Fuhrimann Hächler Architekten Student project, Christian Weyell

328 330 332 334 336 338 340 342 344 346 350 352 354 356

Communal staircase access Apartment houses, Susenbergstrasse, Gigon/Guyer Architekten Rottmannsboden house, Morger & Degelo Architekten Hagenbuchrain housing development, Bünzli & Courvoisier Architekten

358 360 362

Hegianwandweg housing, EM2N Architekten Lohbach residences, baumschlager & eberle BDZ housing development, pool Architekten “Malzturm“, Hürlimann Areal, Thomas Schregenberger Student project, Björn Schmidt Student project, Angèle Tersluisen Student project, Björn Schmidt Student project, Sebastian Schaal

364 366 368 370 374 376 378 380

Courtyard access Java Island housing, Diener & Diener Architekten Werdwies housing development, Adrian Streich Architekten Student project, Philippa Glaser Student project, Johannes Lahme

382 384 386 388

Hybrid Esplanade housing, Steidle Architekten Student project, Sebastian Schaal Student project, Daniel Dolder Diploma project, Tobias Katz

390 394 396 398

High-rise Chassé Park apartments, Xaveer de Geyter Silverline tower, Claus en Kaan Star House 3, Steidle Architekten De Rokade residential building, Arons en Gelauff Architecten “PopMoma” residential tower, baumschlager & eberle “Moma” residential tower, baumschlager & eberle KNSM apartment tower, Wiel Arets Architects Kanchanjunga tower, Charles Correa Associates Wienerberg apartment high-rise, Delugan Meissl Architects Torre Cuajimalpa residential tower, Meir Lobaton and Kristjan Donaldson

400 402 406 408 410 412 414 416 420 422

Bibliography

426

Illustration credits

430

Designing with typologies today A contemporary study of designing with typologies must begin by asking whether typologies are still relevant for the design of architecture in an age of ever-increasing complexities and requirements. A brief perusal of the challenges facing architecture today reveals that: –– the social context has changed in the wake of the demographic shift and increasing migration; –– legislation is changing more rapidly and becoming more complex (in particular with regard to land development planning, fire prevention, occupational safety – which is increasingly important –, accessibility and non-discriminatory design, energy efficiency and economics); –– the sprawling land use for suburban development and transport infrastructure is creating a new definition of urban density; –– the demands for climate-optimised architecture result in changes to building typologies; –– life-cycle analysis is changing how materials are being used, in turn giving rise to new building types that exploit the intrinsic physical properties of materials in their design. One could reach the conclusion that the solution to all these factors lies in facing a technical challenge rather than a typological one. And indeed, we are seeing a definite trend towards an architecture characterised by technological applications, an architecture that is typologically neutral. In the design of architecture, however, it is still down to the skill and ingenuity of the ­designer to take into account the above aspects. While tools such as “Building Information Modelling” (BIM) offer technocrats a computer-aided means of helping to keep track of everything in one’s brain, analogue methods on their own do not solve the problem, such is the complexity of the interrelationships and interdependencies between the various aspects. Demographic change requires better accessibility and barrier-free design, and increasing migration in society also has both demographic and technical dimensions. Climate protection should concern each and every one of us, but today’s easy answer of wrapping buildings in thick layers of insulation is indicative of the thoughtlessness and indifference with which we approach the subject. It is plain to see that typological approaches are no longer held to be the solution they once were. If we consider the above challenges one by one, it becomes apparent that the sub-aspects are interdependent and act together in unison.

10

Demographics and migration Demographic change will ultimately make it necessary to ensure that all types of buildings – chief among them residential buildings – are accessible to all users. The term “demographic change” is most commonly used to ­describe the ageing of society as a result of increased life expectancy. In a few years’ time, more than a third of the population in Germany will be over 60 years old. At present, however, only one percent of all dwellings in ­Europe are designed to cater for the needs of the elderly.1 A vast market is therefore emerging that is expected to grow tremendously in future. Key aspects include not only the conversion of existing dwellings to remove barriers, a ­process often fraught with difficulties, but also the design of fundamentally modified house types, especially with regard to rooms for personal use and service rooms. The terms “barrier-free design” or “accessible design” also encompass further aspects such as disabled access, and are now generally understood as making the built environment usable by older people as well as for people with disabilities. This entails providing more generously dimensioned space for all access and circulation areas and all areas where people need to move and turn, for example lifts, bathrooms and toilets, in front of and around beds and bedrooms, corridor widths and so on. Along with demographic change, increasing migration is a further reason why variable and functionally-neutral floor plans – floor plans that do not have a hierarchical arrangement of rooms – offer the best approach to ­accommodate a broad range of different needs. In the late 1950s, Alvar ­Aalto 2 promoted the idea of an all-purpose room, which he described as ­being akin to a “market square”: the separate private rooms open directly onto this space, obviating the need for corridors and hallways. However, this imaginary network of paths through the living room to the separate rooms has a detrimental effect on the living quality of the living room. An alternative strategy is the more general idea of not giving rooms a predefined purpose so that, apart from service spaces such as the bathroom and toilet, the rooms are neutral in terms of their use. This approach makes it possible on the one hand to redefine the use of rooms and opens up new options for room combinations, and on the other to create dwellings of different sizes. In today’s information age in which family constellations and living arrangements vary widely – for example patchwork families, shared apartments and residential groups –, the ability to combine rooms in different constellations makes it possible for a dwelling to be made larger or smaller according to changing requirements. To achieve this, however, dwellings need to be

11

Façade of an apartment block, Seoul, South Korea

designed with variable means of access, for example multiple entrances or intermediary interaction spaces, and this can in turn give rise to entirely new patterns of access. It goes without saying that these should be barrier-free and provide disabled access with lifts and correspondingly wide corridors and doorways. In this context, the typology of the maisonette apartment, of split-level arrangements as well as Le Corbusier’s ideal of the plan libre, which is additionally incompatible with climatic requirements, are therefore rendered obsolete. The aspect of migration can be considered similarly. Ever more people all over the world are leaving their homeland for a variety of reasons to live abroad. Migrants bring with them their own language, traditions and culture, and these can also include specific ideas about family structures and authority. The needs and expectations they have of their living environment are not always met by traditional floor plans that are based on patriarchal ideas of living. The solution lies in a differentiated treatment of all para­ meters to accommodate different combinations, including the maisonette and split-level apartment types, so that a wider variety of options are avail­ able to address the diverse interests of different sections of society. Legislation That legislation can also influence the design of typologies may at first seem surprising. While national and state-specific planning regulations are largely constant and do not change dramatically, other legislation such as energy effi­ 12

ciency and fire protection directives seem to change almost annually. The rapid and ongoing development of new building materials and products requires that fire prevention legislation must constantly be re-evaluated. Of all the regulations, however, it is health and safety legislation that has the greatest influence. This includes occupational safety measures, i.e. the means and methods that protect people against injury or health hazards when working. Detailed study reveals that the length and breadth of emergency escape routes is not primarily defined by the stipulations of local building or fire safety regulations, as one might think, but to a greater extent by health and safety legislation. As this is deemed a “human right” in the broad sense of the word, the directives and recommendations of health and safety legis­lation take precedence. In the realm of the private apartment this does not play a role, but in housing and sheltered accommodation for the elderly, and in care homes or nursing homes – all of which are forms of housing – such rules need to be taken into account and examined in detail. These aspects can likewise have a funda­ mental effect on the design of floor plans and floor plan typologies. Land use “Every day some 73 hectares of land in Germany is designated for use as building land or for transport infrastructure. This new functional designation of land – or land consumption for short – amounts to the equivalent of 104 football pitches per day. Although land cannot be ‘consumed’ per se, it is – like the earth – a limited resource that we must learn to use sparingly for it to remain a valuable habitat. Land use is a creeping phenomenon.”3 The consequences include not only an increase in the degree of sealed land surfaces and the resulting ecological impact this has, but also a change in the density patterns of our settlements. If the relative relationship between the areas of technical infrastructure – sewage, transport and utilities – changes, this can have consequences for the viability of public transport methods. For example, if public transport declines, private motorised transport will ­increase, in turn increasing the load placed on traffic infrastructure. The growing acceptance of urban living translates into increased density in building. At the same time, reduced land use should also be the aim to build compact building structures in rural areas. More recently, various municipalities have begun to redevelop wasteland sites and vacant lots as well as to address the problem of empty and underused premises and housing. The increasing demand for different kinds of housing has given rise to hybrid housing variants, varying from community-oriented housing to secluded private lofts with their own private sheltered outdoor areas. 13

Paul-Clairmont-Strasse multi-storey housing, Zurich, Switzerland, Gmür & Steib Architekten 14

Weekend house, Tokyo, Japan, Ryue Nishizawa

Climate-optimised architecture Local, indigenous forms of architecture have for many centuries always been self-regulating. The knowledge and experience of such buildings was passed down from generation to generation and successively improved. The architecture is a product of its environment. It incorporates the physis of the place and exploits the limited possibilities of the available materials. The complex timber construction of the Black Forest House with its different kinds of hipped roofs is still able to withstand hurricane force 12 winds. The partitioning of the building into different sections arose in response to local farming methods and climate. In winter the cattle were kept in the building and, through careful zoning, provided the building with a basic level of warmth. Likewise, the smoke from the wood-burning stove was used to conserve foodstuffs. Similar structural arrangements can be seen in Japanese houses where the engawa – the wooden balcony – serves as a climatic buffer zone. The t­ atami mats on the floor not only reduce the sound of footfalls, they also help balance moisture levels through vapour absorption and diffusion, as does the permeable paper material of the sliding Sho- ji screens. The strange geometry of the Toraja houses in Sulawesi, Indonesia, with their thick rice roofs, was 15

devised to maximise adiabatic cooling. All these details have been perfected in a slow process of continual improvement. The strategy of incorporating thermal masses, zoning and adiabatic cooling in houses in arid climates can likewise only be explained through evaluation. Although based on another principle of indoor comfort, which has changed radically since, its structural particularities and properties can be transformed to meet changing requirements. From the beginning of the 19th century onwards, however, the principle of architectural evaluation and gradual improvement was relinquished in f­ avour of new developments made possible by ever newer technical and technolo­ gical innovations. With each new advancement came a new means of building practice, upon which the next advancement was based and its new way of building. Today, houses are not only supposed to meet their own energy requirements but also to generate additional “(sur)plus energy”. Such initiatives neither build on the building’s innate structural properties, nor do they lead to an improvement of the building typology. Architects have, it seems, become blinded by the lure of technical innovation. The advancement of building technology in the 20th century has led to the development of buildings with either too large glazed surfaces or too small

Interior courtyard of a Hutong house, Beijing, China 16

windows. Problems that are of a climatic and – because ultimately insepar­ ably connected – typological nature have almost always been solved using technology and only rarely by architectonic means. The application of technical solutions such as solar panels or photovoltaic systems sidesteps other potential solutions and therefore does little or nothing to enrich the typo­logy of the building’s design. The building envelope has become ever more airtight without taking into account the osmosis-like possibilities of material permeability and diffusion between inside and outside. At the turn of the 21st century, growing concern about the energy consumption of fossil fuels was fashioned into an energy saving ordinance (EnEV). This directive, which has been adopted in a more or less similar form by most other states in the European Union, is based on the principle of minimising energy losses. Buildings are therefore superinsulated and made as airtight as possible. Solar collectors, photovoltaic systems, wind energy turbines, combined heat and power plants, geothermal ground collectors and thermo-active building components can be implemented in or attached to any kind of building. The potential energy gains achieved by trapping warmth from the sun are not part of the German and European energy saving ordinance. The main reason for this is that the DIN 18599 norm, on which the energy saving ­ordinance is based, still contains the following passage: “Ventilation and air handling systems with external air intake from a double glass façade or a sunspace (e.g. a conservatory or atrium) cannot at present be calculated ­using the methods described in DIN V 18599-2, DIN V 18599-3 and DIN V 18599-7.” To date, the legislation has not been re-evaluated, although with the help of thermodynamic simulations, this omission could have been remedied long ago. The upshot is the neglect of the typological orientation of floor plans to maximise solar gain. The argument that windows also permit solar gain is not sufficient because these too are obliged to provide maximum thermal in­ sulation. But when the walls, roof and windows are used as solar collecting ­elements, and are constructed accordingly, this necessitates a different ­design strategy. If one transforms the structures of indigenous architecture, one learns that the properties that make them sustainable are i­ nterdependent. “Collect”, “distribute”, “store”, “dissipate” and “protect” are five ­functions 17

Dymaxion House, Richard Buckminster Fuller

of traditional architecture that can and should be applied to modern building constructions. The orientation of a building in the context of its terrain, the zoning of its interior, the position of thermal retention elements (­whether physical elements of the construction or volumes within), the inner thermal cycles that results from the connections between spaces – all these are factors of the building type. ­ esign The implications of the distribution of warmth in a house for its spatial d can be elaborated in its typological design. The notion of energy zones refers to rooms that are warm or cold – rooms that produce energy, like ­energy gardens, and rooms that distribute energy, like atria. And these must be incorporated into the system of interdependencies that constitute the house, both with regard to their spatial presence and role as well as their energy-­ related properties. Seen from this perspective, Le Corbusier’s ideal of the plan libre must be regarded as obsolete. The correct relationship between space and thermal mass – part of the building’s very construction – is, from an energy-related and typological viewpoint, more important than the principle of open, flowing space. Sustainability – life cycles and materials The ongoing debate about “sustainability” in building is first and foremost a technological discussion focussed almost exclusively on energy efficiency. 18

But the spectrum of ecological building approaches also encompasses other aspects such as the sustainable use of resources. Sustainability has still not become an integral part of modern-day architectural practice and is also not inherently a part of architecture. The ecological use and handling of raw ­materials, the later re-purposing of building structures and the consideration of life cycles in the use and processing of building materials already provide a strong foundation for effecting a sustainable approach to architec­tural ­practice. This life-cycle-oriented viewpoint is still not considered in all parts of the plan­ning process. We have long known that building constructions comprise building parts and elements that have different lifespans, which must therefore be intelligently connected to and be compatible with one another. Building structures that may last several hundred years will be combined with technical installations that may last a few decades at the most. Sustain­ability needs to take into account the interdependent connection of all these elements. Likewise, a building must be evaluated in all relevant phases: in the planning phase, during construction, operation and demolition or disassembly. Of particular importance are the aspects of climate-optimised design and indoor comfort – i.e. thermal, acoustic and visual well-being – as mandatory planning parameters. Aspects such as the need for a building to be completely dismantled and recycled at the end of its lifetime determine the choice of materials and construction from the outset and in turn influence the typological design of the building. What is typology? All of the above give new impetus to the importance of a typologically oriented approach and working method. Typological approaches are much more than the categorisation of certain types of manifestations. The type is not invented, not designed, not developed. The type emerges, grows, culminates, decays, flattens. Types are ‘organically’ concrete. These terms might seem diffuse, might lead in the wrong direction; but they accur­ ately highlight the difference between type and an objective prototype.4 The encyclopaedia5 tells us that the term “type” derives from the Greek word “typos”, meaning imprint, and originally denoted the imprint on a coin. Later, the term stood for archetype, antetype, pattern or figure; in fact it ­referred to both the real figure as well as that of archetypes or ideas existing in the spiritual world. In typological science, the term typology can be 19

understood as a term purely used to classify individuals within a group – as for ­example in zoology or botany – or on the contrary as a term for an ideal. Hereby, a distinction is most often drawn between the most frequent average type of one group of items or persons and the ideal type. Since the ancient world, philosophy has understood the idea of type in the sense of a generally characteristic archetypal figure underlying an individual element: Plato understood it as an idea, Aristotle as a shape, and in the Middle Ages it was considered a being. Typology as the science of type therefore is a scien­tific description and a classification of a field of items into groups of unit­ary complexes of characteristics. In his essay “On Typology”6 Rafael Moneo gives an overview of research into typology in architecture. For Moneo, the question of typology shakes the foundations of architecture. The concept of the archetype defines the current architectural object in relation to its origin. Insofar, typology theory is a theory of the essentials, of the beginnings of architecture. On the one hand, the architectural object forms a self-contained unit that is unique and not further reducible; on the other hand, it can be seen as “one among many”, building on a few repeating, in principle equal elements. The process that produces architecture is originally based on repeatability, just like any other technical process. Furthermore, our entire way of thinking and

Houses in Xidi, China 20

seeing is controlled by typological perception patterns that are based on re­ petitions. Our language is also structured in such a way that it sorts com­ parable ­objects into groups and systematises them. Ultimately, the entire ­human structure of perception is based “a priori” on typologies. A type belongs to a group of objects of the same formal structure. To differentiate between types means to sort individual elements of the same structure into a certain group. Objects, or in this case buildings, relate to one another through the fundamental formal qualities that they share. In this sense, type equates to the inner formal structure of a building. This sorting process, which at the same time is a thought process, operates at different levels with different degrees of accuracy. Uniqueness originates from the countless possibilities to create relationships between individual typological elements. By using this linking process, architecture is created in the same way as it is perceived. The result is a direct inner connection between man and object. At the beginning of the typological examination stands the desire to sim­ plify, reducing shapes to their basic geometries. However, typology relates to much more than the reduction of formal geometries. The spectrum of typological examination ranges from construction details to socio-political interrelations. Typological order, therefore, is not a singular phenomenon, but rather it characterises the manifold forms of appearance of the built environment. The complex interrelations between individual elements are re-mater­ ialised depending on the respective context. This is becoming increasingly appa­rent in the question of how we wish to approach the climate-optimised design of architecture in future. The type is not a device to justify mechanical repetition. Rather, typological approaches form the framework for a dialectic discourse within the history of construction, which generates the “new“ by transforming and transfiguring the “old”. The process of the transformation of a type is the result of changing user requirements, leaps in scale, overlap of different types, a modified context or other mechanisms. Typology is the basis of all communication For Alan Harold Colquhoun,7 typology is the basis of all communication. Under­standing and speaking are always founded on existing patterns. The ordering of perceptions according to particular recurring characteristics and principles is an important aspect of human cognition. The ability to derive rules and to systematise according to particular patterns are principles on 21

Row of houses in Évora-Malagueira, Portugal

“Schniederlihof” Black Forest farmhouse in Oberried, Germany

22

which human perception and communication are based. Our memories help us understand the world around us. If typologies are understood as such ­patterns, they imply certain meanings that are intuitively understood by the observer. Architects work with these meanings. They create shapes – shapes that trigger collective memories – to form a complex statement and, by doing so, ­embed their architecture within a certain ideological background. Addressing these patterns generates moments of identification between man and location, and man and object, respectively. According to this approach, the creation of architecture itself implies typological ideas. To create architecture is to communicate meaning through typology. Therefore, architecture as a discipline of conventions always relates to its own history and to existing patterns. And that is why the past is indispensable. Outlook Future building structures will be able to offer this kind of interconnectedness. Living spaces will form a spatial network arranged in small and large units of different density. Figures (positive volumes) create grounds (negative volumes) which can serve as open spaces or spaces for interaction. This spatial network refers not only to how living areas are used but also to how circulation spaces and energy gardens (winter gardens) are used, which should be understood as volumes that are part of the passive energy gain system and also serve as spaces for interaction. The different levels and volumes of a building produce spaces of varying priv­ acy and openness, some of which can be utilised at the users’ discretion, and some of which are fixed. This system can accommodate both self-contained flats as well as an open weave of spaces for interaction and private spaces of different size and zoning density. The size of the overall building structure is designed to accommodate changing group sizes with different needs and orientations – socially, culturally and sociologically. The particular typological characteristics and dependencies of the location create identific­ ation and continuity. Climate-optimised building structures have as yet had little impact on building typologies. Here too it will be necessary to generate new types that ­derive from an evaluation and corresponding transformation of indigenous building structures. Although a wide range of different building materials is available in most regions in the world, microclimatic conditions can only be 23

Kanchanjunga Apartments, Mumbai, India, Charles Correa 24

resolved using different ways and means at a regional level. Designing with typologies today will therefore need to concentrate more strongly on their ongoing development and transformation in order to address the chal­lenges of the future using architectonic means. 1 http://www.wobimmo.com/assets/age-pyramid.png 2 Heckmann, Oliver; Schneider, Friederike (Eds.): Floor Plan Manual: Housing. 4th edition; Basel: Birkhäuser 2012, p. 34 3 http://www.bmub.bund.de/themen/strategien-bilanzen-gesetze/nachhaltigeentwicklung/­strategie-und-umsetzung/reduzierung-des-flaechenverbrauchs/ 4 Teut, Anna: “Von Typen und Normen, Maßreglern und Maßregelungen” (Of Types and Standards, Rules and Regulations), in: Architektur und technisches Denken, Daidalos no. 18, December 15, 1985, p. 53 5 Meyers Enzyklopädisches Lexikon in 25 Bänden. 19th edition; Mannheim: Bibliographi­ sches Institut 1979 6 Moneo, Rafael: “On Typology”, in: Oppositions, 1978, No. 134, pp. 23–45 7 Colquhoun, Alan Harold; Frampton, Kenneth: Essays in Architectural Criticism. Modern Architecture and Historical Change. Cambridge (MA): MIT Press 1985. Colquhoun, Alan Harold: ­Modernity and the Classical Tradition. Architectural Essays 1980–1987. Cambridge (MA): MIT Press 1989

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I  The Courtyard House

The typology of the courtyard house is far less common in Central Europe than it was in the past prior to the industrial revolution. In rural areas, the German Hofreite, a house type that combined living and working under one roof, was particularly common. The farmhouse faced the street and featured a large entrance passage on the ground floor that led through to the courtyard. Flanking the courtyard was usually a barn, a stable and sometimes a servant’s house. The courtyards could be cramped or quite large depending on the wealth of the owner. Within the medieval city walls, such properties were arranged cheek by jowl on fairly small plots, resulting in a very homo­ genous streetscape with clearly segregated public and private outdoor areas, picturesque lanes and intimate squares. Living ideals have since changed and today the freestanding house is the preferred variant as it caters for a widespread desire for privacy and auto­ nomy. In the context of this trend, the courtyard house, with its inherently ­introverted arrangement, could experience a renaissance. The courtyard as the central element is a secluded and private outdoor space that also provides daylight and ventilation. As such, the courtyard type has the potential to solve many of today’s housing problems. To begin with, this type facilitates a high degree of urban density since it can be linked to other units on three sides. This in turn reduces the surface area of the house considerably, resulting in significant energy savings. The courtyard can also double as an “energy garden” by combining glazed frontages with thermal retention walls to absorb incident solar energy, thereby realising energy gains and creating transparent living spaces. The ability to extend this house type on three sides also makes it possible to link several units together so that larger or smaller units can be created with minimal need for construction works. The only main prerequisite is that the floor plan arrangement must provide for such changes at a later date, for ­example by making it possible to connect or partition several rooms by either adding a doorway or closing off a corridor. This degree of flexibility entails turning away from the ideal of a self-contained dwelling in favour of open dwelling configurations that are no longer focussed on land and property. In this context, current legislation needs to be reassessed since existing building regulations as well as land ownership structures with title registrations often hinder building across more than one

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lot. Technical solutions for fire prevention and billing of energy consumption have long been available. A key design factor is the proper proportion and orientation of the courtyard. Since this typological element may be the only source of daylight in ­extreme cases, it is crucial to ensure that sufficient daylight enters the building, particularly in the case of multi-storey structures. This can be achieved by calculating the angle of incidence of sunlight for all the seasons. Given the different angles of incidence in the morning, at noon and in the evening, a rectangular-shaped courtyard with an east-west longitudinal axis has ­proven to be advantageous. In addition, the orientation and building heights within the urban context also need to be taken into account. The intimate character of the courtyards can be strengthened to match the growing demand for privacy. For example, the ability to link more than one courtyard makes it possible to differentiate between courtyard zones for providing daylight, for recreation with green areas, for energy gain and for access, each affording different degrees of openness. Given the numerous qualities of this housing type, it would seem that the courtyard represents an extremely viable model for future applications.

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Floor plan types The different possibilities for arranging floor plans within the courtyard house type are primarily determined by the position and the proportion of the courtyard. As it is the determining factor for exposure to daylight of the rooms within the house, all other parameters such as access, zoning of the floor plan and orientation play a subordinate role.

Garden courtyard house This house type is organised around an enclosed garden courtyard. Due to its enclosure on four sides, the open space has a very intimate character. As this house type can be attached to neighbouring units on three sides it is ideally suited for dense urban housing development structures.

Shared courtyard house The shared courtyard house consists of several building volumes which, due to their specific arrangement, create a courtyard. Historically, the shared courtyard house type has its origins in farms located in a municipal area enclosed by city walls. These farms used to accommodate a stable, barn, servants’ and main house on a confined lot.

L-shaped house The L-shaped floor plan offers maximum daylight exposure and economical use of space. However, the organisation of the floor plan proves difficult when options for attaching neighbouring units are to be provided on several sides of the house.

Groupe of L-shaped houses A group of L-shaped houses illustrates the potential of the L-shaped house type within a housing development structure. Intelligent floor plan zoning in terms of orientation and staggering of levels can create very efficient housing development structures. 30

Patio house The patio house type utilises several small courtyards cut out of the building volume to naturally light the floor space with the additional benefit of creating interesting spatial relationships. Individual patios can be arranged on different levels. In combination with courtyards, this allows for highly versatile floor plans.

Atrium-type house The atrium-type house is derived from the dwelling type of the classical Greek and Roman antiquity. Contrary to the patio house in which one or more courtyards can be arranged in different locations within the floor plan, the courtyard of the atrium-type house is the spatial centre of the house. The inner courtyard also serves as a circulation zone, recreational space and access zone to adjacent rooms

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Garden courtyard house Single storey North-south orientation This large lot is completely enclosed by exterior walls. Three differently sized courtyards structure the generous floor plan. The entry yard to the north provides access to the house and a small studio apartment, which can also be accessed via the garage. The personal rooms face south and adjoin an inner courtyard allowing a discrete access to the circulation area and the living room only. Living room, dining area and kitchen are oriented towards the large courtyard, which is closed-off towards the south. Cloakroom and guest toilet are accommodated within the generously dimensioned circulation areas of this house type. Spaces merge on one level; different floor or ceiling heights are not to be found within the house. The large south-facing courtyard features a swimming pool. Secondary rooms for the swimming pool form the exterior wall on the south side. The different proportions of the rooms and courtyards, which provide the overall building with a rhythmic and intriguing structure, should be noted.

Group of houses "Matosinhos" Matosinhos, 1999 Eduardo Souto de Moura Ground floor 32

Cross section

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Garden courtyard house Single storey East-west orientation This linear courtyard house with an overall length of 38 metre and a 14 metre long corridor is exemplary for the effectiveness of differently shaped courtyards to solve unfavourable contextual situations. Internally, the elongated spatial arrangement combined with staggered levels and daylight from above creates an exciting spatial continuum. The house is accessed from the west via a front garden and a generous vestibule providing views into the oblong inner courtyard to the north. A sky-lit corridor leads to the dining and living area which opens up towards the enclosed courtyard on the east side of the lot. The kitchen adjoins the long north courtyard and receives additional daylight through a skylight. The two large personal rooms share one bathroom. A second bathroom in the entrance area offers a flexible use of the structure.

Brick House Dublin, 2003 FKL Architects Ground floor 34

Top view of the roof

Cross section

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Garden courtyard house Single storey North-south orientation This two-courtyard house is accessed from the west via a narrow corridor that opens up towards the inner courtyard and the dining area. The courtyard provides natural light for the two personal rooms, the dining area and the kitchen. Another large east-facing courtyard, enclosed by walls on all sides, affords air and light for the living room

Cross section

and the master bedroom. The personal rooms near the entrance divide this house type into an active and a passive zone. There is only one bathroom located near the entrance. Additional access to the spacious courtyard is accomplished by a small change of level on the ground level. The partial basement can be accessed from the inner courtyard via an exterior staircase. This house type can be arranged with either a west or south orientation. Due to the simplicity of the floor plan,

Top view of the roof

construction costs can be expected to be low.

Detached house Krems, 1998 Ernst Linsberger Ground floor 36

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Garden courtyard house Single storey North-south orientation This courtyard house type is an example of an economic layout and daylighting of a simple, single-storey residential building with an inner courtyard. The entrance’s location in a deep recess enables separate access to the four personal rooms along a hallway. Two personal rooms are oriented towards the exterior, two towards the inner courtyard, which also provides daylight for the dining area and the open kitchenette. The room connecting the exterior with the kitchen can be used as a secondary or storage room and replaces the basement. The large living room with its pronounced longitudinal orientation opens up widely towards the exterior; however, towards the inner courtyard it opens only at the end of the room. The spatial arrangement and the unusual layout of this room make for differentiated options of use beyond that of a living room; it could also be used as a work space, for example. This house type can be oriented south or north.

Group of houses "Amstelveenseweg" Amsterdam, 1998 Claus en Kaan 38

Longitudinal section

Top view of the roof

Ground floor 39

Garden courtyard house Single storey North-south orientation These very generously dimensioned

Cross section

courtyard houses are lined up at the entrance to a residential development. The strictly south-facing houses are encompassed by a quarry stone wall featuring only one opening on the north side for access. This wall runs along the entire length of the house and leads to a double garage, which defines the entrance located next to a courtyard on the west side. The entrance leads directly into the kitchen area; there is no air trap or hallway. Four personal rooms, arranged along a continuous hallway, can be accessed from here. The closed-off side of the hallway comprises built-in cupboards along the length of the house, which receive daylight through accompanying skylights that make for an expressive light. The rooms are complemented by three bathrooms with bathtub and toilet. All rooms feature storey-high and lintel-free continuous sliding glass walls opening up to the inner courtyard that features a swimming pool surrounded by a green lawn.

Group of houses "Quinta da Barca" Casa da Marina, 1997 João Álvaro Rocha Ground floor 40

Garden courtyard house Single storey East-west orientation The floor plan of this single storey shared courtyard house type is perforated by four courtyards. The entry yard provides direct access to the openplan living room, which features niches serving as secondary rooms. Personal rooms are positioned on the long side of the space. For better daylighting Longitudinal section

they are arranged six steps higher than the living room. Bathrooms are located adjacent to the personal rooms. They are organised on the axis of the small patios providing daylight and ventilation. A large courtyard is to be found at the end of the elongated living room. This house type can be attached to other units on all sides and linked to them. An east-west orientation offers the best daylight conditions for this type of house. The large roof area is ideally suited for installation of com-

Top view of the roof

ponents for active energy gain.

Student project Darmstadt University Martin Trefon Ground floor 41

Garden courtyard house Two storeys North-south orientation This courtyard house type comprises four housing units, accessed and receiving daylight via two inner courtyards. A zone allocated to the front of the ground level provides access to two three-bedroom apartments of equal size on the ground floor. The first floor with two more three-bedroom apartments is accessed from the front area via a freestanding landing staircase. On the ground floor, the living rooms face south and are oriented towards the courtyard. A single-flight staircase connects the personal rooms on the first floor and on the opposite side of the courtyard. This configuration creates an intimate courtyard situation. Due to

Upper floor

the mono-pitch roof it receives ample daylight. However, the south part of the first floor with its south-facing roof terrace compromises the courtyard of the flat below.

Residential ensemble Bregenz, 1998 Lang + Schwärzler Ground floor 42

Longitudinal section

43

Garden courtyard house Two storeys North-south orientation The floor plans of the two levels of this house type have a different orientation: the personal rooms on the first floor are oriented towards the outside whereas the rooms on the ground floor are almost exclusively oriented towards the courtyard providing daylight. The "ambiguity" – an introverted orientation on the ground floor versus an extroverted one on the first floor – constitutes the main characteristic of this house type. On the ground floor, the kitchen and dining area, office and living room are all grouped around the central courtyard. Secondary rooms, necessary because the house does not feature a basement, form a buffer zone towards

Upper floor

the street space. On the first floor, all rooms are accessed via the hallway adjoining the courtyard. A façade made of vertical, regularly spaced wooden posts makes for a homogenous enclosure and at the same time allows views to the inside. Thus, the concept of "ambiguity" is carried on in the façade.

Detached house "Haus X" Nuremberg, 2005 Netzwerkarchitekten Ground floor 44

Longitudinal section

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Garden courtyard house Two storeys East-west orientation The elongated building volume resembles a row house and is arranged around two courtyards. A garage and the entrance to the courtyard are to be found on the east side of the groundfloor. An exterior staircase leads to a studio facing east on the first floor. The entry yard also provides access to the main building, which on the ground floor features a dining area with an open kitchen and a personal room with bathroom. The west-facing exterior space is completely enclosed by a wall and makes for another courtyard. A staircase along the longitudinal axis of the house leads to the first floor with two personal rooms and a toilet. This area opens up towards the ground floor by a double-height sky-lit space. The living/play room is designed as an open gallery and can be linked to the entry yard on the east side. A staircase in transversal direction provides access to the second floor which serves as an open multi-purpose living or work space with an east-west orientation. The specific arrangement of the rooms in this house allows for various forms of living.

Group of houses "Interreg 2" Luxemburg, 2001 Motorplan 46

Longitudinal section

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor

Ground floor 47

Garden courtyard house Two storeys East-west orientation This generously dimensioned garden

Longitudinal section

courtyard house consistently separates personal spaces from common living areas. The open plan living area is located on the ground floor and a garage is integrated into the house. A hallway with a staircase leads up to the first floor, a kitchen with dining area and the living room with access to the terrace are also to be found on the ground floor. The first floor accommodates three adequately sized and well-proportioned personal rooms and a bath-

Top view of the roof

room that receives natural light. The two courtyards are enclosed by storeyhigh walls and can be attached to neighbouring units on all sides, offering a particularly dense housing development structure. During summer, the inner courtyard serves as a green room. The small entry yard allows for an orientation towards two private exterior spaces; small balconies on the first

Upper floor

floor complement the range of exterior spaces. In principle, this house type can be expanded. However, the east-west orientation should be maintained.

Project "Buchholz Ost" Berlin, 1999 Atelier 5 Ground floor 48

Garden courtyard house Two storeys North-south orientation Longitudinal section

This two-storey courtyard house is accessed from the east via a wide pathway, which on the north side is enclosed completely by a single-storey wall. This pathway leads to a narrow light shaft on the west side of the house. The large yard facing southeast provides light for the living rooms on the ground floor. A continuous wall separates the personal rooms, which receive daylight via the narrow pathway between the property line and the exterior wall. On the upper floor, windows open up in all directions. A balcony in front of the east façade complements the choice of exterior space on this level.

Upper floor

The two enclosed exterior spaces on the north and west side can, typologically, be considered as courtyards. On a very small footprint, they offer the opportunity to link to other units. This allows for very dense settlements.

Residential house Lantian Xian, 2003 MADA s.p.a.m. Ground floor 49

Garden courtyard house Two storeys East-west orientation This complex courtyard house can either be divided into three units or, with minor changes, modified into a large single-family house. The reason for this flexibility is the arrangement of the courtyards and the two-sided access. The open courtyards can be completely or partially closed off with tilt doors. Thus, the house type can serve various uses and can adapt to different contexts. The ground floor encompasses three entrances. One flat can be accessed from the east via the kitchen and dining area. The staircase leads up to the first floor where two personal rooms are located. They are accessed via a corridor running alongside the courtyard and featuring an open work area. Right next to the staircase, a simple door opening could extend the flat

Upper floor

to include two more rooms. The large area on the ground floor can be used ad libitum, possibly as a work area. The staircase on the west side serves as a separate access to the small flat on the upper floor or to facilitate an extension of the ground floor flat.

Student project Darmstadt University Oliver Schaper Ground floor 50

Longitudinal section

51

Garden courtyard house Two storeys East-west orientation Cross section

The rooms of this small house type are grouped around two small courtyards. Three staircases provide access to the upper level; even though this seems elaborate, it offers a highly flexible use of space. On the ground floor there is a covered area that can serve as a parking space. From here, one enters an enclosed entrance area oriented towards the courtyard. This space simultaneously serves as an access area and a work or living space. There are two personal rooms on the ground floor, each oriented towards a different courtyard. A staircase connects these rooms with another personal room on the first floor. In principle, this house type offers flexible uses: the organisation of

Upper floor

the building around two courtyards allows it to be oriented in any direction, the dimensions are variable, and the number of staircases can be reduced.

Student project Darmstadt University Hong Viet Duc Ground floor 52

Garden courtyard house Three storeys North-south orientation This three-storey apartment building Longitudinal section

is a U-shaped open courtyard house with terraces stacked on top of each other. Typologically, the terraces are the most characteristic feature. Together with the elongated exterior staircase in the centre of the layout, they simultaneously serve as access landings and as secluded open spaces. The terraces are part of a complex urban structure and also provide common spaces for recreation. Each flat adjoins one of the terraces. The long living and dining area with kitchen opens up towards the access terrace. The hallway space is kept to a minimum. This house type is an effective urban module as its dimensions can be adjusted to local require-

1st upper floor

ments. An east-west orientation with the courtyard facing west works best. Due to the alleyway, public access to other units can be realised on the ground floor. This allows for various configurations and a lively housing development structure.

Project "Brünnen Nord" Bern, 1992 Atelier 5 Ground floor 53

Garden courtyard house Three storeys East-west orientation Typologically, this courtyard house consisting of two separate building volumes would be assigned to the row house type if the courtyard were not used by two parties. The communal character of the courtyard is reinforced by the location of the access level within the building volume on the east side. The building volume on the west side is accessed via a landing staircase that runs in cross direction of the house and follows the offset in the terrain. This arrangement makes for a spatial quality, at least on the ground floor. The upper floors feature narrow east and west-facing balconies. The dimensions of the courtyard can be varied. The east-west orientation of the two building volumes is mandatory as it results in a courtyard receiving south light. This house type can also be realised with two equal building volumes.

Courtyard house study Treves, 2004 Markus Rommel 54

Longitudinal section

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor

Ground floor 55

Garden courtyard house Three storeys North-south orientation Due to its enclosed garden, this house type is not classified as a row house, but was assigned to the courtyard house typology. The layout of the access is the dominant feature of this house. As a result of the hillside topography of the lot, the entrance level with a parking space and secondary rooms is located on the basement level. The living spaces with kitchen, dining area and office are on the garden level. On the first floor, all bedrooms are oriented towards the outside; however, some secondary rooms (bathroom and dressing room) do not receive daylight due to the depth of the house. The generous staircase located next to the entrance impedes the arrangement of an additional room on the north side of the top floor. If the staircase were to be situated differently, the organisation of the upper floor could be optimised.

Detached house "Rua do Crasto" Foz, 2001 Souto de Moura 56

Longitudinal section

Upper floor

Ground floor

Basement 57

Garden courtyard house Three storeys North-south orientation The three-storey garden courtyard house is defined by the extreme slope of the property. One enters the house via a semi-enclosed courtyard on the second floor. The entrance level com prises a separate personal room with bathroom as well as a generously dimensioned work and living area opening up towards the courtyard and the outside. From here, a single-flight staircase – skilfully arranged from a dramaturgical point of view – leads via the first floor to the large kitchen and dining area on the ground floor. Secondary rooms, which are necessary since the house does not comprise a basement, are also located on this floor. The three levels are connected by an exterior stairway on

1st upper floor

the east side of the house. A separate flat facing east is accessed via a small bridge.

Residential house Chur, 2003 Patrick Gartmann Ground floor 58

Longitudinal section

2nd upper floor 59

Garden courtyard house Three storeys North-south orientation This small three-storey garden courtyard house features a staircase providing access to split levels. The special feature of this house is a sunken courtyard half a storey below ground level. The kitchen, dining area and living room are oriented to this courtyard. A staircase connects the sunken courtyard with the exterior. The upper floors comprise the bedrooms with adjoining bathrooms. Privacy is provided by the half-storey offset and the allocation of the courtyard. If the topography is in favour of this split-level type, the num-

2nd upper floor

ber of variants is particularly large. If the north side is enclosed and serves only as an access space, total privacy is maintained.

1st upper floor

Student project Darmstadt University Jan Hendrik Hafke Ground floor 60

Longitudinal section

61

Shared courtyard house Two storeys East-west orientation The house type with a shared courtyard transforms the structure of the traditional rural farmhouse. The shared courtyard, which in this case connects three house types of different size, is accessed through a gate. The yard serves as a protected common space. The houses feature secluded roof terraces on the first floor providing private exterior spaces. The side facing the street can accommodate two parking spaces. Small units that are combined with workspaces on the ground floor could be accessed directly from the exterior.

Upper floor

Thus, small stores or studios are possible, which could also be extended into the first floor. Single-flight staircases replace the hallway and allow for multifaceted combinations. This type, including many variants, can be oriented in any direction and can be attached to neighbouring units on three sides. The units can be combined in numerous ways on lots of varying size. This enables a dense and versatile housing development structure.

Student project Darmstadt University Daniel Lenz Ground floor 62

Cross section

63

Shared courtyard house Two storeys East-west orientation This shared courtyard type is accessed from the exterior or via the covered zone adjacent to the courtyard serving as a parking space – a somewhat atypical solution. The green inner courtyard does not allow for circulation and is separated from the parking space by translucent or diaphanous elements. Two units as well as a commercial unit are accessed via the covered space; all of which can be connected to each other. This house type combines a small extroverted studio unit with a flat. The commercial zone, which could in part also work as a residential unit, is located on the ground floor at the east side of the building. An exterior staircase

Upper floor

leads to another flat on the first floor. The strategy of employing terraces that are cut out of the building volume improves the daylight situation in the courtyards. If additional staircases were used to access the open galleries, this house type would become even more flexible. Orientation and dimensions are variable. This type can be adapted to any urban situation.

Student project Darmstadt University Alexandra Jagiela Ground floor 64

Cross section

65

Shared courtyard house Two storeys East-west orientation This shared courtyard house type comprises three different residential units: one unit is entirely oriented towards the street and is accessed from this side; a second unit is accessed from the courtyard alley; and the third unit is accessed from the courtyard itself. The units are of different size. The large flat with access from the courtyard features a second, inner courtyard, along which a double-flight staircase connects the level accommodating the living space

Upper floor

with the bedroom level. The five-room unit depicted here can be structured differently by repositioning the staircase. The interlocking of the floor plans can therefore be designed in many different ways. For example, the small outwardfacing flat could be enlarged by reducing the living space of the large flat. The variability of this shared courtyard type can be increased when two courtyards are laid out, instead of one.

Student project Darmstadt University Sandra Dolder Ground floor 66

Longitudinal section

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Shared courtyard house Two storeys East-west orientation If two L-shapes are joined, an inner courtyard can be formed. When ex-

Cross section

amined closely, this principle offers an amazing number of combinations. In this example, the ground floor zone – which could also be used separately – is designated a work area. The flat on the first floor can be accessed in different ways. The courtyard leads to a corridor zone within the flat that connects the personal rooms. The access area on the north side of the ground floor opens out directly into the living and dining room on the first floor, thereby connecting work and living spaces. A third connection links the open-plan living room with the ground floor. This provides another option of joining the living area

Upper floor

with the ground floor zone. If these options are combined and the terrace area on the first floor becomes an indoor space, a multitude of possible variations of this house type ensues. Linking it to other units is possible, irrespective of its orientation. Thus, this house type is extremely adaptable and suitable for difficult urban situations.

Student project Darmstadt University Marco Sedat Ground floor 68

Shared courtyard house Three storeys North-south orientation Longitudinal section

In essence, this house type with a shared courtyard is a multi-family courtyard house with a common area on the ground floor. The common area could be used for parking and as storage; commercial or common use is also possible. The courtyard provides daylight and access to the flats on the upper floors. Five apartment units of different size are accessed via a continuous exterior corridor that could be covered with a glass roof. The three units in the south wing of the building are maisonettes. Two two-bedroom flats are located in the lower part of the building on the north side and are 1st upper floor

one storey high. These flats could be connected to the maisonette type by reducing the size of the personal room and inserting a small hallway. The three maisonettes offer additional options for modification – personal rooms on the top floor could be linked to or separated from the units. Due to its dimensions, the spatial arrangement of this component of the urban fabric has to be worked out at an early planning stage.

Student project Darmstadt University Beate Heigel Ground floor 69

Shared courtyard house Three storeys East-west orientation This building comprises five residential units, all accessed from a shared courtyard. From a typological point of view, this type is a combination of the row house type and the shared courtyard house type. Three row houses can be accessed from the east via a common access yard. Four parking spaces are located on the ground level underneath the two houses on the east side. These units are accessed via separate staircases leading to a shared courtyard on the first floor. The west-facing row houses feature roof terraces on the second floor. The common activities of the occupants will depend on the design of the inner courtyard zone as well as on the specific options to withdraw into the individual housing unit. This is especially true for the two units above the garage, which could extend across the driveway. The east-west orientation of this house group should be maintained.

Project "Buchholz" Berlin, 1999 Rainer Oefelein Ground floor 70

Longitudinal section

1st upper floor 71

L-shaped house Two storeys East-west orientation The courtyard of this L-shaped structure is closed-off towards the exterior. As is typical for this type of house, entrance and access to the upper floor are located in the corner section of the L-shape. The south-facing wing of the building is two storeys high, whereas the west wing comprises only one storey. Towards the west, the courtyard is enclosed by a single-storey wall. The ground floor of the south wing encompasses a studio and workspaces. They can be exchanged with the living and dining areas in the west wing. Also, the bedrooms on the first floor

Upper floor

could be swapped with the studios. Additional combinations can be realised if more staircases are added. A south-west orientation of the L-shape works best; dimensions of the house can be varied. This house type is a particularly economic module for a housing development.

Three studio houses Berlin, 2000 Becher + Rottkamp Ground floor 72

Cross section

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L-shaped house Two storeys East-west orientation This small two-storey L-shaped house features the traditional organisation with entrance and vertical access arranged in the corner section of the two wings. Its layout is based on a clear orientation towards the south-west. Kitchen, dining area and living room are located in the west wing. The entrance faces south, and even though this area will be shaded when several

Longitudinal section

units are joined to form a row, the rooms receive sufficient daylight. Towards the east, the small courtyard is closed-off by a storage room. Both personal rooms on the first floor receive daylight from two sides. An additional west-facing roof terrace increases the quality of living this small house offers. A skylight provides sufficient daylight for the bathroom on the first floor.

Upper floor

System houses Neu-Ulm, 1998 G. A. S. Sahner Ground floor 74

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L-shaped house Two storeys East-west orientation This L-shaped house is based on a square footprint of the site. The cut-out courtyard is oriented towards southwest. The entrance is located on the north side in the single-storey wing. The ground floor accommodates the living space and a personal room, the

Cross section

first floor comprises two more personal rooms and a bathroom. The room facing the courtyard on the ground floor could also serve as an open dining area or as a space used seperatly. Access to the first floor is provided by a singleflight staircase located in the first third of the house. The first floor has a generous roof terrace in addition to the personal rooms. With the exception of the kitchen, this house type receives adequate daylight via the openings towards the courtyard. Variants of the interior arrangement are possible. For

Upper floor

example, the location of the kitchen and the entrance can be modified; also, the layout can be increased in size. Thus, this house type is a simple yet variable module for a housing development.

Project Berlin, 1999 Günter Pfeifer Ground floor 76

L-shaped house Two storeys North-south orientation In terms of orientation and external access, this L-shaped house is comparable to the previous type. However, the small house includes an additional personal room with separate access on the ground floor that could also be used as Cross section

an office space or a separate room featuring its own bathroom. The first floor is laid out economically. The spatial arrangement and the way the light is distributed within the house make it very charming. Spatial complexity is created by the large air space above the main living room and a narrow corridor on the first floor, which can be used as a terrace and also provides indirect daylight. In addition, the corridor on the first floor could serve as a connection to other units. The house could be expanded by adding a top floor.

Upper floor

Student project Darmstadt University Leon Schmidt Ground floor 77

L-shaped house Two storeys North-south orientation This L-shaped house type can receive daylight via the southwest corner or, if the floor plan is mirrored, via the southeast corner. Since the south side is also the access side, this house type should comprise a front yard as part of the structure of the housing develop-

Cross section

ment. An entrance niche provides access without the need for further transition zones. This niche allows direct access to the courtyard as well as to the house. The layout of the ground floor is based on an open floor plan. Kitchen and dining room are located on a slightly elevated level. The open staircase leading to the first floor enhances the loft-like overall impression. The first floor features a rational layout affording direct access from the staircase landing to four rooms. Three generously dimensioned personal rooms offer sufficient

Upper floor

furnishing space. Both bathrooms – one is accessed via the master bedroom – receive daylight. This house type can only be extended on the ground floor or increased in height by adding a smaller storey.

Student project Darmstadt University Sebastian Schaal Ground floor 78

L-shaped house Two storeys North-south orientation This L-shaped house is characterised by its compact volume with openings on only two sides. Thus, several houses of this type can be lined up in a row while the courtyard still provides daylight to three sides of the house. The floor plan Cross section

is particularly economical: circulation areas are minimal, the three personal rooms on the first floor feature balanced proportions and offer high functionality due to an intelligent arrangement of openings and the provision of built-in closets. The ground floor comprises two living rooms separated by a hallway and staircase. If the functions living and dining are combined in one room, the other room could be used separately, for example by a third party. With the exception of adding a top floor, the floor plan does not provide for expansion.

Upper floor

Student project Darmstadt University Simon Gallner Ground floor 79

L-shaped house Two storeys East-west orientation The characteristic feature of this L-shaped house is the arrangement of the living area on the first floor. In order to create a living space receiving ample daylight and providing views to the outside in a dense housing development, the traditional perception of a residen-

Cross section

tial house was reversed. The living area shows an open layout and adjoins to a large terrace with an external staircase leading to the garden courtyard. The ground floor comprises three personal rooms and a bathroom. The room facing the street could be accessed separately and used commercially. The centrally located hallway could serve as a space linking the house to adjacent units. The location of the personal rooms suggests an east-west orientation. A singlesided orientation with the personal

Upper floor

rooms on the rear side facing south would be another option as the courtyard and the terrace provide the house with daylight from three directions.

Student project Darmstadt University Martin Trefon Ground floor 80

L-shaped house Two storeys North-south orientation The layout of this L-shaped house type is very economical – almost no monofunctional circulation areas are to be found. The organisation of the first floor is noteworthy: a hallway of only two square metres provides access to three personal rooms and a bathroom. All Cross section

personal rooms can be easily furnished due to favourably positioned doors and windows. A light well provides the room on the north side with west light and dramatises the position of the dining room table on the ground floor. The L-shaped house is accessed from the south. This house type must be oriented north-south and can therefore be connected to other units on its west and east side. Because of the extremely economical layout of the first floor, there are almost no options to connect to ad-

Upper floor

jacent units on this level. However, the ground floor offers many possibilities to link to neighbouring units.

Student project Darmstadt University Kamilla Pätzhold Ground floor 81

L-shaped house Two storeys East-west orientation A southwest orientation is the preferred choice for this small, two-storey, L-shaped house. The open living room with a dining area and kitchen on the ground floor could be reduced in size

Cross section

in order to accommodate a personal room in the shorter wing. Despite the economical organisation of the house, the personal rooms on the first floor are generously dimensioned. Both bathrooms receive daylight. A terrace on the first floor complements the courtyard and serves as a secluded open space. Due to the peripheral location of the staircase, this house type can be coupled to the unit on the north side. As part of a housing development, this house type could be arranged in a row or grouped around a yard. With a southeast orientation of the house, the shading of the

Upper floor

courtyard caused by the single-storey west wing will not be problematic.

Student project Darmstadt University Per Brauneck Ground floor 82

L-shaped house Three storeys East-west orientation Longitudinal section

This house type comprising two units interlocked with each other shows the many possible combinations of an imaginative arrangement of building volumes and exterior spaces. The elongated courtyard house type with a southwest orientation is laid out as a two-storey building and is flanked by a house type facing south. The ground floor of the adjacent house type could be used commercially. The upper floor serves as a living space; it is accessed via a single-flight staircase and a front terrace. The ground floor of the second unit comprises a living and dining room, a kitchen, and a personal room with access to the courtyard. Another separ-

1st upper floor

ate bedroom with a bathroom and a roof terrace are located on the upper floor. As a result of the complex and staggered arrangement, the surface area of the house is rather large.

Student project Darmstadt University Kathrin Ellner Ground floor 83

Group of L-shaped houses Two storeys North-south orientation This group of L–shaped houses can be arranged in different ways. All units should have some areas facing south, whereas the circulation area can be situated in any direction. All houses are accessed via small entry yards. On the ground floor, the hallway with the staircase leads into the living/dining room with a kitchen area and an additional office or personal room. The first floor comprises three personal rooms. There is a terrace above the single-storey section of the house; therefore, the party wall towards the neighbouring courtyard should be high enough to offer adequate visual protection. The dimensions of this type are variable within the overall system. Thus, the houses can be of the same or varying size.

Group of houses Herbolzheim, 1999 Roser-Kuhn Ground floor 84

Longitudinal section

Upper floor 85

Group of L-shaped houses Two storeys North-south orientation This group, of two-storey L-shaped houses is precisely tailored to offer sufficient daylight via the courtyards. All courtyards are arranged on the south side of the houses. A landing staircase provides economical access to the upper floor accommodating two personal rooms and a naturally lit bathroom. Both levels feature economical floor plans and require almost no hallway area. On the ground floor, the north-eastern unit shows a different arrangement of the staircase while the north-western unit comprises a narrower room in comparison with the

Upper floor

other units. Thus, a small pathway is created which provides access to the two southern units via a narrow light well in front of the entrances. On the upper floor, the north-eastern type covers the pathway. The access of this four-unit group from one side allows for very deep lots within the housing development structure.

Group of houses "Dammstraße" Lörrach, 1997 Roser-Kuhn Ground floor 86

Cross section

87

Group of L-shaped houses Two storeys East-west orientation The central element of this house type is a double-flight staircase located at the interface between two diagonally arranged courtyards. The entry yard is determined by the building geometry and the arrangement of the neighbouring units. The staircase as lynchpin of this floor plan offers multifaceted combination possibilities. The layout features differently sized rooms, located on split levels. On levels -1 to +2, rooms can be arranged either as a spatial continuum or separated from each other. Double-

Upper floor

height spaces can be provided as well as cut-outs for terraces or loggias. The complexity of this house type only becomes apparent if the staircases indicated on levels +1 and +2 are continued. In this case, this type can take up the upper floors of the neighbouring unit or be linked to them. This example can be of particular interest if the various options for linking to other units are employed to provide flexibility for new living arrangements.

Student project Darmstadt University Eva Martini Ground floor 88

Longitudinal section

89

Patio house Single storey North-south orientation This single-storey courtyard house is

Cross section

perforated by four patios. Similar to the following example by Ryue Nishizawa, the design creates a spatial arrangement with merging personal and common areas. Three zones are arranged alongside the exterior walls that could be used as personal rooms. Two of these rooms feature attached bathrooms. The common areas are located in the centre of the house and arranged around a larger inner courtyard. The house can be attached to neighbouring units on two sides; two sides can provide access. Thus, this house type is a suitable housing development module. However, its strong introverted character would require several modifications when em-

Top view of the roof

ployed in Central European regions.

Detached house "Casa No Litoral Alentejano" Grandola, 2000 Aires Mateus & Associados Ground floor 90

91

Patio house Single storey North-south orientation This single-storey courtyard house is characterised by three relatively small courtyards cut into the building volume.

Cross section

As a detached house with an orientation in all directions, it plays with the idea of being introverted and, at the same time, selectively extroverted. As such, this house type broaches the issue of phenomena of perception rather than contemporary ways of living in a changing society. However, it does also provide new perspectives within this context by offering one continuous space without distinctly separating areas for different uses. Internal and external references overlap, as do the different spaces, which melt into one hybrid entity due to the transparent patios. By expanding the inner courtyards this type

Top view of the roof

could be developed into a structure that can be linked to other units on all sides, meeting economic requirements as well as the need for flexible living spaces.

Weekend house Tokyo, 1998 Ryue Nishizawa Ground floor 92

93

Patio house Two storeys North-south orientation This freestanding structure featuring several courtyards cut out of the building volume dissolves the structure of the traditional multi-family house type comprising self-contained apartment units. In this open configuration, a total of six personal rooms form subunits, each encompassing individual small common area and private exterior

Longitudinal section

spaces. These units can be linked to the large common areas containing a kitchen and living room on the north side, or they can function as self-contained units. Each personal room is equipped with adequate storage space and a bathroom. Therefore, the singlestorey living spaces can accommodate new patchwork living arrangements in an exemplary way. The capability of linking one unit to another is provided for by the inherent structure of the design, thereby eliminating any need for future modifications. Thus, this type can be occupied by different generations. The basement comprises a common garage with storage space as well as three separate staircases leading to the ground floor.

OS House Loredo, 2006 Nolaster Upper floor 94

95

Patio house Two storeys North-south orientation This L-shaped patio house is characterised by the sensitive layout of the south-facing exterior space – a garden courtyard embedded into the topo-

Longitudinal section

graphy, four steps lower than the terrace ad-joining the eat-in kitchen. The house is accessed from the north side. A small hallway with toilet and staircase separates the two areas on the ground floor, which are located at either end of one wing. The single-flight staircase leads alongside a two-storey glazing to the first floor. This floor comprises two large personal rooms and a bathroom receiving daylight. The house type is expandable, for example by adding an additional storey with personal rooms in a half-basement or by adding a top floor. Thus, the floor plan could be

Upper floor

modified in many ways. This would also simplify linking this house type to other units.

Residences in Minusio Minusio,1994 Raffaele Cavadini Ground floor 96

97

Patio house Two storeys North-south orientation The characteristic feature of this elongated slender courtyard house are its three courtyards. On the north side, the house is accessed via a courtyard receiving west light and defining the entrance configuration. An enclosed courtyard in the centre of the house provides daylight for the second storey and the entry hallway. A double-height living room is located on the south side of the house, with a third small courtyard in the rear. From here, a staircase provides access to a personal room with bathroom and dressing room on the first floor. The spatially open arrangement of the living rooms allows for an introverted as well as extroverted way of living. The finesse of the floor plan configuration becomes apparent when two or more units are linked. Then the northern entry yard becomes a semi-open inner courtyard and the small exterior corner on the south side turns into a separate exterior space. The author has worked out multiple variants that clearly show the benefits of a strategy encompassing courtyards of a different nature.

Detached house Zurndorf, 1996 Krischanitz & Frank 98

Longitudinal section

Top view of the roof

Upper floor

Ground floor 99

Patio house Two storeys East-west orientation This house type with a simple geometry features two diagonally arranged courtyards. The space between these courtyards is arranged on split levels and features a double-height space. A personal room and the kitchen are accessed from the entry yard on level 0. A play area and another personal room with toilet are located half a storey below. The latter one receives daylight via a small terrace; however, the provision of daylight via the exterior is also possible. Level +1 comprises the dining area, which openly connects to the kitchen and at the same time forms a spatial entity with the living room half a storey above. The different levels accommodate personal rooms that all face the courtyard. The advantages of this

Upper floor

concept are the discretionary allocation of the personal rooms, its clear structure and variable dimensions. Vertically, this house type can be expanded by either adding a half-storey or a roof terrace. A basement could be included underneath the entrance level.

Student project Darmstadt University Nik Wenzke Ground floor 100

Cross section

101

Patio house Two storeys East-west orientation This patio house type is characterised

Cross section

by three tower-like volumes comprising the personal rooms with adjoining bathrooms. Each personal room is accessed via its own narrow staircase, an element that makes for a secluded atmosphere akin to that of tree houses. The ground floor features an interior design on different levels. The entry hallway leads via the eat-in-kitchen to the den-like living room, which in turn opens up towards two raised living or work areas. In contrast to the towers with their providing panoramic exterior views, the ground floor has a more introverted character and receives daylight via two patios that are cut out of the building volume. This house type can be attached to other

Upper floor

units on all sides and also combined with these units. An additional room with external access can be used commercially or as as a fourth personal room.

Student project Darmstadt University Jan Kucera Ground floor 102

103

Patio house Three storeys North-south orientation This elongated patio house with a tower-like structure on top creates multifaceted spatial configurations on a very small footprint. While the ground floor with two patios cut into the floor plan is introverted, the fully glazed first floor is very extroverted. On the second floor the spatial character is again reversed towards introversion. The generously dimensioned bedroom with a bathroom features only one opening; however, this is an oversized circular window allowing selective views to the outside. On the ground floor, the structure can be attached to neighbouring units on two sides and this level also provides the option of linking to other units. The towers on the first floor are offset from one unit to the next to avoid shading the narrow courtyards. The extensive openness of the first floor compensates for the low exposure to light on the ground floor resulting from the small size of the patios.

Group of houses "Kleine Rieteiland" Amsterdam, 2004 Bosch Architects 104

Longitudinal section

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor

Ground floor 105

Patio house Three storeys East-west orientation This house in Tokyo with two patios comprises a complex arrangement of flats featuring different floor plans. Whereas three units per storey with minimal living area and one maisonette are grouped around the western patio, three flats per floor are arranged around the eastern patio. The small sized rooms are a result of Japanese culture and economics. However, the concept of interlocking flats around a communal inner courtyard within a compact overall volume is certainly a valid one in and beyond Asia. With bigger rooms and the addition of secluded open spaces, this urban dwelling concept could also provide an answer to the changed social conditions in western countries.

Apartment house Tokyo, 2004 Ryue Nishizawa 106

Longitudinal section

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor 107

Patio house Three storeys North-south orientation This U-shape patio house type essentially is a semi-detached house featuring two interlocking flats. A variable number of personal rooms can be linked to the living room. The personal rooms, a bathroom and a staircase are arranged on a minimal footprint on three levels in the narrow legs of the U-shape. The

2nd upper floor

living and dinging room and the kitchen are located in the wide section between the two legs. The intelligent positioning of the staircases allows for various living arrangements. On the ground floor, the space between the two legs of the U-shape can be used for individual open spaces or parking spaces. This house type can be attached to neighbouring units on two sides and can also be arranged with an east-west orientation. A drawback is the small

1st upper floor

size of the personal rooms, which limits furnishing options.

Group of houses "Gooimeer" Huizen, 1996 Neutelings Riedijk Ground floor 108

Longitudinal section

109

Patio house Three storeys East-west orientation This east-west-oriented, three-storey house is a back-to-back house type with two patios on the second floor. On the ground floor, the units are accessed from the exterior as well as via the garage. The first floor features two personal rooms receiving daylight from one side. Living areas with dining area and kitchen, grouped around a patio, are to be found on the second floor only. This level overcomes the disadvantages of the east-west orientation: due to the larger depth of the west-facing type, an additional personal room can be accommodated. The living rooms also feature reasonably sized balconies. In the configuration shown, this house type is suitable for an east-west orientation only. The section shows a void on the first floor above the parking spaces. This space would offer more potential if the inner courtyard was designed as a double-height space.

Group of houses "Liquid Sky" Graz, 1999 Pentaplan 110

Longitudinal section

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor

Ground floor 111

Atrium-type house Two storeys North-south orientation This house with an inner courtyard features clearly defined zones: the narrow axis in longitudinal direction predominantly accommodates the secondary rooms, whereas the wider

Longitudinal section

axis comprises the common areas, double-height and courtyard spaces. In the cross direction, there are three zones, with the centre zone comprising the courtyard and the circulation area with staircase and hallway. Flanking this zone are the personal rooms on the first floor and living/dining room and an exterior space on the ground floor. The house type can be attached to neighbouring units on the longit-

Top view of the roof

udinal sides. Thus, this house type can be joined with others to form a row, which opens up numerous possibilities to connect or separate individual rooms or groups of rooms to or from other units. The central location of the staircase and the hallway as well as accesses on two sides of the house

Upper floor

support the variability of the basic house type.

Detached house "Machiya" Daita, 1976 Kazunari Sakamoto Ground floor 112

113

Atrium-type house Two storeys North-south orientation The characteristic feature of this house is an inner courtyard which extends across the centre axis of the house and is divided into two parts. One part lies above the eat-in kitchen with an

Cross section

open gallery and a glass roof above. The other part is an external courtyard. Both courtyards are generously dimensioned; thus, the emphasis lies on the common areas rather than on the personal rooms. The personal rooms are reduced to niches on minimal footprints. A two-storey glazing towards the outer courtyard allows this house type to be oriented towards the south or southwest in European regions. The entrance area is followed by an intriguing room sequence creating differentiated transitions from the exterior to the interior. Wide rooms lead into

Upper floor

narrow rooms, these in turn into high rooms. In addition, each room has a different orientation. This house type can be attached to neighbouring units on all sides and linked to them as well.

Detached house "FOB Home 1" Osaka, 2000 FOB Architects Ground floor 114

115

Atrium-type house Two storeys East-west orientation This courtyard house type is an apartment building with a shared inner yard as central circulation area. Wide and narrow spaces create a spectacular

Longitudinal section

spatial sequence and provide the entrances of all ten mini flats with an intimate character. The flats with bedroom, toilet, built-in wardrobe and kitchenette are all oriented towards the exterior and grouped around the courtyard. A large multi-functional room for common use as well as a shared bathroom are located on the ground floor and next to the entrance to the courtyard. Since the personal rooms all feature kitchens and WCs, this house type offers also a new type of dwelling, for example for patchwork families. The self-contained mini flats and separate

Upper floor

common areas accommodate changing relationships between the occupants without the need for structural modifications. The aspect of individual interests and freedom ranks higher than the sense of community.

Apartment house Sanda, 1980 Kazunari Sakamoto Ground floor 116

Atrium-type house Two storeys North-south orientation This two-storey house is accessed via a central courtyard. The access path leads along the parking space to a niche in Cross section

the inner courtyard, from which a narrow pathway connects to the entry door on the south side. Therefore, the courtyard not only provides daylight but also serves as a central circulation area. One personal room with adjoining toilet is accessed directly from the courtyard, which in turn connects to the dining area. The entrance area features a small hallway that opens up towards the living room. An open kitchen with a two-storey dining area lies adjacent to the living room. A double-flight staircase leads from the hallway to the first floor, where two personal rooms are

Upper floor

located. These rooms of different size face the courtyard and feature a large roof terrace. Width and length of this house type are variable; in addition, it can be oriented in any direction. Thus, it simplifies the formation of housing development structures. Depending on the urban context, the façade can have additional openings to provide more daylight.

Student project Darmstadt University Sebastian Schaal Ground floor 117

Atrium-type house Three storeys East-west orientation This patio house combines a central inner courtyard with a split–level arrangement. The house opens up southward and features several roof terraces on the upper floors that make for light-flooded spaces even though the

2nd upper floor

exterior of the house appears closedoff and compact. On the ground floor, the entry hallway with the staircase located next to a small separate room leads to the living and dining room with the kitchen area oriented towards the inner courtyard. The split-level floors above comprise three personal rooms, each with adjoining bathroom and a terrace. This house type can be attached to other units on all sides and is ideally suited for dense urban developments due to its intelligent provision of daylight, amongst other features.

1st upper floor

Neighbouring units can be joined with this house type via the exterior staircase.

Student project Darmstadt University Sebastian Schaal Ground floor 118

Cross section

119

II  The Row House

The row house type does not immediately evoke positive associations. Thus worker’s row housing was built during the early phase of industrialisation ­ostensibly to fulfil the needs of the occupants but ultimately to secure the profit-­oriented interests of the industrialists, as we now know. Similarly, the simple repetition of absolutely identical units can lead to banal linear structures, lacking any kind of urban accentuation. The row, it seems, cannot meet the desire for individuality nor does its arrangement create a comfortable degree of privacy. The attraction of the row house as a building type lies above all in its cost ­effectiveness. The simple and rational principle of serial addition makes it possible to erect a large number of dwellings within a short time frame. The ability to add units to both sides also results in a good ratio of living space to surface area and volume, in turn leading to energy savings. And when circulation areas are designed intelligently, the row house type can also accommodate the need to expand or reduce the size of an individual unit by combining it with a neighbouring unit. Such combinations are easier to achieve than, for example, with the courtyard house type, where one has to consider adjacent units in all three dimensions. The row house type therefore offers potential for future development. Among the problems that need to be addressed are the aforementioned typo­logical weaknesses with respect to individuality and privacy. A particular challenge is how to design private outdoor areas without resorting to using privacy screens to prevent overlooking. A possible remedy in this respect is to create individual terraces on the upper floors. The entrance façade likewise needs careful consideration: here, providing a sense of individual identity ­refers not so much to the design of the units but to the creation of a suit­ably graduated transition from the public street to the private entrances in the row. The provision of a semi-private, sheltered space in front of the entrance can greatly contribute to the feeling of entering one’s own house. The configuration of the entrances determines the logic of the exterior orientation and access zones, which in turn ideally also structure the public space. This problem can be addressed by relieving the monotony of the row structure using appropriate corner or end houses. Variations within the row can be used to effect breaks and changes of direction in the pattern, and ­façades can be given rhythm by varying the house types within the row.

122

The two-sided front-to-back arrangement of the row type gives rise to different variants within the typology depending on orientation. A south-facing row house can generate heat gains. Here, living and leisure areas all need to face south, and secondary rooms as intermediate temperature zones, as well as the entrance areas, typically face north. As a consequence of this ­orientation, the depth of the house is smaller than that of an east-west oriented row. The width of a row unit depends largely on whether there are one or two private rooms per floor on one side. Where there are two rooms, the distance between the party walls must be at least 4.50 metres, and more comfortably 7.30 metres. Upwards of a width of around 5.20 metres it is pos­sible to arrange a straight staircase crosswise, opening up more potential for floor plan variation than with a single-axis staircase parallel to the party walls. The position and kind of staircase is a determining factor for the floor plan of a row house. A central position within the floor plan helps to minimise the need for circulation corridors or landings. These can also be entirely eliminated by allowing other rooms to double up as circulation space. Rooms that are not as private, for example an office workspace, the kitchen or other multi-purpose rooms, are most suitable in such cases. Split-level staircases with landings that open directly onto the adjoining rooms can also aid in eliminating mono-functional circulation areas and help to create a sense of flow through the house from bottom to top. Rooms that can accommodate different uses are becoming increasingly important in modern floor plans as they provide occupants with a high degree of flexibility. In these rooms the position of doors and windows and the size of the room are particularly important. A room with between 12 and 16 square metres floor space can be used for a variety of different purposes, for example as a private room, office or living space, especially if doors or wall openings are not located too close to the corners so that space remains for placing furniture along the wall. Another strategy is to concentrate necessary storage areas in so-called service zones that can also accommodate utility cores. The principle of the “thick wall” that incorporates functional ­elements such as staircase, toilet, storage, bed, desk or built-in cupboards has also proven to be an effective approach to devising flexible floor plans.

123

The role of private space within flexible floor plans is becoming increasingly important. In an age of changing family constellations and partnership patterns, the traditional designation of specific rooms as master bedroom or children’s room is no longer appropriate. Accordingly, rooms for personal use are becoming more private in character and other intimate spaces such as separate showers and toilets are gaining significance. The span between public and private within a dwelling looks set to increase in future. The row house will remain a key option among the range of available housing typologies not least due to its extreme cost effectiveness. The design challenges that it presents can be addressed, and with judicious care can give rise to creative solutions, as shown in the examples in this book. These should nevertheless be understood only as prototypical approaches. Each individual situation must be adapted to fit its respective context.

124

Floor plan types The different possibilities for arranging floor plans within the row house type are primarily determined by the circulation within the house. The position of the staircase is the factor that defines the different row house types. In combination with the position of the entrance and the proportion of the footprint of the house, it determines the specific of this house type. An energyconscious arrangement of the floor plan generates additional house types. Without staircase The single-storey row house type is the simplest form of arrangement. The large depth of the floor plan requires recesses or cut-outs. Generously dimensioned inner courtyards provide sufficient daylight and create light-flooded floor plans.

Longitudinal staircase Since the floor plan of the row house type is usually deeper than wide, this is the most common form of arrangement. Depending on the width of the house, the staircase is located either along the party wall or between room axes. The depth of the floor plan usually calls for an east-west orientation.

Transversal staircase The transversal staircase requires a wider floor plan. Usually this type comprises at least two personal rooms on the side of the house that is exposed to daylight. This floor plan allows for small house depths and provides the option of a single-sided orientation towards the south.

Longitudinal split-level Shifts of levels in the longitudinal direction of the house creates a dynamic spatial atmosphere. The position of the staircase defines the proportions of the individual levels. Voids between the offsets create visual connections and offer daylight options for the centre sections of the floor plan. 126

Transversal split-level In the house type with transversal split levels, each half-storey level can receive daylight from two sides. The offset across the long side of the floor plan creates numerous spatial design and daylight options.

Back-to-back This house type is the prototype of spatial efficiency and is ideally suited for dense housing development structures. Due to its one-sided orientation towards the access side, the possibilities of this type initially seem limited. Only in combination with patios or roof terraces does it shows it full potential.

Front-to-back This house type overcomes the deficit of a one-sided orientation with an intelligently arranged circulation. The floor plans of the apartment units shift from one side of the house to the other on each floor. Due to this interlocked arrangement, each unit receives daylight from the west and east.

Back-to-back, "vis-à-vis" This version of the back-to-back house type is connected only on the lower levels. On the upper levels, tower-like extensions with central access allow daylight from all sides and orientation in any direction. The roof area above the ground floor can be used as secluded open spaces.

Two-zone house In addition to circulation being the main criterion for the arrangement of the floor plan, the idea of an energetically efficient floor plan leads to an expansion of the typology. New house types evolve by creating zones with different room temperatures within the house. 127

Without staircase Single storey North-south orientation This large-area row house with an integrated garage is well structured. The living and dining room faces south and

Longitudinal section

receives natural light via the courtyard, which also serves as an entry yard. The small entryway, an economical distribution space, is lit from above and provides easy access to the rather small rooms. Dimensions in plan as well as ceiling heights can be modified. The north-south orientation can be changed to an east-west orientation if the courtyard faces west. The structure of the residential development should be based on the assumption that no further areas of the property will be occupied other than by the house and setbacks to the north and south. Thus implemented, this structure is an economic-

Top view of the roof

al house type, not least because of its simple construction. To access the house via the closed-in courtyard can be disadvantageous as the intimate character of the courtyard is impaired by this function.

Group of houses Berlin, 1999 Roland Schweitzer Ground floor 128

Without staircase Single storey North-south orientation This house type, with 36 metres unusually deep, clearly depicts the characteristics and issues of single-storey row houses. Due to the narrow width of the house, sufficient daylight illumination can only be accomplished by organising the personal rooms around an inner courtyard. The interior and exterior spaces are tightly interlocked by indentations in the overall volume to create space for an entry yard with service rooms and a parking space on the north side, and for a protected open space providing daylight for an additional room on the south side. This house type functions with hardly any hallways. The elongated north-south alignment can be differentiated into several functional zones – open kitchen, dining, working, and living area. Depending on the specific property dimensions, the width and depth of the house can be optimised. Different ceiling heights or staggered levels are also possible, which enables this type to accommodate different topographic conditions.

Student project Darmstadt University Katja Fischer Ground floor

Top view of the roof 129

Longitudinal staircase Two storeys East-west orientation The access to the first floor with a single-flight staircase arranged on the side of the house allows for a spacious, open living area with dining space and kitchen on the ground floor. The kitchen is integrated in a built-in cupboard running the whole length of the house. A simple hatch in the floor of the small porch serves as access to the partial

Longitudinal section

basement. The first floor comprises two personal rooms facing east and west respectively. The bathroom is opposite to the staircase, between the personal rooms. The staircase area is sky-lit. The inner bathroom could also receive natural light by installing a skylight. A balcony in front of the larger personal room on the first floor provides the necessary

Top view of the roof

sun protection for the living room below. In principle, this house type can also be arranged with a north-south orientation. Its dimensions can be modified; a full basement is possible, as is a second floor. Upper floor

Group of houses "Falkenweg" Dornbirn, 2002 Johannes Kaufmann Ground floor 130

131

Longitudinal staircase Two storeys North-south orientation This house type is characterised by its symmetric zoning and a two-storey atrium-type space in the middle of the floor plan. Economical access is provided via the landing of a double-flight staircase. The two-storey fully glazed "energy garden" on the south side

Cross section

offers passive solar heat gains. The adjoining rooms as well as the rooms facing south on the upper floor can profit from the light output and heat gain it provides. In addition to these advantages, the small house visually feels much bigger than it actually is and has a generous flair. The house type, shown here with an optimum economical layout, can be enlarged at the users‘ discretion. A steeper roof pitch could create a top floor providing further rooms. To maximise energy gain, this house type should be oriented to-

Upper floor

wards the south. However, it can also be arranged in an east-west orientation.

Solar houses Donaueschingen, 1994 Harry Ludszuweit Ground floor 132

133

Longitudinal staircase Two storeys North-south orientation The concept of this house type allows it to accommodate up to four flats of different sizes by simple modifications. The basic type comprises two attached houses, with two or three window axes each. The room in the centre axis between the staircases can be allocated to either one of the units. The rooms on the first floor are arranged at an offset to the partitioning on the ground floor – a small ground floor unit with a large first floor or vice versa. As the staircase leads directly from the porch to the first floor, the two levels can be accessed individually. Additional exterior space on the first floor can easily be created by adding a balcony above the ground level open space. This house type requires an east-west orientation. Instead of a basement, a zone with secondary rooms is allocated in front of the houses.

Group of houses "Sackpfeife" Weimar, 1998 Walter Stamm-Teske 134

Longitudinal section

Upper floor

Ground floor 135

Longitudinal staircase Two storeys North-south orientation This house type is defined by a parking space inside the building. The garage, located in the basement, is accessed via a ramp. Elevating the entrance level above site level shortens the length of

Longitudinal section

the ramp. A form of exterior corridor leads to the entrance area. It is set six steps above site level and connects all houses with each other. The different heights are compensated in the living room, which is located six steps below the entry level. The dining area and kitchen are situated on the generously dimensioned mezzanine, which is the characteristic element of this house type due to the fully glazed kitchen wall

Upper floor

and an additional door connecting to the exterior corridor. The first floor has three well-proportioned bedrooms. A small loggia is located in front of the north-facing children’s room. Due to a cut-out in the building, a west-facing mono-pitch roof provides sufficient west light for the room below and the

Ground floor

inner bathroom.

Thomas de Beer houses Tilburg, 1996 Neutelings Riedijk Basement 136

137

Longitudinal staircase Two storeys North-south orientation This house type is zoned such that all living areas and bedrooms face south. The entrance to the house and secondary rooms are located on the north side. The open staircase as an integral

Cross section

part of the living space is arranged in such a way that it creates a generous distribution zone on the first floor providing space to play and work. The location of the staircase in the centre of the building allows this house type to be configured with different dimensions. The basic types are houses with four or six rooms. Secondary uses on the ground floor (laundry room, playroom, etc.) lead to units with five to seven rooms. Separate garden houses on the ground level accommodate additional secondary rooms. This arrangement creates small intimate open spaces. Ad-

Upper floor

ding a basement is possible; however, this would eliminate the open staircase in the living area. Due to the timber construction, the span of this house type is small. The dimensions of the basic type can easily be modified.

Ecumenical residential house Darmstadt, 1998 Günter Pfeifer Ground floor 138

139

Longitudinal staircase Two storeys East-west orientation This narrow row house with its landing staircase in the longitudinal direction of the house allows for flexible subdivision into different apartment units. Personal rooms are located in the half-basement and on the first floor. The living and dining area is to be found on the middle floor level, which is slightly raised. Each personal room can be accessed independently of the central living area via the staircase located directly at the entrance. Thus, all rooms can be inhabited independently of each other. The location of the staircase on the side of the structure enables a linking with parts of the adjoining row house. Located half a storey above the entrance level, the living area with a two-storey open space opens towards the garden without allowing views from the exterior into the house. The deeply recessed façade on the garden side creates a protected open space. A parking area is located on the entrance side in the half-basement. It can also be used as a personal room. A weak point of this house type are the bathrooms that receive no daylight.

Group of houses "Serrewoningen" Tilburg, 1998 Bedaux de Brouwer 140

Longitudinal section

Top floor

Ground floor

Basement 141

Longitudinal staircase Three storeys East-west orientation Two or three storeys – one might wonder when looking at this house. Its basement is in no way a regular basement as it extends too far above the ground. While the house is accessed on the east side on the lowest level, the actual living space is located on the ground floor. The staircase leading outside also serves as a seating area and a piece of "action furniture". The

Cross section

basement is therefore activated to serve additional living purposes – as a room for hobbies or a play area complementing the children’s rooms, which are mostly very small, on the upper floors. The layout of the upper floors is very restricted. However, considering that this house comprises three personal rooms, a living and dining area with kitchen as well as a large multi-purpose room, its economical use of space is impressive. The construction of this

2nd upper floor

house type is as simple as it is economical; it even lends itself to self-construction and can be executed with various materials. A connection with adjoining units could be realised via the basement.

Residential area "Pilotengasse" Vienna, 1992 Herzog & de Meuron 1st upper floor 142

Longitudinal staircase Three storeys North-south orientation This three-storey, north-south oriented house is defined and structured by a large south-facing terrace on the second floor that cuts deeply into the building volume. The terrace provides a small patio on the first floor as well as the Longitudinal section

rooms on the north side with south light. The patio can be covered with a glass roof; this would result in a small "energy garden" that could be used throughout the year. The dimensions of this house type can be modified and the open space above the dining area can be converted into a third personal room receiving south light. Another room could be created by converting the

2nd upper floor

terrace on the third floor on the north side of the house. The terraces serve as secluded exterior spaces. Therefore, the garden on the ground level does not need to be further separated from the neighbouring gardens.

1st upper floor

Student project Darmstadt University Leon Schmidt Ground floor 143

Longitudinal staircase Three storeys North-south orientation This three-storey row house is arranged around a small two-storey atrium that provides additional daylight for the ground floor and opens out to a roof terrace on the upper floor. This house type is ideal for introverted use since the exterior spaces such as garden and

Longitudinal section

forecourt are small. The floor plan allows for a free use of the space on the ground floor as well as for a variable position of the entrance. Depending on the dimensions of the building two or four rooms can be offered on the upper floor. A personal space on the top floor can accommodate an additional separate room, if desired. To include a basement, the staircase can be moved

2nd upper floor

to the party wall. The roof terrace is closed off with trellises to provide a private exterior space. This house type offers sufficient privacy within an urban environment and can have any orientation. 1st upper floor

Student project Darmstadt University Simon Gallner Ground floor 144

Longitudinal staircase Three storeys North-south orientation The three-storey, north-south oriented row house features a small central atrium that extends through all storeys. This atrium provides the central ground floor area of the house with additional daylight and spatially connects all floors. Longitudinal section

In addition, the living space is higher than the other rooms; thus, the house has two storeys on the south side, whereas the north side features three storeys. The staggered arrangement of the levels and the central atrium provide the rooms on the north side with south light. From a typological viewpoint, this house type exemplifies that a sufficiently large interior open

2nd upper floor

space not only expands the spatial experience of the building but also makes for plenty of daylight of the adjoining rooms. This can prove to be a major benefit within confined urban conditions. The location of the staircase landings on the first and top floor allows for easy linking with rooms of neighbouring

1st upper floor

units.

Student project Darmstadt University Markus Guennigmann Ground floor 145

Longitudinal staircase Three storeys East-west orientation The most notable characteristic of this three-storey row house is its long single-flight staircase, which is very attractive spatially and completely separated from all rooms. This element allows for a generously sized continuous living space on the ground floor free of any circulation zones. Access to

Longitudinal section

the inner bathroom and the two rooms on the upper floor is provided for in the traditional manner by arranging it in the centre of the layout. On the second floor, the access zone opens out to the west side of the room, which extends across the entire storey and can be used as a second living space. On this level, separate personal rooms could only be realised with a long hallway – a dis-

2nd upper floor

advantage of this circulation system. The advantage of this house type is its capability to interlink with neighbouring units. The staircase could serve as access to a second house. In this case, cross-links between the two houses could be created on all levels, possibly

1st upper floor

with catwalks across the space above the staircase.

Group of houses "Voltstraat" Tilburg, 1996 Rijnvos Voorwinde Ground floor 146

147

Longitudinal staircase Three storeys North-south orientation A steeply inclined site is not mandatory for this house type. The clear differen-

Longitudinal section

tiation between access zones and houses allows for a flexible interlinking with neighbouring units on every level. The ground floor features an open living and dining area with an inserted central block that accommodates service rooms. Personal rooms are located on the first floor. Due to the width of the house, two personal rooms on each side of the house can receive natural light. Since the garden’s steep incline restricts its usability, the large

2nd upper floor

roof terrace replaces the garden. The size of this house type is variable: the depth can be modified according to the topography and the width can be adapted to the arrangement of the rooms. The location of the staircase is advantageous when considering linking two neighbouring units. The internal zone on the first floor can be further opti-

1st upper floor

mised to integrate a kitchen with daylight. Because of the hillside topography only partial basements seem practical.

Group of houses "Jagdgasse" Innsbruck, 1999 Holzbox ZT Ground floor 148

149

Longitudinal staircase Three storeys North-south orientation Due to its inserted upper storey, this three-storey row house appears as an independent volume within its context and bears a resemblance to the individual character of a detached house. The differentiated structure of the building volume situated on a relatively large lot creates variegated open areas around the house. A roof terrace can be realised above the living space. The living area is generously dimensioned and the central location of the spiral staircase allows for economical access of the personal rooms on the upper levels. Since natural light is provided from all sides, this house type can be realised with virtually any orientation. The disadvantages of this type are its large surface area in relation to its volume and a very limited flexibility in terms of adding units. In addition, the extreme layout of the personal rooms, specifically those on the first floor, restricts furnishing options.

Group of houses Goirle, 1998 Bedaux de Brouwer 150

Longitudinal section

Upper floor

Ground floor 151

Longitudinal staircase Three storeys East-west orientation The floor plan of this three-storey house is defined by its narrow width allowing only one room on every side. This results in a classic row house layout: the living room, facing west, is located on the ground floor, the kitchen is to be found in the centre of the house and the dining area is arranged near the entrance area on the front side of the house. On this side, a small exterior building volume for secondary uses shields the dining area from the public space. A singleflight staircase provides access to the upper levels and opens out to a large roof terrace which complements the open areas on the ground floor. Each upper storey provides space for one or two separate personal rooms. In the floor plan shown here, the full number of possible rooms was traded off for a roof terrace and an open work area. The location of the landing staircase next to the party wall allows for easy modification of this house type by linking or separating individual rooms to or from the adjoining unit.

Group of houses "Quartier Mc Nair" Berlin, 2000 d-company 152

Longitudinal section

Top floor

Upper floor

Ground floor 153

Longitudinal staircase Three storeys North-south orientation The simple principle of positioning a front and a rear building on one lot is seldom used. However, it is ideally suited for specific forms of cohabitation (e.g. family house and parent’s house). Whereas the two houses of this design have a rather conventional floor plan, the typologically characteristic feature lies in the combination of front and rear house. In this house type, the two-storey front-facing house accommodates a parking space and the pathway to the rear house on the ground level. The garden zone between the two houses is for joint use; which means that this area offers almost no secluded spaces. The living areas of the front building are located on the upper floor with terraces creating an outwardly orientation. The bedrooms in both houses are on the top floor, whereby the roof of the higher building could be used as a roof terrace. This house type can be realised in various dimensions and variants as well as in reversed order.

Project "Wachsendes Haus" Berlin, 1999 schneider+schumacher 154

Longitudinal section

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor

Ground floor 155

Longitudinal staircase Three storeys East-west orientation Cross section

Typologically, this housing unit is not really a row house but a multi-family house with duplexes in a row on the upper floor. The apartments on the ground floor are more or less conventional; their layout follows that of typical multi-storey houses. The upper floor of this house type is accessed via a singleflight staircase leading into a broad central hallway. The generously dimensioned corridor almost resembles a residential street and features natural light. From here the flats are entered. On this level, they comprise two personal rooms that are lit from one side as well as a bathroom and a separate toilet. A double-flight staircase leads to the top floor, which accommodates living areas that are oriented towards two sides, and a roof terrace. The switch from a one-sided to a double-sided orientation is achieved by reducing the space of the flats on the top floor to only one building axis whereas on the first floor they extend across two axes. The result is a complex interwoven arrangement of dwellings with orientations to all sides.

Group of houses Fussach, 2000 baumschlager & eberle Ground floor 156

1st upper floor

2nd upper floor 157

Longitudinal staircase Four storeys North-south orientation Four-storey row houses are well suited to urban properties offering little open space. This type is characterised by its two-sided access, the two-storey open space with a mezzanine and a roof terrace above.

Longitudinal section

The ground floor houses a parking space and a personal room that can also be used by other parties. The first floor comprises a large double-height room, which can serve as a living space or studio, and another personal room. A third personal room is located on the third floor, as is the roof terrace providing a private exterior space. A bathroom is to be found only on the

2nd upper floor

first floor – a disadvantage considering that three storeys are being served by it. The staircase does not receive any daylight and is rather narrow compared to the generously dimensioned rooms. Variable uses of the different levels are typical for this type of building. Even a complete separation of storeys including separate access is possible.

1st upper floor

Group of houses "De Landtong" Rotterdam, 1997 Frits van Dongen Ground floor 158

159

Longitudinal staircase Four storeys North-south orientation This four-storey house comprises two row houses, one stacked above the other. The two houses are accessed via an exterior single-flight staircase that extends across two storeys and determines the width of the building as well as the length of the narrower part of the floor plan. The lower house can be accessed either from the first floor or from the ground floor. The ground floor could also be used independently as a workspace directly accessible from

3rd upper floor

the street. The upper house is accessed via the second floor. Interior circulation is provided by a single-flight staircase, which is always located in the wider building part. The open spaces within the structures let sunlight reach far into the building.

2nd upper floor

The areas in the centre of the houses are used as bathrooms and kitchens. This type is defined by the length of the staircase. Its width can be modified and it can be interlinked with adjoining units to create several flats of variable size.

1st upper floor

28 apartments Amsterdam, 1994 Bosch Haslett Ground floor 160

Longitudinal section

161

Longitudinal staircase Four storeys North-south orientation The key characteristic of this narrow house type is the longitudinal division of the floor plan. This makes the already narrow proportions of the space even more extreme. The apparently illogical design approach reveals its qualities when the possibilities for daylighting and the dramaturgy of the spatial experience are considered. Dividing the floor plan lengthwise allows full-height

3rd upper floor

glazing of the rooms without permitting insights from the outside. This creates the impression of a completely open glasshouse amidst dense urban developments. In the upper storeys, two closed jutties extend into the open space above the courtyard; they con-

2nd upper floor

trast with the open areas and therefore enhance the spatial concept. The entrance to the house is located on a mezzanine level. Going downstairs, one enters the eat-in-kitchen; upstairs, the long room comprises the living spaces. Personal rooms are located in the niche-like cubes attached to the long

1st upper floor

room.

"Scheepstimmermanstraat" house Amsterdam, 1999 MVRDV Ground floor 162

Longitudinal section

163

Transversal staircase Two storeys North-south orientation In this small south-facing row house, all living spaces are arranged on one side. Circulation areas on the north side are kept to a minimum. The user can organise the kitchen, dining area and living room on the ground floor according to his needs. Three personal rooms are located on the first floor. Removable partition walls and a construction of the exterior wall providing options to

Longitudinal section

connect to partition walls create variable room dimensions. High walls protect the open space from neighbouring houses. Storage rooms and a small terrace are located towards the rear of the garden. The dimensions of this house are completely variable. It can be designed to be deeper, higher or wider, and the rooms can be modified accordingly. However, the house must be oriented to the south. The method of construction can also be modified.

Upper floor

Project "Karower Damm" Berlin, 1999 Rolf Mühlethaler Ground floor 164

165

Transversal staircase Three storeys North-south orientation The simplest form of a row house still is the house type with a single-flight staircase running crosswise, dividing the house into two zones comprising on the entrance level, facing north, the entrance area and kitchen, and bath-

Longitudinal section

room and personal rooms on the other levels. In this case, the first floor is a mezzanine which constitutes a spatial extension of the ground floor. A large play or work area is located on the second floor in front of the personal rooms. This house type is highly modifiable. A two-storey structure makes for a simple house with three personal rooms. The

2nd upper floor

three-storey version can comprise additional rooms or a roof terrace. The width of the house is variable; however, the length of the staircase has to be considered. A south-facing orientation as shown is beneficial, but west or east orientations have only little negative impact.

1st upper floor

Residential park at Betzenberg Kaiserslautern, 2000 AV 1 Ground floor 166

167

Transversal staircase Three storeys North-south orientation This small house type with a landing staircase in the centre is a good example

Longitudinal section

that economical construction on a very small site is possible without spatial deficits. A parking space is integrated into the house on the ground floor and entry level. A landing staircase leads to a protruding living room half a level down, which spatially is connected to the eating area and kitchen. A courtyard on the south-west side of the living room provides a protected open space. Sufficiently large children‘s rooms and a bathroom are located on

2nd upper floor

the first floor. The second floor with the third personal room is linked to a south-facing roof terrace, which can also be developed into a room, if desired. The protruding living room can be realised in different sizes since the courtyard alongside allows an expansion towards the south. This house type can also be arranged in an east-

1st upper floor

west orientation.

Drive-in row houses Amsterdam, 1995 Geurst & Schulze Ground floor 168

169

Longitudinal split-level Three storeys East-west orientation This split-level house type is characterised by its intelligent embedding into the topography. As a result, only two of the three storeys are visible from the outside. The living area is located half a level above the garden level. The

Longitudinal section

personal rooms in the half-basement also have access to the garden via an exterior staircase. A void providing daylight and airiness extends from the living level up to the roof terrace and gives this small house the feeling of a generously dimensioned space. The personal room on the first floor opens up to the void via an interior glazing. The roof terrace is treated as an exter-

Upper floor

ior room and offers a secluded open space. This house can be designed with a narrower floor plan if one of the personal rooms in the half-basement is eliminated. In this case, the bathroom on the upper floor replaces part of the open space above the living area. Due to the void, the bedroom on the upper floor is well-lit and does not necessarily

Ground floor

require a window.

Residential park at Kirchhölzle Schopfheim, 1990 Günter Pfeifer Basement 170

171

Longitudinal split-level Three storeys North-south orientation This compact row house is situated in a rural environment; it features an extremely high floor-space index of 0.9. In addition to its compact exterior dimensions, the house’s interior is organised very economically. The staircase with flights of equal length is placed in the middle of the house and directly adjacent to the party wall. This results in a classical split-level layout. Kitchen

Cross section

and dining area are located above the entrance level; the living room is half a level below. These two areas are spatially connected. The half staircase accommodates the different site levels so that the living room also opens up to the site. The personal rooms together with a bathroom are located on the split levels. The vertical circulation axis

2nd upper floor

ends in a large roof terrace. The fact that the bathrooms do not receive natural light is a tribute to the economy of the floor plan; if one were located on the top floor daylighting would, of course, be possible. 1st upper floor

Group of houses "Nofels" Feldkirch, 1993 baumschlager & eberle Ground floor 172

173

Longitudinal split-level Three storeys East-west orientation The small row house with approximately 85 square metres living space features a fully glazed winter garden,

Cross section

which extends across all storeys and is utilised to gain energy. It serves as an open space to be used year round and as energy storage or thermal buffer. The large expanse of glazing lets the transition from the interior space to the garden appear seamless. Depending on the orientation of the house, the roof glazing collects sunlight and reflects it into the rooms via the bordering walls. This type comprises two axes. The north

Top floor

axis contains the eat-in-kitchen on the lower level and personal rooms on the upper levels. The south axis accommodates the staircase, the living rooms, utilities and the entrance area. The basic model can be extended in every direction, for example by adding another room axis on the other side of the staircase. Thus, a highly flexible and almost energy self-sufficient house

Upper floor

typology could be created.

LBS "System houses" project Freiburg, 1996 Günter Pfeifer Ground floor 174

Longitudinal split-level Three storeys East-west orientation This classic split-level house type with a parking space integrated into the floor plan is compact and economical. Apart from the landing staircase, there are no other access areas such as hallways. A two-storey open space visually connects all levels and provides daylight for the Longitudinal section

dining area in the centre of the house. Except for the personal rooms, the landing areas are integrated into the rooms. The split-level arrangement and the intermediate open space give the rooms an intimate and self-contained character. This house type can easily be linked to an adjoining unit via the landings. Its simple structure and compact arrangement offer a particularly

Top floor

economical construction. One deficit is the lack of exterior spaces. Only the use of partition walls can provide appropriate privacy. Extending the staircase would allow the realisation of a roof garden. The rear side of the house should not be exposed to local

Upper floor

nuisance factors since this is where the personal rooms are to be found.

Student project Darmstadt University Sebastian Schaal Ground floor 175

Longitudinal split-level Three storeys North-south orientation An "energy garden" extending over 2.5 storeys forms the centre of this split-level house type which is divided into two vertical zones. Depending on the orientation of the house, it not only acts as a spatially connecting element, but can also be used to supply energy if it is covered with a transparent roof. The floor plan is divided into a narrow secondary room zone that also inclu-

Longitudinal section

des the access zone, and a zone for common and personal rooms. The dimensions of the latter can be adjusted to suit local conditions. Recesses in the façade create space for open areas that can be used as a parking space in front of the building or as a secluded terrace at the back.

Upper floor

Student project Darmstadt University Martin Trefon Ground floor 176

Longitudinal split-level Four storeys East-west orientation This spacious house with a landing staircase arranged in cross direction Longitudinal section

offers multiple internal and external spatial interrelations. Despite the direction of the stairs, the split levels are separated lengthwise. This creates numerous daylighting options and several terraces on all levels. A three-storey open space in the centre of the house provides the deep floor plan with additional daylight and makes for selective internal visual connections. Featuring only four personal rooms plus addi-

2nd upper floor

tional spaces in the half-basement, this relatively large house is not economical in terms of creating living space, and it offers almost no options to use parts of the house independently. However, its strength lies in its spatial complexity and the captivating overlap of internal and external spaces.

1st upper floor

Student project Darmstadt University Catrin Kuchta Schrader Ground floor 177

Transversal split-level Two storeys East-west orientation This house type was developed in 1967. Its split-level structure, arranged across the width of the building, is particularly economical and makes for a diversified

Cross section

spatial experience. It is also very flexible in terms of individual user concepts and different family sizes. The floor plan is developed around two fixed cores: the staircase with entrance and toilet, and the kitchen with a bathroom above. Two staggered split-levels span the space in between; they can be used in different ways. A skylight provides the inner zone with daylight via a central light shaft. From the staircase, a cat-

2nd upper floor

walk leads to a secluded roof terrace. Based on the open layout of the floor plan, this house type features a high degree of spatial interlocking in a very small space. The spaces adjacent to windows can be separated by walls or divided with wardrobes. 1st upper floor

"Diagoon Houses" Delft, 1971 Herman Hertzberger Ground floor 178

179

Transversal split-level Two storeys North-south orientation This small house type with just two personal rooms is particularly economical and at the same time creates complex spatial interrelations. The resulting high-quality space is complemented by an arrangement of different exterior

Longitudinal section

spaces such as a balcony, a loggia and a garden courtyard. A horizontal organisation into two zones is typologically characteristic for this house type, as is the split-level arrangement. A narrow building axis comprises a two-storey open space above the entrance area, bathrooms and a small room. The broader building axis with another open space above the living area allows natural south light to reach deep

Top view of the roof

into the space. A larger personal room lies above the living area with its southfacing terrace oriented towards the garden courtyard. It features a window facing the open space above the living area. This house type can be extended to comprise further storeys and/or can be linked to the adjoining unit via the

Upper floor

staircase landing.

Student project Darmstadt University Per Brauneck Ground floor 180

Transversal split-level Three storeys East-west orientation This house type is a split-level variant with a continuous central staircase with Longitudinal section

rooms arranged on both sides of it. The rather unconventional positioning of the stairs results in an exciting spatial arrangement. The staggered building volume allows for extensive daylighting from all sides and includes the possibility of exterior spaces on almost all levels. The common zones are distributed over different levels in the centre section of the house and are linked with each other via open spaces and across the

1st upper floor

split-levels. Personal rooms are located on the upper levels and feature their own bathroom. The room next to the entrance can be used independently, if desired. The staircase leads to a small loggia that could be developed into a roof terrace. Due to the elongated staircase including various landings, this house type can accommodate topographical conditions particularly

Ground floor

well. It does not provide options to link to neighbouring units.

Student project Darmstadt University Felix Mantel Basement 181

Transversal split-level Three storeys East-west orientation The house type with continuous, centrally located staircase requires the storeys to be staggered along the longitudinal axis of the house. This principle leads to dynamic spatial overlaps, visual relationships and cross connections. Immediately upon entering the house, the long staircase as characteristic feature provides a view of the

Top floor

entire spectrum of rooms. An eat-inkitchen is located on the entrance level with direct visual connection to the living room area, which lies half a storey deeper. Narrow personal rooms are staggered above, each accessed from the staircase landing. As these three rooms, each with their own bathroom,

2nd upper floor

are separated by air spaces, they give the impression of great discreteness. The last room alongside the long, single-run staircase is a large bedroom, also equipped with its own sanitary facility. The furnishing concept offers an intelligent solution to overcome the disadvantage of the narrowness of the

1st upper floor

room. The end of the staircase axis leads to a small balcony.

Student project Darmstadt University Martin Trefon Ground floor 182

Longitudinal section

183

Transversal split-level Three storeys North-south orientation This row house type combines the patterns of a split-level and a duplex apartment. The floor plan is divided into a zone with separate rooms to the north and a common zone facing south. A large loggia integrated into the south façade separates the dining

Top floor

from the living area and can be developed into an "energy garden". The personal rooms are located half a level up or down from the living area. The number of rooms allocated to a flat is flexible and can be easily adjusted via the length of the hallway; also structurally, more individual rooms can be realised easily. The ground floor could also be used commercially. The height of this house type can even be expanded to create a multi-storey apartment unit. Since the access zone lies on one

Upper floor

side of the house, an adjoining unit could be accessed from it without further structural work. This house type can also be arranged in an east-west orientation.

Student project Darmstadt University Jörn Rabach Ground floor 184

Longitudinal section

185

Back-to-back Two storeys North-south orientation This introverted housing development in Carmona comprises 16 small backto-back row houses that receive daylight through an inner courtyard. The rear end of the house, which is attached to the neighbouring house, is offset – as can be seen in the sectional drawing – resulting in row houses that are interlocked with each other. This arrangement can be further developed into an extremely dense urban structure and can adjust to varying topographic levels. The houses comprise a living and dining room on the ground floor that is directly adjacent to the inner courtyard. This courtyard can be used as a secluded open space year round. On the street side, in front of the kitchen and the entrance, is another courtyard that can serve as a storage facility. The first floor comprises three small personal rooms and a bathroom. The location of the staircase provides the opportunity to connect different units with each other. The design of this house type is adapted to its location by its orientation.

Residential complex Carmona, 2003 Oscar Gil Delgado 186

Longitudinal section

Top view of the roof

Upper floor

Ground floor 187

Back-to-back Two storeys East-west orientation This two-storey, back-to-back structure consists of modules comprising three

Longitudinal section

different apartment units each. Two flats with an upper floor lie back-toback to a single-storey flat. This singlestorey unit is based on a one-sided orientation, whereas the two-storey units with a large roof terrace on the top floor feature double-sided orientation. Overall, this structure is characterised by a highly economical use of space. The floor plans of the flats include almost no hallways: the personal rooms of the single-storey unit are accessed via a central living room, and those of the two-storey flats via the staircase landing. Bathrooms are combined in a central zone running the

Upper floor

length of the building and do not receive natural light. Within the modular group, floor plans cannot be modified. However, modifications are possible in terms of the urban development structure that can create high-quality exterior spaces despite the high density of the layout.

Ringstraße development Neu-Ulm, 1999 Fink + Jocher Ground floor 188

189

Back-to-back Two storeys East-west orientation These two-storey, back-to-back row houses feature a south-facing courtyard. A single-flight landing staircase leads from the living space on the ground floor to the inner courtyard located roughly half a storey higher. The staircase also connects the living space to two personal rooms on the first floor via a mezzanine. The result is an exciting arrangement of spaces on a minimal footprint. An open area

Longitudinal section

between the bathroom and the smaller personal room can be used as a play or work area. Alternatively, an additional open space in this location could further enhance the complex interlocking of spaces, and a third level with a roof garden and an additional personal room could be added. Furthermore, the layout of the circulation permits linking opposite houses, which would result in apartment units of different sizes and a lively overall arrangement.

Upper floor

Student project Darmstadt University Kai Dibutch Ground floor 190

Longitudinal section

Back-to-back Two storeys East-west orientation The typological characteristic of this back-to-back row house with eastwest orientation is the offset of the apartment units across one room axis, shown in the sectional drawing. Thus, one personal room of one unit lies above the living space of the neighbouring unit. This shift causes the staircase, which on the ground floor lies on the side of the house, to shift to the centre of the floor plan on the first floor, resulting in practically no hallway on the upper level. By inserting small hallways with doors, several room axes can be linked meaning that virtually

Upper floor

any number of personal rooms can be adjoined to a living area. In addition, by using connecting doors on the ground floor, several living areas can be connected with each other. The structural flexibility makes this house type with its two-storey inner courtyard and the double-height garden room adaptable to social changes or to different requirements caused by changing stages of life. However, it does not offer privacy towards neighbouring units on the ground floor.

Student project Darmstadt University Sabine Svrcina Ground floor 191

Back-to-back Two storeys East-west orientation This two-storey back-to-back structure consists of six different units with four different apartment types. There are

Cross section

two duplex flats, each with two or three personal rooms per level, and four single-storey flats with two personal rooms each. All units are accessed via their own exterior entrance. Different apartment units can be linked within the structure. Each unit comprises two inner courtyards so that almost every room receives daylight from two sides. Mono-functional access areas in the form of hallways are kept to a minimum. Access zones are for the most part integrated into the rooms, creating a generous spatial arrangement. Varying views into and through the fully glazed courtyards forming integral parts of the floor plan enhance this impression. In addition to the courtyards, there are access yards in front of the entrances of the flats that form a transitional zone to the public street space.

Student project Darmstadt University Kai Dreker Ground floor 192

Upper floor 193

Back-to-back Two storeys East-west orientation

Cross section

The structure of a residential development based on this house type is determined by small narrow alleyways on the ground level. By widening the alleyways within the entire complex, parking lots, green spaces and inner courtyards could be created that provide the development with a distinctive urban character. The house type itself is characterised by a tri-partition with an inner courtyard in the centre. The relatively wide floor plan with a continuous functional zone to the south accommodating all service rooms receives daylight exclusively via the twostorey inner courtyard. Small loggias on the first floor supplement the daylighting of the house. By changing the proportions of the courtyard, the width of the house as well as its length can be modified. Since the house receives daylight via the courtyard from all directions, it can have any orientation. The amount of light reaching a certain area can be controlled by the proportions of the courtyard. The house can be attached to adjoining units on the side comprising the functional zone.

Student project Darmstadt University Roland Pier Ground floor 194

Upper floor

Back-to-back Three storeys East-west orientation This narrow back-to-back row house type is characterised by its one-sided orientation with the access area on the north side and the living and personal rooms facing south. The spaces in this house can be allocated for certain uses at the resident’s discretion; the example Longitudinal section

shown comprises personal rooms on the ground floor that could be rented out separately. The living room with kitchen, dining area and a terrace are to be found on the first floor. The second floor features two more personal rooms, each with associated bathrooms. The three storeys are connected by a single-flight stair. Whereas the width of the house is directly related to the length of the staircase, its depth is restricted by how far the sunlight can reach into the building. The

1st upper floor

three-storey courtyard – lit from the south - is particularly shady on the ground floor level. A modification of this house type with a deeper floor plan could include additional open spaces, which would provide visual connections between the rooms as well as additional daylight.

Student project Darmstadt University Duc Tuan Tong Tran Ground floor 195

Back-to-back Three storeys North-south orientation This compact back-to-back house type is characterised by the circulation zone arranged around an inner courtyard providing the house with an intimate feeling. On the ground floor, the courtyard, which serves as a transition zone between the public space and the private entrance, is accessed via a small passage. A small staircase alongside the courtyard leads up to the first floor with an open kitchen, dining area and personal room. At the front end of the building the staircase continues up to the second floor comprising also a large roof terrace. The circulation route in this small house provides an exciting path to ever-lighter spaces. Furthermore, the positioning of the hallway on the first floor alongside the party wall offers many possibilities to link to parts of adjoining units. The room facing the street could serve as a studio, office or parking space. The weak point of this type is the provision of only one bathroom located on the ground floor, which limits the house’s functionality to a certain degree.

Patio houses Amsterdam, 1998 Van Sambeek & Van Veen Architecten 196

Longitudinal section

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor

Ground floor 197

Back-to-back Three storeys North-south orientation The characteristic attribute of this house type is a long, narrow living and dining room on the first floor featuring a dramatic access. The entrance to the room is located on its rear side and accessed via a spiral stair; when opening the door closing off the hallway, views through the glazed patio into the light in the living area are offered. This dramaturgy entails long circulation paths on the ground floor, which is designed as an open passage with a parking option and a small personal room. A second personal room is located on the top floor. Allocated to it is a separate bathroom receiving no daylight. The generously dimensioned roof terrace offers a secluded open space, compensating the constriction on the ground floor. The economical arrangement of building services and the organisation of the circulation space on the upper floors should be noted. The open room concept allows for a flexible use. Due to the long transition zone on the ground floor, this house type can extend right to the street frontage.

Group of houses "02 + 14" Amsterdam, 2000 Köther & Salman 198

Longitudinal section

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor

Ground floor 199

Back-to-back Three storeys North-south orientation This back-to-back house type features a centrally located small inner courtyard providing daylight for the interior spaces. Since the structure covers the entire lot, extremely dense urban developments can be realised. The floor plan is divided into three zones: separate rooms in the front and back and a courtyard in the centre. Vertically, the house is also divided into three zones: the access zone on the ground floor, the high-ceiling living area on the first floor and personal rooms on the top floor. On the top floor, one personal room was traded in for an open space above the dining area. Because of the low-pitched roof, more light can reach the inner courtyard. The courtyard creates a remarkable spatial experience allowing the residents to view their own house through the window. In spite of the relatively confined space, this supports a sense of circuitousness and generous dimensions.

Group of houses Amsterdam, 1998 Claus en Kaan Architecten 200

Longitudinal section

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor

Ground floor 201

Back-to-back Three storeys North-south orientation This back-to-back house type is ideal for extremely dense urban environments. It occupies little ground and neighbouring units are attached on three sides. Therefore the surface area of the house is very small in relation to its volume. The resulting energy benefits make this type a viable solution for future urban developments. Despite the density, this house type features secluded sunny open spaces in the form of roof terraces on the first and second floor. The zoning of the floor plan with the centrally positioned quarter-spiral staircase adjacent to the party wall to the neighbouring lot is actually typical for row houses. The potential for modifications of this house lies in its width and the possibility for interconnections to neighbouring units on almost all sides. Weak points of the design are the large personal room on the first floor featuring only a skylight and the bathrooms receiving no daylight.

99 patio houses Amsterdam, 1999 Atelier Zeinstra van der Pol 202

Longitudinal section

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor

Ground floor 203

Back-to-back Three storeys North-south orientation A characteristic feature of this house type is the driveway located in the centre of the ground floor. Access is gained via two entrances, one on the front side and one in the back. The width of the house – 5.50 metres – not only allows parking on the ground floor but also the arrangement of two personal rooms side by side on the top floor. The upper levels are economically accessed via a central staircase. The far end of the living area on the first floor receives daylight through an elongated skylight. Generous recesses in the building volume create secluded roof terraces and give the south-facing façade a three-dimensional character and rhythm. Large surface areas of the north façade open towards the water. As with almost all back-to-back houses, floor plans can easily be joined.

44 patio houses Amsterdam, 1998 Kees Christiaanse architects and planners 204

Longitudinal section

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor

Ground floor 205

Front-to-back Three storeys East-west orientation The special characteristic of this backto-back house type are two single-flight straight staircases located at an offset in the centre of the house. Along with these staircases, the location of the flats shifts from one end of the house to the other on every level, thereby creating an interlocked spatial arrangement. This overcomes the typical one-sided

Longitudinal section

orientation of back-to-back houses. In general, this type requires a secluded open space in front of the house, because most rooms are oriented towards the public space. In this example, an inner courtyard staggered across the storeys provides daylight for the centre section of the house. The first and second floors comprise large personal rooms. The courtyard offers natural light and ventilation for the bathroom. Instead of a personal room, a roof garden could be realised on the top floor.

1st upper floor

This house type can also be realised on a narrower grid, which would further enhance its cost effectiveness. However, it requires an east-west orientation.

Student project Darmstadt University Eva Zimmermann Ground floor 206

Front-to-back Three storeys East-west orientation The apartment units are offset in section and accessed by two staircases with opposite orientation. The lengths of the units vary on the different levels. Because of the offset, each flat receives daylight from east and west. Additional courtyards provide daylight for the rear Longitudinal section

area of the longer section of each unit featuring a personal room and a bathroom on the ground floor. The dining area is slightly raised above the living area. A generously dimensioned porch – protected by the shift of the façade on the first floor – constitutes the transition zone between public space and the flats. The personal rooms on the first floor are accessed via a workspace mezzanine adjacent to the courtyard. On the second floor, two additional personal rooms and a roof terrace are located. Hardly any mono-functional

1st upper floor

hallways are to be found in the house. Due to the interlocking arrangement of the two types, structural solutions to soundproof the individual units need to be worked out. This complex house type allows very little modification or expansion.

Darmstadt University Student project Claudia Wall Ground floor 207

Front-to-back Three storeys East-west orientation In this back-to-back house type the orientation changes on every level. The apartment units are interlocked with each other so that the side that is exposed to daylight changes while ascending or descending the single-flight staircase. This not only ensures multiple daylight conditions but also makes for varied visual connections to the urban surroundings. Open spaces in the form of courtyards, terraces and loggias

2nd upper floor

create diverse relationships to the exterior. On the ground floor, an entry zone offering storage space separates the street space from an intimate courtyard in front of the bedroom and from a terrace courtyard in front of the dining area. On the first floor, a living room, loggia, toilet and storage are situated at the other end of the house. On the second floor, there are two additional personal rooms with

1st upper floor

adjoining loggias, separated from each other by a bathroom with shower and a separate toilet. Due to the centrally located entrance and the inner staircase, the potential for modifications of this house type is rather low.

Student project Darmstadt University Christoph Winterling Ground floor 208

Longitudinal section

209

Back-to-back, "vis-à-vis" Five storeys East-west orientation Only the lower levels of this house type are attached to the neighbouring unit. Two independent residential towers ex-

4th upper floor

tend above the first floor. Thus, the complex could combine commercially used spaces on the lower levels with separate residential units on the upper floors. The arrangement of the commercial units is flexible, which represents a structural advantage. However, this type does not offer a solution to pre-

3rd upper floor

vent views from one unit into the other. The two dwellings share a common terrace and the inescapable visual contact between the units calls for close contact between the two parties. Here, typical boundaries between neighbouring units are broken up in favour of an

2nd upper floor

open structure. The straight staircases with their lower and upper landings in the two towers allow for linking adjoining units on all levels. In practice, the extreme layout with only one room per level might prove problematic. 1st upper floor

Student project Darmstadt University Gabriele Pinter Ground floor 210

Longitudinal section

211

Two-zone house Single storey North-south orientation The floor plan of this house type is divided into two zones with different room temperatures to reduce energy consumption. Besides this measure of passive energy conservation, another element is used to enable active energy gains. In the centre of the "warm" living area a two-storey glasshouse extends beyond the roof. As a consequence, kitchen, dining area and living room are grouped around this energy source. Adjacent to this zone, personal rooms requiring lower temperatures are to be found. These in turn are grouped around the bathrooms, which again should have a higher room temperature. Thus, the typology of the floor plan is derived from energy aspects. As half of the flat structure is buried in the ground, the house sits inconspicuously in the landscape. This also minimises the building’s surface area exposed to the elements. A roof garden open to all sides and secluded inner courtyards create generously dimensioned exterior spaces of varying atmospheres.

Group of houses Berlin, 1985 Herzog + Partner 212

Longitudinal section

Upper floor

Ground floor 213

Two-zone house Two storeys East-west orientation The floor plan of this house type is divided into a two-storey "warm" living room zone and a one-storey "cold" zone with secondary rooms. In this design, personal rooms are defined as "warm" rooms and bathrooms as "cold" rooms. While the zoning of the floor plan in this example is not as consistently derived from energy demands (as is the previous example), this house type provides more flexibility in terms of usage. Identically shaped personal rooms are grouped around a central double-height space with a hallway wrapped around it. The principal organisation of the internal circulation enables linking this house type to adjoining units on every level. The possibility of externally accessing the upper level via the roof of the secondary room zone opens up additional possibilities for flexible uses. The double-height space could be developed into an "energy garden" with a glass roof to realise heat gains.

Group of houses "Kranichstein" Darmstadt, 1983 Herzog + Partner 214

Longitudinal section

Upper floor

Ground floor 215

III  The Town House

The anonymity of the city is increasingly seen as a quality. It gives one the freedom to pursue leisure activities more intensively and to live life to the full, unencumbered by interpersonal or family obligations. The much vaunted quality of “public space” in post-modern urban design is losing ground to a new kind of urban environment that is characterised by anonymity and a higher density of cultural activities, service offerings and commercial possibilities – factors which are evidently sufficient to make the city more popular as a place to live. Like the city, society is also subject to ongoing transformation. Globalisation has brought radical changes to the employment market and in turn changed conventional family patterns. Families now live in different cities, countries and even continents. In fact, the term “family” no longer refers solely to grandchildren, parents and children but now also encompasses patchwork families, step families and single-parent families, communal house owners, flatmates or even groups of people who “cohabit” for certain phases in their lives. These new communal structures are in part a result of the shift in the perception of distance towards one another described above. The spaces that arise – figuratively speaking the room to find unoccupied niches and to have different options – need to find an expression in the built environment. It is this invisible, flexible, empty space that becomes a basis for new com­ munities and thereby also for individual existence. This applies equally to ­interpersonal space as it does to urban space. The individualisation of the home, the provision of different types of apartments within a building and the combination of houses to create an open environment are architectural options that can lead to new forms and ways of organising the city. Temporary uses, interim uses and functionally neutral spaces will shape urban development to a much greater degree than ever before. New communication and media technologies are increasingly blurring the boundaries between the realms of living and work. Closed-off, rigidly defined living spaces and room sizes are less able to accommodate this trend while open building structures allow one to better utilise such new p ­ otential. The increasing ageing of the population is giving rise to new neighbourhood models. Houses and apartments in which different generations live together foster opportunities to help one another and exchange services. They offer, alongside the institutionalised models of care and nursing homes, a new 218

form of living in old age that is oriented around people’s individual way of life. Architecture and housing design must offer a platform for such open forms of communal interaction. Open access and circulation structures linked to semi-public and public spaces have the potential to become spaces for such interaction. The communal aspect could become a catalyst for new forms of housing, as it necessitates multi-functional, flexible structures that can be expanded or reduced as required without the need for construction, that are ecological and economical, and contribute to the local community in their urban context. The desire for private outdoor space and for a house open on all sides, and therefore detached, remains the dominant ideal form of living. Occasional attempts have been made to interpret and translate these needs into the third dimension and to derive urban structures from this model, but they have not had much impact on the mass of urban activities. Privacy and community need to be given new forms of expression in housing. Future building structures must be able to accommodate these opposing poles and to interpret them spatially. One such interpretation is a spa­tial network of large and small units that are arranged at different densities in an interdependent structure. Positive volumes generate negative volumes which can serve both as recreational space and as space for interaction. The different levels and volumes of a building structure produce areas with different degrees of intimacy and public-private usage which can serve different functions. Within this kind of system, an enclosed apartment is just as possible as an open network of interactive versus private volumes of different sizes and zoning densities. The building structure is flexible so that it can be adapted to accommodate groups of various sizes with different needs and different societal, cultural or sociological orientations. In addition to an attractive mixture of residential types with regard to size and orientation, the urban and interactive environment plays a significant role. Generously proportioned and barrier-free circulation and access spaces, which foster interaction and can be used as communal spaces, are just as ­necessary as carefully designed outdoor areas.

219

Floor plan types In most cases the different types of town houses are characterised by an external access system. Predominant throughout, however, is the tendency to employ a combination of different access typologies within a single project to achieve greater variation. To enable a better comparison of the projects, we have therefore chosen not to employ access typologies but rather spatial categories as our classification system. The categories nevertheless overlap, blend and fuse with one another.

Row The depth of the row as a basic urban form varies according to its orientation: a south-facing strip is typically around 7 to 9 metres deep. This variant has large windows on the south side with secondary and ancillary functions on the north side lit by smaller windows. Strips with a west-east orientation are approximately 12 to 14 metres deep. The zoning of the floor plan is more flexible than the north-south variant. Twin row In the case of the twin row, only one face of each row faces outwards. The other face is oriented inwards towards a more or less open interior courtyard, which depending on size and proportions can have a passage-like character. The courtyards or passages can be covered as a means of conserving energy or furnished to serve as communal areas.

Single-aspect row With this typology, only one side of the row receives daylight and ventilation. This house type can be built-up on three sides and is consequently suitable for tight infill sites and as a means of redensifying existing quarters. For this reason this typology will in future become increasingly important.

220 24

Perimeter block – continuous The perimeter block is a combination of row and corner floor plans. Its primary typological characteristic is that it faces simultaneously inwards onto an interior courtyard and outwards onto the urban surroundings. Coupled with the need to orient with respect to the sun this results in different floor plan zonings for the respective sides of the block.

Perimeter block – perforated This house type is a reaction to the difficult floor plan arrangement of the apartments in the perimeter block. The tension between inward and outward orientation of the floor plan on the one hand and orientation with respect to the sun on the other determine the form of the individual sides of the block. The perforation of the perimeter building is a strategy that creates external spaces and distance between the separate parts of the block. Infill The infilling of a vacant lot is a traditional design task in the city. The piece that joins together two separate buildings has to accommodate the height and depth of each of its neighbours. In most cases this building has a frontback orientation due to the presence of firewalls on both sides, in some cases, however, it is only single-aspect.

221 25

Row Four storeys North-south orientation This programmatic design for a loft house provides a neutral two-storey envelope for the residents to complete according to their own spatial needs. Twelve apartments are accessed via a two-storey platform on the north side, which is constructed as an independent element and connected via bridges. The two-storey envelopes are left as just the shell – only vertical risers and heating are pre-installed – to stimulate the residents to fit them out themselves. Residents are expected not only to add lightweight partitions but also to close off ceiling panels and insert stairs. The building's façade is likewise conceived with individual personalisation in mind. On the flush south façade, fixed glazing sections alternate with differentsized hinged openings. The concept of this building is ahead of its time. It demonstrates a new direction in housing and offers homeowners and tenants new spatial potential.

"Kölner Brett" housing Cologne, 2000 b&k+ brandlhuber&kniess 222 26

Arrangement of volumes

Longitudinal section

Ground floor

Cross section

1st upper floor

223 27

Row Four storeys East-west orientation At nearly 19 metres, the exceptional depth of this simple arrangement of two flats per floor necessitates an unusual floor plan that allows daylight deep into the building. The west-facing private bedrooms are all of the same width and form a clear barrier to daylight. On the other side, a full-height incision cut deep into the building creates a void with different light qualities which is contained by a large terrace to the east. The resulting floor plan is divided into three narrow strips or zones: an outdoor space with courtyard and terrace, a living and dining area with freestanding kitchen and a further more private section with personal spaces and sanitary facilities. Different room zones result which can be used in different ways: for example, the area near the entrance can serve as a dining or play area. The living room with private spaces at the east end and the large covered terraces create a most contemporary atmosphere for living and working in.

Rhine residence Basel, 2006 Neff Neumann Architekten 224 28

Cross section

Longitudinal section

Typical floor plan 225 29

Row Four storeys East-west orientation This example of an external access gallery arrangement is remarkable in its uncompromising interpretation of the gallery as a space for interaction. Not only the entrances and kitchens open out onto the gallery but also the living areas, whose generous glazed frontages look onto the wide gallery. Large open sections in the ceiling of the gallery – covered with gridded grating – allow light to penetrate down to the lower floors. Two more private rooms on the other side of the building face west, of which one is coupled with the living room and can therefore also be used for other purposes. The second bedroom is reached via a corridor that also provides access to a small balcony at the rear. The floor plan can therefore be utilised over its entire depth and allows for a variety of living arrangements. A shift in the alignment of the terraces above the gallery would have afforded each flat greater privacy; but perhaps this was precisely what the designer wished to avoid.

20 apartments Maastricht, 1995 Wiel Arets Architects 226 30

Cross section

1st upper floor

Ground floor

227 31

Row Five storeys North-south orientation The more than 200-metre-long row of housing consists of a simple, terraced two-flat-per-floor arrangement with narrow single-flight stairs. This house type consists of three- and four-room apartments which can be enlarged by removing lightweight partitioning walls. The characteristic element of this house type is the arrangement of the loggia. While the bedrooms on the east side feature a continuous loggia, on the west side there are two separate loggias. The living room extends outwards onto a loggia, which is glazed along the street frontage; the bathroom also has a smaller loggia for hanging out the washing. As each of these elements is clearly articulated as lying in front of the apartment, they give the appearance of independent elements in the urban landscape. The two loggias face one another and also accommodate the change in height resulting from the topography of the site. Because they can be used individually, they set up numerous opportunities for interaction.

Luzernerring housing estate Basel, 1993 Michael Alder 228 32

Cross section

1st to 4th upper floor

Ground floor

229 33

Row Five to six storeys East-west orientation The concept of this row type is simple: the private bedrooms, all of equal size, are neatly arranged next to one another along the east side of the building. An internal circulation zone between the bathrooms and the living rooms makes it possible to simply link bedrooms to the respective living areas. The apartments are reached via a long open gallery along one side that widens in front of the living rooms and entrances to form an outdoor space for each flat. The sizes of the apartments vary between three and fiverooms. Other combinations are possible by breaking through optional openings at the of the internal circulation zone. Access to the gallery is via an enclosed staircase at one end of the building and an open stair enclosed by the gallery at the other. The building is used as student accommodation. A wider gallery with a more pronounced articulation of the individual zones would make them more attractive for other residential uses.

Bülachhof residences Zurich, 2003 Marc Langenegger 230 34

Longitudinal section

Typical floor plan

231 35

Row Seven storeys All directions The meandering figure of this housing scheme consists of north-south and east-west oriented rows of the same depth. The stair access typology serving two flats per floor varies according to orientation: for the north-south rows, the stairwells are arranged parallel to the north side next to the ancillary spaces while all living areas face south. A more private room at the end of the apartment extends the entire width of the building. In the east-west sections, the stairwells are arranged perpendicular to the floor plan, and the apartments accordingly have a twin arrangement of bedrooms, one facing east, the other west. Characteristic for the scheme are the generous loggias that extend deep into the plan and serve in effect as an outdoor room. The deep loggias also represent a model solution for the often problematic northeast corners through the arrangement of all living areas to face the loggia.

Aspholz-Nord residential housing Zurich, 2005 pool Architekten 232 36

Longitudinal section

233 37

1st/3rd/5th upper floor 234 38

2nd/4th/6th upper floor 235 39

Row Seven storeys East-west orientation This house type with two flats per floor and a split-level arrangement represents an exception among town houses. The advantages of half-flights of stairs in the centre of the apartment not only reduces the space required for circulation but also creates large one-and-a-half-storeyhigh spaces. These spaces all face west so that the lower evening sun can penetrate deep into the floor plan. On the east side, large loggias are arranged in front of the dining areas to benefit from the morning and midday sun. The careful articulation of the loggias, the interlocking spaces and arrangement of rooms are particular qualities of this housing type. Despite its limitations with regard to disabled access, this kind of split-level housing, which makes good use of passive solar gain, deserves to be employed more often in dense urban contexts.

Aspholz-Süd residential housing Zurich, 2007 Darlington Meier Architekten 236 40

1st/4th upper floor

Cross section

Cross section

2nd/5th upper floor

3rd/6th upper floor 237 41

Row Eight storeys East-west orientation The special feature of this house type is the radical rigour of its formal concept: the principle of a fully-glazed skeleton construction, with regularly articulated columns and floor slabs on the façade, is stringently followed throughout. This skeleton also informs the geometric system of the floor plans. The overall figure, which is exceptionally deep – splaying outwards still further at each end – consists of a pair of internally positioned stairwells and lifts serving two flats per floor. All living areas, as well as a small toilet with shower, face the fully-glazed frontage. An entrance corridor, internal hallway and a second corridor provide access to each of the separate rooms as well as a bathroom and separate toilet in the centre of the plan. Each loggia is integrated into the façade of the building. The apartments are appropriately spacious and the full-height glazing connects the interiors with the green park outside most effectively.

Schwarzpark residences Basel, 2004 Miller & Maranta 238 42

Longitudinal section

Typical floor plan

Ground floor 239 43

Row Eight storeys All directions The interlocking system of different-sized apartments in this housing complex skilfully combines different maisonette apartments, reached via staircases serving two flats per floor. The result is an exceptionally deep floor plan, a factor of the stepped arrangement of the apartments. Given the depth of 13.5 metres, the architects have been able to achieve a very good proportion of circulation to living space. The vast volume of the buildings in this complex, which cascades down a hilly site reaching in parts seven storeys, are dealt with masterfully. The single-aspect apartments are connected via a single flight of stairs to the next floor where they receive light from both sides. The single-floor apartments have a generous living and dining area that spans the width of the building with a niche for the kitchen fittings. At the ends of the buildings, these rooms open out onto a terrace that likewise utilises the full building width. At roof level the apartments are supplemented by terraces let into the roof. The same floor plan system is used for the one block with a north-south orientation.

Leimbachstrasse multi-storey housing Zurich, 2005 pool Architekten 240 44

Cross section

Longitudinal section

241 45

Ground floor 242 46

1st upper floor

2nd upper floor

Interlocking arrangement of apartments

243 47

Row Nine storeys North-south orientation The strongly delineated housing slab is accessed via a single long outside walkway which is in turn accessed by a single lift. The additional stairs serve as fire escapes and as a means of communicating between the different levels. Except for a few exceptions in the top four storeys, all the apartments follow exactly the same principle: a small entrance zone with bathroom and kitchen behind is fixed, the remaining three rooms are flexible, divided by lightweight sliding partitions, and are laid out with traditional Japanese tatami mats. Each of these rooms has fitted cupboards with tatami dimensions. Two of the rooms are the size of six tatami mats, the third the size of nine mats. An internal corridor passes along the frontage, parallel to the outside walkway, providing access to the rooms. In the four top storeys, the system is varied with maisonettes. Here the entrances with the kitchens form a doubleheight gallery space containing the stairs.

Gifu Kitagata apartments Yokohama, 2000 Akiko + Hirosi Takahashi workstation 244 48

Longitudinal section

7th upper floor

6th upper floor

5th upper floor 245 49

Row Three to four storeys North-south orientation This building type is inspired by house types from the lagoon city of Venice. In Venice, all houses are required to be accessible from two sides – from dry land and from the water. The pivotal element of this type is a small internal courtyard, which serves as distributor and light well. The building sections arranged around it interact quite differently with the outdoor space. The low-level volume is oriented towards the water, the upright volume to the landward side and better lighting conditions. Translated to an urban situation, this principle can be used to regulate the illumination for north-south or east-west orientations. The internal access is via a straight single flight of stairs, the illumination partially via light wells. The principle can accommodate different building depths as the internal courtyard in the centre of the plan also provides illumination.

Diploma project Darmstadt University Alexander Scholtysek 246 50

Arrangement of volumes

Longitudinal section

247 51

Ground floor 248 52

1st upper floor

Cross section

Cross section

2nd upper floor

3rd upper floor 249 53

Row Four storeys North-south orientation The design is conceived as a way of dealing with extremely deep narrow urban sites. Deep incisions, which widen to become courtyards, help illuminate the elongated house types. A characteristic feature of this house type is its use of single flights of stairs, sometimes ascending four storeys. The cascade-like arrangement of the stairs above one another makes it possible to create floor plans with a variable number of personal spaces per living area. Each of these personal spaces has its own sanitary facilities and can function autonomously as a one-room apartment. As the openings in the individual units are always offset to one another and look in different directions, it is possible to create very private spaces in close proximity to one another. Open courtyards and galleries, as well as half-height levels in some areas, provide points of rest within the complex constellation of spaces and ensure that even deep rooms are sufficiently illuminated.

Diploma project Darmstadt University Eva Martini 250 54

Longitudinal section

Longitudinal section

1st upper floor

3rd upper floor

Ground floor

2nd upper floor 251 55

Row Four storeys North-south orientation The access system for this north-south oriented row is inspired by a double-helix stair. Two pairs of parallel stairs leading in opposite directions provide access from two sides, in this case from the north and south. The same arrangement with two series of stairs, one behind the other, requires more circulation space but also significantly increases the number of possible combinations of differentsized apartments. The deep building plan is illuminated by additional internal courtyards, which can be deeper or longer to fit the system. Although the house is accessed from either the right or lefthand side only, the system of staircases allow different combinations on the upper storeys and enable one to exploit the full depth of the building. Small and large apartments, single-storey or maisonette, single or dual-aspect are all possible as a result of the arrangement of the doors alone.

Student project Darmstadt University Florian Götze 252 56

Arrangement of volumes

Cross section

Cross section

Longitudinal section

253 57

Ground floor 254 58

1st upper floor

2nd upper floor

3rd upper floor 255 59

Twin row Four storeys East-west orientation These large-volume clusters are part of a permeable perimeter block and contain up to 30 different apartments depending on the type. All the apartments are accessed from an internal courtyard: the maisonettes in the west wing via staircases, the single-level apartments in the east wing via single flights of stairs which are reached from a raised circulation zone on the first floor. The ground floor level of the east wing contains open car parking spaces in lieu of underground parking. All apartments have two-storey "energy gardens" that face west or south. This also applies for the more slender singlelevel apartments in the east wing. Here the energy gardens are arranged offset over two storeys and extend above the roof level on the uppermost storey. Each of the four approximately equal rooms in the west wing can be used for different purposes. A lift at the end of the cluster provides disabled access for some of the apartments.

IBA twin row Berlin, 1999 Günter Pfeifer 256 60

Cross section

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor 257 61

Twin row Four storeys East-west orientation The basic urban figure is an interpretation of the traditional "Schlitzhaus" common in Hamburg around the end of the 19th century. Narrow north-south alleys separate the house types into two parallel rows, one facing east, one facing west. The problem of daylight illumination from one side only is resolved through a skilful arrangement of stepped-back terraces on the upper floors. Maisonette apartments have been arranged on the ground floor, which is slightly elevated to reduce overlooking. On the second floor – reached via a stair that feeds three flats per landing and a bridge for the west side – the living rooms with south-facing terraces extend the entire depth of the building. The apartments on the third floor are slightly smaller; the south-facing terrace is arranged so that the neighbours do not feel overlooked. The especially deep twin flat arrangement of the north-south row steps down southwards through the use of terraces; deep cutouts ensure that the house types which face north receive direct light from the east or west at the corners.

Rotherbaum housing estate Hamburg, 1998 Atelier 5 258 62

Cross section

Ground floor

1st upper floor 259 63

Twin row Five storeys East-west orientation A glass roof covers a five-storey atrium between parallel rows of apartments that face east and west. A series of walkways and bridges provide access to the apartments. Along with the bridges, small terraces in front of the entrances to the apartments help create an atmosphere that encourages interaction in a space which, thanks to passive solar gain, can be used all year round. In the apartments on the west side, only the kitchen opens onto the atrium space; on the east side, the living rooms of the apartments extend the entire depth of the row so that these apartments also benefit from light from the west. In addition, the living areas have glazed bays on the east elevation. The mixture of two and three-room apartments in each flank is supplemented by four-room apartments at each end of the row. Through the use of energy-efficient installations and passive technologies, the covered atrium serves as a means of naturally ventilating, heating and cooling the building.

Holzstraße housing scheme Linz, 1999 Herzog + Partner 260 64

Cross section

Typical floor plan

261 65

Twin row Three to four storeys North-south orientation This twin row arrangement with access from two sides is designed for inner-city locations. All sides of the ground floor can be used for large-scale retail or office usage. When raised a few steps off the ground, the ground floor can also be used for residential housing. Access to the upper floor is via two straight, single flights of stairs on opposite sides of the building, which open onto a small, elevated inner courtyard. This courtyard offers an internal space for interaction and affords better natural lighting for the apartments on the upper floors. Depending on the block type, each courtyard provides access to two or three apartments, all of them maisonettes. Some house and floor plan types also have a roof terrace or additional living space on the third floor. A variant with single-storey apartments on the first floor is conceivable when the second-floor apartments are accessed via a stair from the inner courtyard.

Diploma project Darmstadt University Valeska Bühler 262 66

Cross section

Ground floor 263 67

Cross section

1st upper floor 264 68

Transverse courtyard type

Longitudinal courtyard type roof garden apartment 1 roof garden

open courtyard, access to two flats apartment 1

apartment 3 open courtyard, access to two flats

apartment 2

roof garden

apartment 2 passage from alley to water/gardens

apartment 4 passage from alley to water/gardens

Block types

2nd upper floor 265 69

Single-aspect row Five storeys South orientation In this single-aspect row of housing, all the apartments have to be accessed from the south. On the ground floor, the slightly raised apartments are accessed directly from the street via short stairs, on the third floor via an elevated walkway reached by an open staircase at each end. The ground floor contains a series of two-storey, equal-sized threeroom maisonette apartments. The internal stair to the upper level is arranged as a single flight of stairs at the back of the flat behind the kitchen. The apartments on the third floor, reached via the walkway, are also maisonettes but of different sizes. Two of the entrances open onto a lobby, each of which provides access to two further apartments: a three-room apartment, which is coupled with the second floor below, and a somewhat larger four-room apartment coupled with the fourth floor above. The stacking of the different apartment types above one another according to the rhythm of the cross walls ensures an economical construction.

Cité Saint Chaumont housing Paris, 1993 Francis Soler 266 70

Longitudinal section

4th upper floor

3rd upper floor

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor

267 71

Single-aspect row Four storeys North-south orientation Inner-city situations can sometimes produce constraints such as those of this housing estate in Berlin, which consists of single-aspect rows of houses with a north or south orientation. To compensate for the lack of daylight in the north-oriented apartments, a series of deep incisions are cut into the volume of the building to allow sun from the east and west to penetrate deep into the floor plan. The stepping of the volumes and the combination possibilities offered by the two-storey spaces produce a rhythm of rooms that can be coupled in different permutations. The floor plan is divided into three zones: a façade zone with kitchen, dining areas and terraces, a central zone with living areas, bedrooms and circulation, and a third zone with ancillary spaces and rearward lighting courts. Because each section has a stairwell on both sides, each with a front and a rear entrance, the arrangement and succession of the spaces in-between can be divided into different-sized areas simply by closing doorways.

Student project Darmstadt University Kathrin Hinkel 268 72

Longitudinal section

3rd upper floor

2nd upper floor 269 73

Single-aspect row Five storeys North-south orientation This project employs two approaches to tackle the problem of north-facing single-aspect apartments. Firstly, the floor plan is divided down the middle into spatial zones using a split-level arrangement: living and dining areas face the façade, with bedrooms and bathrooms in the darker rearward zone. Secondly, a deep notch is inserted between the apartments of the northfacing row that extends the height of the three uppermost storeys. These incisions, together with the deep loggias, allow light from the east and west to illuminate the north-facing apartments. The incisions in the row on the south side serve partially as four-storey towerlike apartments. The stepped arrangement of the floors divides the flats into semi-public and private zones. Further lighting courts in the second zone help ventilate the rooms and lend them a special atmosphere of their own. This second layer also has a secondary means of access via the loggia behind the stairwells.

Student project Darmstadt University Martin Trefon 270 74

Cross section

Longitudinal section

Longitudinal section 271 75

Circulation

1st upper floor

Ground floor 272 76

apartment 3 apartment 2

apartment 3 apartment 2 interior courtyard apartment 1

apartment 1

apartment 1

Arrangement of volumes

3rd upper floor

2nd upper floor 273 77

Perimeter block – continuous Five storeys All directions The five-storey block is arranged around a large interior space, partially open to the sky, with an open gallery that provides access to all the apartments. Two enclosed staircases in the gallery contain a cascading series of single-flight stairs and are supplemented by three lifts. Almost all apartments are accessed from one side of the corridor. The diagonal face of the building solves the problem of north-facing apartments, ensuring that these flats receive sufficient light from the west. A special feature of this building is the three 33-metre-long, east-west oriented apartments that extend the depth of the building and include large south-facing roof terraces in the interior of the block. The luxurious three-room apartments each have two entrances. The remaining floor plans are typical corridor floor plans with sometimes extremely narrow rooms. The apartments on the uppermost floor have an additional roof terrace.

Botania complex Amsterdam, 2002 Frits van Dongen, de Architekten Cie. 274 78

Longitudinal section

4th upper floor

3rd upper floor 275 79

Perimeter block – continuous Six to seven storeys All directions The urban perimeter block is accessed via four internal staircases arranged in the "elbows" of the building. The entrances to the compact staircases open onto the public passageways to the interior courtyard. The entrance on the southeast side is given special prominence by an open entrance platform. The ground floor on the northwest side is used for commercial premises. With only a few exceptions, all the apartments are three or four-room apartments. As the staircases are arranged in each inner corner, two apartments are reached via a small access gallery that looks out over the courtyard. The small flats reached via the gallery are, with one exception, tworoom apartments. The generous loggias on the corners of the building are particularly apparent and together with the corner glazing of the living room lend the building a striking appearance. The loggias facing the interior courtyard project beyond the façade like balconies, facilitating active interaction between the inhabitants.

Nordlyset residences Copenhagen, 2006 C. F. Møller Architects 276 80

Ground floor 277 81

Cross section

1st/3rd/5th upper floor 278 82

Cross section

2nd/4th upper floor 279 83

Perimeter block – continuous Four storeys All directions The basic idea of this design is an alternating arrangement of private spaces around communal areas of differing degrees of privacy: within the flats themselves and between the flats and public spaces which are part of the entire residential complex. Different apartment sizes and plans are possible. Each "Cocooning Module" contains a washroom, a living and sleeping area and a loggia in addition to a small kitchen unit. The individual modules can be arranged in rows, connected by communal areas, and can be coupled to form different-sized apartments. The various courtyard forms result from the differing illumination and access methods and, as public spaces, facilitate a maximum degree of interaction. This design is envisaged as a model for new ways of living, such as for patchwork families or as communal housing for a mix of different age groups.

Arrangement of volumes

Student project Darmstadt University Angèle Tersluisen 280 84

Cross section

2nd upper floor 281 85

Perimeter block – continuous Six storeys All directions In the Berlin neighbourhood of Prenzlauer Berg, one can still find perimeter block structures with a succession of interior courtyards. This project takes the rigorous arrangement of internal courtyards as its theme, transforming them with a view to improving the quality of living in the dense interior space of the courtyard. The stairs and lifts are arranged in the dark intersections of the typology and lit naturally from above via a skylight and stairwell. All the apartments are two-storey maisonettes with an entrance from the staircase on each floor, in accordance with Berlin regulations. The apartments are accessed from their innermost corner. A loggia extending the depth of the building adapts the maisonette character by employing a stepped arrangement of the storeys and ensures that the flats in the courtyards receive sufficient daylight. Each block contains different-sized apartments according to their location. If desired, the maisonette apartments can be divided into two smaller singlestorey apartments.

Student project Darmstadt University Annika Kingl 282 86

1st July | 2 p.m. | 55° mean 27° 1st January | 3 p.m. | 5°

1st July | midday | 60° mean 35° 1st January | 9 a.m. | 5°

Daylight illumination

Access and circulation

1st/3rd upper floor 283 87

Cross section

2nd/4th upper floor 284 88

Longitudinal section

5th upper floor 285 89

Perimeter block – perforated Three storeys All directions The three-storey housing complex is bounded by a common roof and accessed exclusively via the interior courtyard. Accordingly, the interior of the block is a vibrant space for interaction, with spacious lawns, planting and play areas. Typologically, the apartments are more akin to row houses, with access to the ground floor from the courtyard, to the first floor via a stair and terraces and to the top floor via long, broad gallery walkways. The three-room house types on the ground and first floors are divided into a more public and a more private zone through the placement of the bathroom in the centre and the connector-corridor. The top floor apartments are small but well-proportioned two-room apartments. A sliding partition allows the top apartments to be used in various ways; both rooms open out onto the large loggia beneath the roof.

Rotterdamer Straße housing complex Düren, 1997 Herman Hertzberger 286 90

Cross section

Top floor

1st upper floor

Ground floor 287 91

Perimeter block – perforated Three storeys All directions This three-storey housing development consists of a system of two different house types – a long north-south oriented block and three east-west oriented buildings – which are repeated and mirrored. The floor plans of the north-south block are clearly divided into south-facing living areas with ancillary spaces and circulation to the north. The maisonette apartments have an optional stair to the top floor making it possible to create either a large three-storey apartment or a separate living area on the top floor. This top flat has its own entrance via an elevated walkway. The three communal staircases provide access to the upper gallery as well as to the three east-west buildings. The typology of the apartments in the east-west oriented buildings feature an entrance hallway along one side which is wide enough to serve as a living or play area. The living and dining rooms with kitchen at the north end of the building are also connected to large open terraces which face south back into the courtyard.

Vogelbach housing development Riehen, 1992 Michael Alder 288 92

Cross section

Ground floor

1st upper floor

2nd upper floor 289 93

Perimeter block – perforated Five storeys All directions A particular characteristic of this housing complex is its unusual means of access. On the ground floor, entrance is via several courtyards arranged along the length of the comb-shaped complex. External stairs ascend several storeys, leading along two buildings to the south, passing through the third floor to an internal walkway on the fourth floor. On the first floor, access to the four-room maisonettes, which switch over to the north side on the second floor, is from the rear. Half-landings on the north side provide access to interlocking maisonettes that switch back from the second floor to the first floor. An internal walkway on the fourth floor provides access to the remaining apartments, which are similarly coupled with the floor below to form maisonettes. This system of access produces apartments with unusual floor plans. Because they make use of both east and west orientation, they are particularly well-lit.

Void/hinged space housing complex Fukuoka, 1992 Steven Holl Architects 290 94

Cross section

2nd upper floor

3rd upper floor

Cross section

4th upper floor

291 95

Perimeter block – perforated Seven storeys All directions The main typological characteristic of the floor plans in this partially enclosed perimeter block is to ensure sufficient daylight illumination for all the apartments given their inner-city location. Staircases provide access to four apartments per landing with a combination of different maisonettes on the upper storeys. The standard situation on the third and fourth floors features two apartments with open living areas and a large open terrace as well as a third inward-facing maisonette apartment on the west side. The luxurious apartments on the sixth floor are maisonette apartments, each with two large terraces. Although they follow a conventional six-room arrangement, they serve as generous four-room apartments due to the gallery space adjacent to the central living area. Compared with the generous sizes of the terraces and rooms, the toilets and bathrooms in the centre of the plan are small. The apartments in the side wings are smaller and have no loggias.

81 housing units Paris, 1997 Philippe Gazeau 292 96

Longitudinal section

6th upper floor

5th upper floor 293 97

Perimeter block – perforated Five storeys All directions Intergenerational housing is the product of a search for forms of housing that support a sense of community while catering for a variety of different ways of life. For this, both floor plans as well as the building arrangement need to be variable. The concept shown here uses a two-storey distributor, or hub, which can serve as an extended communal space for living or dining in. Private rooms, each with their own sizeable bathroom, are attached to this as modules for individual ways of living, working, sleeping and, to a limited degree, also cooking. Each cluster can have a different combination of communal spaces and private modules – 1+5, 2+4, 3+3. The lower and ground floors can house communal functions, such as child care, a swimming pool, relaxation and shopping. Sunlight and illumination can be varied as desired according to location: in the peaceful inner courtyard, the louder urban courtyard or the passageway.

Student project Darmstadt University Janna Jessen 294 98

passageway

residential courtyard

urban courtyard

Sequence of sections

Cross section

Longitudinal section

295 99

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor

296 100

4th upper floor

3rd upper floor

297 101

Perimeter block – perforated Six storeys All directions The meandering form of the volume of the building is connected via three bridge-like elements that serve as circulation. The courtyards that result between them allow each section of the building to receive equal lighting. The two-storey spaces that puncture the building at intervals function as winter gardens and help provide daylight for the individual communal apartments. These spaces serve as a joint-access courtyard and can also be used to link neighbouring apartments. The adjoining spaces are divided into a living and dining area and more private personal spaces, which with their own bathrooms serve as minimal self-contained private apartments. Combinations are possible by linking together different modules on either side of the winter gardens. Communal living areas and personal spaces can be combined in different ratios – either 1+5 or 3+3 – with different-sized winter gardens, either as single-storey or as two-storey gallery spaces. Accordingly, the configuration can vary from storey to storey, providing that they receive sufficient daylight.

Student project Darmstadt University Valeska Bühler 298 102

Cross section

Longitudinal section

1st upper floor 299 103

3rd upper floor

2nd upper floor

300 104

5th upper floor

4th upper floor

301 105

Perimeter block – perforated Eight to nine storeys All directions Above a two-storey plinth for shops and commercial premises is a raised open platform reached by a broad flight of stairs. At regular intervals, stairwells with lifts connect the platform with the shopping arcades and underground parking in the floors below. Each of the housing strips, whether arranged in an east-west direction or north-south direction, are systematically divided down the centre. Large loggias punctuate the otherwise rigorous arrangement. The system can accommodate both single-storey flats as well as larger maisonette apartments. The maisonettes are organised in such a way that the living areas switch from one side to the other for the floor above to benefit from daylight from both sides. As the concept employs a system with two or three flats per landing, the ability to combine flats with one another is only sometimes possible.

Student project ETH Zurich Philipp Zindel 302 106

Longitudinal section

303 107

3rd upper floor

2nd upper floor

304 108

5th upper floor

4th upper floor

305 109

Infill Four storeys East-west orientation The main characteristic of this infill project is its arrangement of individual "living boxes", which are stacked and combined to a height of four storeys. Six individual houses are interlocked in such a way that the upper-storey apartments can also be combined with one another in different constellations. The ground level zones contain additional small one and two-room apartments, though their illumination would not be sufficient for European standards. Access is via a series of passageways and irregularly arranged terraces in the interior of the block. The exceptionally small room sizes, together with the galleries and additional terraces, create a bustling feeling of houses within houses. The rooms and terraces on the upper storeys are well illuminated thanks to their east-west orientation.

Space Block Hanoi model Hanoi, 2003 C+A Coelacanth and Associates 306 110

Longitudinal section

3rd upper floor

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor

Ground floor

307 111

Infill Five storeys East-west orientation At first glance, the building inserted into the vacant lot employs a straightforward rear-stair access typology. On closer inspection, the design affords a level of flexibility that all apartment housing should provide: it offers a variety of ways for the residents to adapt and personalise the rooms and sequence of rooms according to their own lifestyle. In addition to the stairwell with lift, a vertical riser for the installations has been located in such a way that a different living arrangement is possible on each floor, ranging from a fully open plan to a three-room apartment. On the third floor, the system accommodates a pair of two-room apartments, in the roof a large maisonette apartment with a second entrance from the staircase (as stipulated by Berlin's building regulations, but which also provides the added benefit of being able to separate the flat into two smaller units). The fully-glazed façade with sliding aluminium screens likewise gives the residents free reign over how they wish to use and express the interior.

"Urbane Living 1" Berlin, 2001 abcarius + burns architecture design 308 112

Cross section

Longitudinal section

2nd upper floor

Top floor

1st upper floor

4th upper floor

Ground floor

3rd upper floor

309 113

Infill Five storeys East-west orientation This building, which fills a vacant site in a block perimeter in Berlin, consists of two interconnected houses. On the ground floor, both houses have a front and a rear entrance. The front entrance can also be used to access both units. A two-storey unit at the west end of

Top floor

the site contains a single private area and is connected via an elevated interior court on the first floor with the sixstorey tower-like building to the east. This connection, as well as the connection on the ground floor, is optional,

4th upper floor

allowing the two units to be used together or separately as required at any time. The unit on the east is a single large dwelling with three private rooms and generous living areas on the second

3rd upper floor

and fourth floors. While the smaller unit has a garden to the west, protected from view by a high wall, the living area of the larger unit is supplemented by a private terrace on the second floor

2nd upper floor

and on the roof. A lift in the east part provides easier access to the tower.

1st upper floor

Kunert town house Berlin, 2006 Nalbach + Nalbach Ground floor 310 114

Longitudinal section

311 115

Infill Five storeys East-west orientation This five-storey infill development cleverly combines commercial and private uses. Galleries and light wells next to the stairs in the commercial premises are skilfully used to interconnect the spaces, lending them interest and ensuring that they are well-lit. The residential function begins

Top floor

on the second floor with the main living room. The kitchen, dining area and living room are linked by a spacious roof terrace. To ensure that the upper floors are well-illuminated, the building depth of the upper storeys is reduced. The floors

4th upper floor

above the living room contain three private areas, each with their own naturallylit bathroom and outdoor areas in the form of balconies. An additional terrace on the roof is linked with the uppermost

3rd upper floor

floor. An ingenious arrangement of two stairs and a lift allows the residents to access the cellar separately, without having to cross paths with the commercial area.

2nd upper floor

1st upper floor

Tilla Lindig Straub town house Berlin, 2006 Nalbach + Nalbach Ground floor 312 116

Longitudinal section

313 117

Infill Six storeys East-west orientation Access to the loft house is via a compact interior core containing a dog-leg stair in the centre of the plan. The lift opens directly into each apartment. A walkthrough sanitary strip with bathroom and optional separate toilet is arranged directly alongside the staircase. A freestanding vertical riser in the middle of the plan divides the open space into a kitchen, dining and living area. These simple structures offer the maximum possibility for personal adaptation and organisation of the apartment. The division of the living space is only dependent on the size and type of the kitchen and dining area. The private rooms are divided by an optional walk-in closet allowing the rooms to be different sizes. Both of the one-room apartments at the entrance level, accessed from a central corridor, follow the same principle. The subtle play of the fully-glazed bays on the east side and different-sized balconies is the only outward indication of the flexibility of the building within.

Loft house Basel, 2002 Buchner Bründler AG 314 118

Longitudinal section

2nd upper floor

5th upper floor

1st upper floor

4th upper floor

Ground floor

3rd upper floor 315 119

Infill Seven storeys East-west orientation The entire depth of the site is utilised by using a bipartite arrangement of two buildings. A single-storey section is arranged along the entire length of the firewall on the south side, becoming two storeys as the topography of the site falls away. It contains apartments with split-level access which receive daylight via patios. The apartments vary in size according to their location in the building. Stairs from the terrace area and lifts within the building provide access to the upper floors. On the street side, the building fills the entire height of the infill site and is divided into two blocks connected by terraces slung between them that extend back deep into the site. Designed as outdoor areas for the flats, facing either east or west, these can also serve as open communal spaces for the residents. Due to draughty conditions, they remain largely unused. While the terraces help to reduce the volume of the building, the potential they offer for better illumination has not been exploited.

26 housing units Paris, 1994 Philippe Gazeau 316 120

Longitudinal section

3rd upper floor

1st upper floor

Ground floor 317 121

Infill Eight storeys East-west orientation The two interlocking volumes of this building adjoin the firewalls of its neighbours but not along the full depth of the site. By offsetting the arrangement of both volumes on the 10.5-metre-wide site, the length of the frontage available to illuminate the apartments is more than doubled. The staircase is arranged in the centre of the plan and provides access to a pair of spacious two-room apartments per floor. The structural difficulties of achieving the simple plans are skilfully concealed. At the end of the living areas with the glazed corner, there is a raised podium which is used as a seating bay. This conceals the bottom flange of a full-height Vierendeel truss which supports the cantilevered floor slabs and obviates the need for columns in the floor plan. Fire regulations did not permit the provision of balconies. Instead a narrow projecting "runway" in front of the indented section of the façade creates a necessary visual boundary to the neighbour. Consistent with the column-free structure, all façades are fully glazed.

Lychener Straße housing Berlin, 2001 Walter Nägeli and Sascha Zander 318 122

Longitudinal section Cross section

Top floor

Typical floor plan

Ground floor 319 123

Infill Five storeys East-west orientation The meandering form of this infill project is ideally suited for deep sites in the city – especially sites that span between

Longitudinal section

two streets on either side of a block. The narrow building sections along the firewall are accessed from the north and have loggias facing south. These are the variable elements in the arrangement of the four buildings. The outer pair of buildings have lift access, the two buildings in the interior of the site are reached via an access deck on the first floor. All

4th upper floor

four buildings contain maisonette apartments stacked above one another. Accordingly, all rooms in the apartments are open across their entire depth from east to west; in addition, each apartment has a south-facing loggia. This principle can be applied in manifold permutations

3rd upper floor

and the dimensions of the building sections and apartments can be varied. The permeability of the block can be achieved through the functions at ground level and via the deck on the first floor. 2nd upper floor

Student project Darmstadt University Martin Trefon 1st upper floor 320 124

Infill Five storeys East-west orientation This building type is designed for deep vacant sites that arise sporadically in the dense urban context of the city, often spanning between two parallel streets. Longitudinal section

Four semi-detached houses of differing types are arranged behind one another to achieve an appropriate urban density while maintaining sufficient distance from one another to ensure good illumination. This, together with outdoor spaces in the form of large terraces, contributes considerably to the quality of life in urban contexts.

4th upper floor

The building in the middle is a back-toback house type which is arranged so that the apartments switch sides on the second floor to avoid the disadvantages associated with single-aspect east or west-facing flats. A long single flight of

3rd upper floor

stairs to the fourth floor provides access to the two-room roof apartment. Both of the outer buildings have a split-level arrangement. The back-to-back arrangement maximises the size of the courtyards between the buildings benefitting

2nd upper floor

both house types.

Student project Darmstadt University Sebastian Schaal 1st upper floor 321 125

IV  The Freestanding House

The freestanding house epitomises the idea of “home” and autonomy. As such, it continues to be the dominant housing model throughout Central Europe. But this image loses much of its attraction when one sees how it is reproduced in the ever-expanding sprawling agglomerations of detached, single-family houses on the outskirts of our cities. In particularly extreme ­cases, as seen for example in the sprawling suburbs of Los Angeles, the typo­ logy of the freestanding house has been perverted to such an extent that it shares little of the qualities of the archetype. While the first image exemplifies the qualities of the freestanding house, the second provides a stark illustration of the problems associated with this housing typology. These two images frame the architectural discourse on the typology of the freestanding house. The qualities of this housing typology are immediately apparent. The detached structure allows for orientation in all directions. The passage of the sun can be experienced throughout the house: morning light shines onto the breakfast table, the sun deck faces south, the living rooms face west to catch the evening sun, and studios and home office areas take advantage of diffuse light from the north. Unless obstructed by neighbouring buildings, the orientation makes it possible to frame particular views or, conversely, to mask ­undesirable sightlines while utilising illumination from another ­direction. The freestanding house affords the seemingly unlimited freedom in design and makes it possible to respond to local site conditions while accommodating the wishes of the future residents. This is the primary reason for the ­enduring popularity of the freestanding house type. From a psychological point of view, the freestanding house is the quintessential expression of ownership, of the desire to have “one’s own patch of land”. The key architectonic elements in this respect are the perimeter fence or wall, the front garden, the private entrance and above all the distance ­between neighbours. It is this distance that guarantees the status of being independent, of being singular and unique. These are the primary elements that characterise this typology and account for its popularity. In terms of floor plan typology, it is difficult to verify what is or is not a freestanding house. One can identify different categories of ­access, orientation and spatial organisation, but as these categories often overlap or are manifested in different constellations, they cannot serve as 324

identifiable typological characteristics for a particular house typology. The floor plans of freestanding houses exhibit few clearly repeating patterns. ­Instead they differ more in terms of the degree of openness or enclosure of rooms or zones. Here too the variations are so numerous and subtle that it is hard to categorise them as distinguishing features. One can, however, differentiate between different categories of freestanding houses: semi-detached houses, houses with single or communal staircase access, houses with courtyard access, high-rise buildings or combinations of individual houses. Within these freestanding structures, different individual elements can relate to one another, creating synergies. With one exception: the last and smallest sub-category of the freestanding house, the individual house with just one residential unit, exists on its own and therefore cannot develop synergies. We have opted not to include this last ­category in our overview for two reasons. Firstly, it does not represent a ­sustainable option for the future development of the city. And secondly, on closer examination, it is apparent that the built reality of this category no longer corresponds to the image of the autonomous house outlined above – the ideal of the truly autonomous dwelling is an illusion. At this point it should be clear that the key to the future of this typology lies in the multiplication of units. If we are able to stack the individual house in the third dimension, or to combine several units with one another, while ­simultaneously retaining the characteristic psychological quality of the typo­ logy, that opens up numerous options. In principle the objective is quite simple: each unit needs its own entrance – no joint staircases! Each unit needs an own front garden, perhaps also a garage and a garden fence. Each unit requires light from all sides and, of course, a spacious garden-like outdoor space that is not overlooked by one’s neighbours. While this objective seems simple in theory, it is highly complex to realise in practice. It requires that we develop entirely new ways of thinking about ­architecture, that we change current building legislation and that we develop new aims and priorities for collective housing.

325

Floor plan types The typology of freestanding houses is essentially determined by their primary means of circulation and access to the apartments. Because freestanding buildings stand alone and can therefore face in all directions, spatial categories are less applicable. Accordingly, the scale can change considerably, even within the same typological category. The basic premise of being able to combine or reallocate spaces between individual units means that the conventional single family house is excluded.

Semi-detached While the conventional semi-detached house comprises just two parties, this category is also used to describe projects with more than two parties where each party has their own entrance at ground level and staircases within the apartment as necessary. There is no communal staircase. The combination and spatial structures of the "independent" units form a single compact volume. Communal staircase access The basis of this typology is a communal staircase providing access to one or more apartments per floor. The arrangement of the floor plan is independent of the orientation of the building. Depending on the location of an apartment in a floor, specific solutions may be necessary to maximise illumination and orientation. The size of the apartments can vary, particularly when there are several units on each floor. Courtyard access A central courtyard allows the main access zone to the apartments to be naturally lit and provides a space for communication and interaction. Courtyard access allows a larger number of apartments to be accessed on each floor than with a staircase. Covered courtyards or atria can also be utilised as a source of passive energy gain.

18 326

Hybrid This typological category describes buildings that use a mixture or combination of different access systems to facilitate new spatial configurations. A building may respond to the different possible needs and changing life situations of the residents by providing different kinds of apartments. This results in a more diverse range of apartment types.

High-rise This building typology is characterised by the high demands its access system has to fulfil and the comparatively large proportion of floor space used by the structure. Special floor plan arrangements have to be devised to counteract the problem of poor illumination in certain directions. A key feature of this building type is the privileged view it affords.

19 327

Semi-detached 2 storeys 2 units The house follows, in principle, the classical arrangement of a semi-detached typology. The units are oriented in an east-west direction, with the lower unit receiving some light from the south, and the upper none. This unequal treatment is compensated for in part by the large roof garden which receives light from all sides. A characteristic element of the

Top floor

house is the internal axis of the staircase which receives light from above via skylights, creating attractive spatial interrelationships. The extension of the living area across two storeys also adds new qualities to the classical semi-detached typology. The ground floor annexe flat, which can optionally be connected to the main flat via the entrance area, allows the building to respond flexibly

1st floor

to changes in living arrangements or stages of life.

Parvilla I Danderyd, 2005 Tham & Videgård Hansson Arkitekter 20 328

Ground floor

Cross section

21 329

Semi-detached 2 storeys 2 units This semi-detached house type takes a different approach to the typical semidetached arrangement, where two halves of a house stand next to one another, by stacking two parties on top of each other to create a freestanding duplex type. This arrangement makes it possible for both apartments to face

Cross section

in all directions. External access is from the north side, past a parking space which is incorporated into the volume of the building, into a lobby with staircase. From here one can enter the lower of the two apartments through the combined living and dining area, which is illuminated via a two-storey skylight. A loggia cut deep into the building provides a private outdoor space and creates interesting spatial interrelation-

Upper floor

ships in the interior. Arranged in the northeast corner of the ground floor is a small apartment, which can be combined with or separated from the adjacent unit. The top floor apartment has the same arrangement as the floor below but with a roof terrace in place of the loggia. Ground floor

House W Homburg, 2004 Bayer & Strobel Architekten 22 330

23 331

Semi-detached 2 storeys 2 units This house turns the typological category of the semi-detached house on its head in more ways than one. Both units face in all directions: the ground floor faces north and south, the upper floor west and east, the top floor either north or south. The spatial boundary between both parties is not clearly drawn, allowing a variety of different patterns of

Top floor

usage to result. The open hallway that crosses the volume of the building, for example, offers much potential for future modifications or repurposing. This free space serves as a socialising space on the one hand and as a passive energy collector, improving the energy balance of the building, on the other. Clad with polycarbonate panels, the house takes a straightforward approach to creating

1st floor

an active energy façade. The complex and detailed planning work up front has helped to minimise the level of automation required for the technical installations. In this sense, the semi-detached house can be regarded as a holistic, cybernetically networked system.

Ground floor

Patchwork house Müllheim, 2005 Pfeifer Roser Kuhn Architekten 24 332

Cross section

25 333

Semi-detached 2 storeys 3 units The central idea of this experimental house type is the strict spatial separation of "public" and "private" living areas. The design reflects an underlying psychological tendency where private spaces are becoming increasingly private and communal areas ever more public. The concept assumes that all parties are willing to live together communally, while providing each with a sheltered private area of their own. The private areas are therefore arranged apart from one another on the ground floor. They each have their own entrance and are oriented in a different direction. High hedges provide a visual screen and enclosure. The area between the private "cells" can be used for parking. Each individual wing has its own stairs to the communal area on the upper floor. Each cell also has its own roof terrace, reached from the communal area.

House of the present Munich, 2005 Allmann Sattler Wappner Architekten 26 334

Cross section

Upper floor

Ground floor 27 335

Semi-detached 3 storeys 3 units The three-storey semi-detached house can function as a spacious single family house or as a multiple-family house with two or three separate units. In the situation shown here, the ground and upper floor form a single unit catering for the needs of a typical family. The lower ground floor is an annexe apartment with the entrance located on the far side of the stairs. Should the living

Top floor

arrangement change in future, the floors could function as independent units, each with a single bedroom, or alternatively the two lower floors could be joined together, leaving the upper floor as a separate unit. To convert the building for different living arrangements, one need only remove or relocate a few plasterboard walls. It is important that

Ground floor

should the units be separated, their respective outdoor areas do not encroach on one another: the terraces each face different directions, and there are no direct views between these outdoor areas.

Lower ground

House C Groß-Umstadt, 2009 Per Brauneck 28 336

Longitudinal section

Cross section

Top view of the roof

29 337

Semi-detached 3 storeys 3 units The rectangular cube is conceived as a semi-detached house with a small, west-facing apartment on the ground floor. The entrance halls to the two apartments on the upper storeys are located next to it. The arrangement of the twin set of stairs in the centre that ascend in opposite directions means that the first floor of one apartment lies above the ground floor of the other,

Top floor

and likewise in reverse for the top floor. Accordingly, each of these apartments has rooms that face in different directions. The central positioning of the stairs and landings keeps the circulation space to an absolute minimum. If necessary, the ground floor flat can also be connected to either of the two larger apartments. The living and dining area

1st floor

of each apartment is on the top floor, an arrangement that would also ensure optimal illumination even in an urban setting. Adjoining the living room, a deep loggia, which has its own storeroom, faces the evening sun and provides a private outdoor area that is not overlooked.

Ground floor

Vogelsang farmhouse Ebikon, 2007 AmreinHerzig Architekten 30 338

Cross section

31 339

Semi-detached 3 storeys 3 units The semi-detached house on an inclined site contains three interlocking residential units. Passing to one side of the garage, one enters the building at the bottom via a communal lobby that serves as an "anteroom" for the private entrances and hallways. Conceived as "through-rooms", these private entrance areas open at the rear onto the communal cellar. Single flights of stairs lead from

Top floor

each private entrance hallway to the respective unit on the upper floor. The L-shaped volume of the building allows each unit to receive maximum sunlight. The position and direction of the stairs on the upper storeys means that each storey faces in a different direction so that all the units receive light from all directions. Each apartment has a private sun deck, terrace and lookout on the roof. The complex internal arrange-

Upper floor

ment is carefully slotted together to form a simple building volume with a restrained external appearance.

Three family house "In der Hub" Zurich, 1998 Morger & Degelo Architekten 32 340

Ground floor

Longitudinal section

33 341

Semi-detached 3 storeys 4 units Behind the classical proportions of a villa-like façade is a cleverly conceived "double semi-detached house" containing a total of four units, each with three levels. In the apartments on the north side as well as those to the south, the units alternate on each floor between the respective east and west half of the building. This is made possible by locating the semi-circular winding dog-leg stairs and its solid dividing wall

Top floor

in the centre of the plan. As a result, each unit faces in three directions. This arrangement makes it possible to avoid the problem of how to handle northeastfacing apartments in such buildings. The floor plans of the apartments follow a classical arrangement with living room, dining room and kitchen on the ground floor, reached via a lobby, and bedrooms

1st floor

and bathrooms on the two upper floors.

Ground floor

Hadersdorf model housing estate 3 Vienna, 2007 Hans Kollhoff Architekten 34 342

Longitudinal section

35 343

Semi-detached 3 storeys 4 units This row of houses is located next to the three-storey semi-detached house type by Hans Kollhoff also described in this volume (see p. 34). Unlike the latter, this house type is truly oriented in all directions and resolves the problem of northeast-facing apartments very simply.

Longitudinal section

The entrance to each unit is on the north side. Via a wind lobby one enters the living and dining area with kitchen, which spans from the north to the south side of the building. The apartments at either end receive light from three sides, the two inner apartments from just two sides. On the upper floor the orientation changes to a single-aspect

Top floor

row of bedrooms and a bathroom. Each flat has a bedroom which also faces either east or west. On the top floor, the orientation switches back to the north-south arrangement with the roof terraces allowing sunlight to stream in from the west and east. 1st floor

Hadersdorf model housing estate 4 Vienna, 2007 Steidle Architekten Ground floor 36 344

37 345

Semi-detached 3 storeys 5 units On the ground floor of the building, each of the five units has its own cuboid entrance block containing a private room, which together divide the space beneath the house to create separate parking bays and a central courtyard. A straight flight of stairs leads to the main living area on the first floor, which, depending on the respective needs, houses an open living and dining area, kitchen and a number of bedrooms. The long narrow floor plans in the centre of the building receive natural light and ventilation from above. The skilful arrangement of the stairs on the upper floor allows the top floor to run perpendicular to the first floor. The nar-

Upper floor

row floor plans are more open on the top floor, making space for terraces and skylights that illuminate the deep plans in the floor below. The top floor consists primarily of bedrooms and bathrooms.

Villa Overgooi Almere, 2008 Next Architects 38 346

Ground floor

Section 1

39 347

Section 2

Top floor

40 348

41 349

Semi-detached 4 storeys 2 units From a typological perspective, this fourstorey house conforms to the classical notion of a semi-detached house. What makes it unusual, however, is that the dividing line between the two shifts back

Top floor

and forth. The unequal division and different-sized zones on the individual floors create spatial tension. The northsouth orientation of the building benefits both parties by allowing them equal lighting conditions. The typological advantage of this meandering spatial struc-

3rd floor

ture in comparison to an even division in two halves, is that it creates a sequence of spaces of different sizes. As a result, the spacious living areas are located on different floors in the two neighbouring apartments and have non-specific functions, unlike the other

2nd floor

floors in the building. Straight flights of stairs connect the different storeys, allowing the spaces to be staggered, which in turn increases the spatial penetration. The full-height glazing of the entire north and south façades underlines the openness and spaciousness of

1st floor

this concept.

KBWW house Utrecht, 1997 MVRDV Ground floor 42 350

Longitudinal section

43 351

Semi-detached 4 storeys 3 units The principle of this house type is quite simple: two houses, one stacked on top

Top floor

of the other, each with their own entrance and internal staircase. This particular example benefits from its location on a sloping site, allowing side access to the smaller unit on the lower ground floor via an external stair. The volume of the building contains a five-room apartment split across three floors with an entrance on the ground floor and a half-turn winding stair. The ground floor

Ground floor

also contains a garage. On the top floor, the volume steps back to make space for a large, south-facing roof terrace. The floor plan is organised so that the top floor can also function as a separate apartment. The same applies to the rooms on the lower ground floor, which can be converted to allow a different division and distribution of rooms. These simple combinatory tricks enable this house type to respond to the changing

Lower ground floor

demands and living patterns of contemporary society.

Two houses Zurich, 1998 Gigon/Guyer Architekten Bottom floor 44 352

Section

45 353

Semi-detached 4 storeys 4 units The sculptural form of the building conceals a complex interior behind the austere façades. The house contains four units with ateliers. All are accessed from the ground floor via a communal hallway and from there extend individually upwards. The first residential unit begins on the east side with a living and working area. An internal stair and gal-

Top floor

lery above the kitchen connects the two bedrooms on the upper level with the ground floor. The second residential unit has a small atelier space on the ground floor which is connected via an angular, two-storey stair with the living and bedrooms on the top floor. The third apartment lies on the west side and is arranged similarly to the first, only a little smaller. The fourth apartment is reached via a two-storey stair that leads to the

1st floor

top floor. This unit lies on the southwest corner of the building and has a northfacing roof terrace. Each unit has its own private outdoor space.

Home for architects and artists Zurich, 2003 Fuhrimann Hächler Architekten 46 354

Ground floor

Cross section

47 355

Semi-detached 3 storeys 4 units The complex access structure of this semi-detached house type is a model of how supplementary access options using several sets of stairs can significantly increase the usability and variability of the units. The basic footprint can be divided into up to four units, each of which faces in a different direction. The typological trick is the arrangement of two quarter-turn stairs in the

Top floor

centre of the plan which are supplemented by single-flight, left- or rightturning stairs which lead to the entrances. This allows the plan to rotate with each storey. While in the version shown, the living room is on the ground floor and the private rooms on the upper floors, the central positioning of the technical installations means that alternative configurations are equally

Upper floor

possible. The two spacious loggias on the second floor likewise increase the usability of the spaces by making it possible to provide outdoor areas on the upper level for additional units.

Student project Darmstadt University Christian Weyell 48 356

Ground floor

Section 1

Section 2

49 357

Communal staircase access 3 storeys 3 units per floor With only one apartment per floor, each apartment contains rooms that face – and enjoy fantastic views – in all directions. Three fixed blocks in the floor plan, containing the stairs and lift, the kitchen and the bathroom respectively, define the remaining space as free zones for use as an open living area. This continuous space can be subdivided into individual rooms as required using large sliding doors. The large loggias are articulated as enclosed outdoor spaces. The stairs are arranged in such a way that one enters the apartment in

Top floor

the middle of the building. The lift opens directly onto the hallway in the apartment. On the top floor, the volume of the building steps back to make space for a large roof terrace, sacrificing one of the bedrooms – the top floor flats therefore have two rooms rather than three.

Typical floor plan

This typology can be varied in different sizes, floor areas or volumes. Because it is illuminated from all sides, this house type is completely open and can be oriented as required and in different arrangements.

Apartment houses, Susenbergstrasse Zurich, 2000 Gigon/Guyer Architekten 50 358

Ground floor

Longitudinal section

51 359

Communal staircase access 3 storeys 2 units per floor The three-storey house with five units – all large apartments with three or four rooms – is located in an up-market neighbourhood and reinterprets the idea of a large villa. The apartments are organised in such a way that each has a direct relationship to an outdoor space, but they do not overlook one another. The narrow building turns a corner

Top floor

thereby allowing all the apartments to face south and be accessed via a single stair, although some rooms do face east or west. Each apartment has its own spacious loggia, while the top floor steps back so that the terrace extends around almost the entire perimeter of the building. The apartments are accessed from the north via straight flights of stairs and a lift. The entrance to the penthouse

Upper floor

apartment is on the second floor and the lift opens directly onto the hallway in the apartment.

Rottmannsboden house Binningen, 1997 Morger & Degelo Architekten 52 360

Ground floor

Longitudinal section

53 361

Communal staircase access 4 storeys 4 units per floor The star-shaped configuration of the building footprints in this scheme ensures optimal lighting conditions for all the apartments. A naturally lit staircase next to the outside wall provides access to four apartments per storey. In addition to a one-room apartment, which can also be used as an atelier or separate office, there are two units which both have two bedrooms, and a large unit with three bedrooms, on each floor. An intimate loggia positioned in front of the kitchen provides a private outdoor area that is not overlooked. The living areas of the larger apartments are positioned at the end of each axis of the star so that they receive light from three sides. In addition to the well-proportioned rooms, the flats come equipped with high-quality, durable and carefully detailed fittings such as bronze-coloured metal windows, oak cladding, and scraped render – an aspect of sustainability that is all too often neglected in housing schemes for multiple parties.

Hagenbuchrain housing development Zurich, 2005 Bünzli & Courvoisier Architekten 54 362

Longitudinal section

Ground floor

55 363

Communal staircase access 4/5 storeys 3 to 4 units per floor The ability to step outside from every room in an apartment is the main characteristic of this house type. The close proximity of an exit outdoors provides a sense of living in a detached house, albeit in a stacked arrangement. This psychological factor can help residents respond more favourably to collective housing schemes. In this sense, each room offers a usable space that, over and above the extra floor space it provides, also allows one to use the living areas more flexibly. The internal arrangement of the building follows a strict

Typical floor plan

logic. Four units with differing numbers of rooms surround a central staircase and lift. The living rooms are located at the corners of the building and offer views in at least two directions. Technical installations and kitchens are clustered in blocks arranged around the internal party wall. Entrance hallways with a separate WC function as a wind lobby between the apartment and public staircase and increase the sense of intimacy.

Hegianwandweg housing Zurich, 2003 EM2N Architekten Ground floor 56 364

Cross section

57 365

Communal staircase access 5/6 storeys 8 to 10 units per floor This house type is arranged around an internal courtyard with curving walls and a circular or elliptical stairwell that forms an intimate interior space. This communal core provides access to eight or ten apartments per floor. The arrangement of the individual apartments has been optimised as far as possible, with minimal internal circulation space and rooms that are sometimes very small. The north-facing apartments are arranged around the corner so that they also receive light from the east or west.

Typical floor plan, type 2

On the elevations, one can see that some of the apartments have a narrow gallery that provides the residents with a modicum of outdoor space directly adjacent to the apartment. The structure of the façades reflects the rigorous internal arrangement and, in contrast to the economy of the floor plans, is clad with high-quality materials.

Lohbach residences Innsbruck, 2000 Baumschlager & Eberle Typical floor plan, type 1 58 366

Longitudinal section, type 1

59 367

Communal staircase access 7 storeys 3 units per floor The triangular volumes of these buildings guarantee optimal lighting conditions on every floor with each apartment receiving light from at least three different directions. The large corner balconies supplement the apartments with an expansive view into the distance. Up to three different-sized units surround the access core with stairs and lift, and can be organised differently on every floor. The entrances lie in the corners of the staircase and open onto triangular entrance halls. The living area lies straight ahead, the bedrooms along corridors

Typical floor plan

parallel to the sides of this triangular space. The corridor can provide access to several bedrooms, depending on its length. Storage space is provided on one side of the entrance hall. A further advantage of the triangular typology lies in its possibilities for urban planning. Although packed close together, they still provide generous views as well as sufficient external space between the buildings.

Ground floor

BDZ housing development Zurich, completion 2013 pool Architekten 60 368

Section

61 369

Communal staircase access 7 storeys 3 units per floor This house type exhibits a particularly rigorous structure. The individual units surround a central staircase and are accordingly divided into two zones. All the ancillary spaces, such as bathrooms, internal stairs, lobbies and storage spaces, are arranged along the interior wall next to the staircase. Separated by a corridor, the bedrooms all face outwards with the open kitchen and living area located in the corners of the building. The uniform position of the corridor in all units makes it possible to join together different combinations of rooms so that each apartment can be allocated a different number of bedrooms. Each floor contains up to three units, which can also be linked vertically across several stories via internal stairs. The rigorous inner structure is reflected in the strongly delineated vertical patterning of the façade.

"Malzturm", Hürlimann Areal Zurich, 2008 Thomas Schregenberger 62 370

3rd floor

1st floor

63 371

Longitudinal section

64 372

7th floor

65 373

Communal staircase access 6 storeys 1 unit per floor Each of the six storeys of this cylinder contains apartments with varied plans. On the ground floor there is only one unit with one bedroom. A communal staircase in the centre of the plan leads to an apartment that occupies the entire first floor and faces in all directions. The apartment contains three private rooms. The bathrooms in the centre of the plan are naturally ventilated via light wells.

2nd floor

The living room is located on the south side a few steps down, with a spacious living and dining area to the north. Two entrances are provided, allowing the large apartment to be divided into two smaller units by closing off two sections of wall. The second floor also has three private areas and is likewise dividable into two smaller units. The third and fourth floors contain maisonette apartments which switch sides on their upper

1st floor

storey so that each apartment has rooms facing in all directions.

Student project Darmstadt University Björn Schmidt 66 374

Ground floor

Cross section

4th floor

3rd floor

67 375

Communal staircase access 6 storeys 2 units per floor This house type features an unusual arrangement of small apartments which are wrapped around a central courtyard and are offset by half a storey. The access stairs and lift are arranged between two house types, providing access to two units on each floor. The apartment types themselves are inspired by houses in Korea which typically face onto a small central courtyard. This internal courtyard

Ground floor

functions as an energy regulator, in particular using natural geothermal cooling to regulate temperature levels. Each apartment has a split-level arrangement with two private bedrooms connected via a stair to a one-and-a-halfstorey living and kitchen/dining area. An adjoining veranda provides direct and indirect illumination for all the rooms. With the exception of the small internal stairs, the apartments have no dedicated

Lower ground floor

circulation space. The split-level arrangement has a corresponding effect on the apartments above. As a result, the loggias switch position with each floor, producing a lively and varied architectural structure.

Student project Darmstadt University Angèle Tersluisen 68 376

Basement

Longitudinal section

2nd floor

1st floor

69 377

Communal staircase access 6 storeys 4 to 6 units per floor The design interprets a freestanding cube, six storeys high, as a residential building for multiple residents. On each storey, four to six units of different sizes and disposition are arranged around a central access core. The units can be joined together or separated with minimal effort. As a result, apartments can be created with one, two or three private rooms. The apartments on the north side have a double-height gallery to compensate for the lack of direct illumination. The single room in the centre of the west face can be linked

5th floor

to one or the other of the adjacent apartments to the north or south. The proportion of dedicated circulation space within each floor plan is kept to a minimum by connecting one room directly to the next. In the few places where corridors are unavoidable, they double as wardrobes or walk-through closets. Small internal courtyards are cut deep into the building to provide natural illumination and ventilation for the bathrooms.

Student project Darmstadt University Björn Schmidt 70 378

4th floor

Cross section

6th floor

71 379

Communal staircase access 9 storeys 4 units per floor The point block building consists of a series of Z-shaped stacked and interlocking modules arranged around a common core. This basic organisational principle resolves the problem of apartments with disadvantageous orientation. The core contains two single flights of stairs arranged in opposite directions either side of a central lift. This allows both levels of the maisonette apartments to have their own entrance. Each apartment contains a double-height living and dining area with a gallery which serves as circulation. The kitchen, an open work area and a large loggia on the upper floor

Typical floor plan, type 2

all open onto this central zone. Each bedroom has its own bathroom as well as direct access to the loggia. As the bedrooms are accessed via the living areas, there is practically no need for dedicated circulation space within the apartment.

Typical floor plan, type 1

Student project Darmstadt University Sebastian Schaal 72 380

Section

Ground floor

73 381

Courtyard access 7 storeys 8 units per floor The apartments in this house type are accessed via long gallery walkways in the courtyard, reached via two diametrically arranged staircases with lifts. The large interior courtyard also serves to provide additional illumination for the sevenstorey housing block. The threeroom apartments follow an almost identical arrangement, differing only in depth. While to the west and the east the rectangular rooms are oriented lengthways to maximise the sun, the apartments on the south and north sides are turned sideways through 90 degrees. The apartments on the north side receive light from the south via the interior courtyard. The similarly sized living areas are not accorded a specific function so that they can be used as desired. The loggias adjoin the kitchen and dining areas which are arranged alongside the gallery walkway. Uniform window sizes with low window sills and large sliding segments contribute to a pleasant sense of urban living.

Java Island housing Amsterdam, 2001 Diener & Diener Architekten 74 382

Section

Typical floor plan 75 383

Courtyard access 8 storeys 8 units per floor An internal courtyard with gallery walkways provides access to eight apartments and two switchable rooms per floor. The small apartments on the long sides of the building have additional windows onto the courtyard to compensate for their single-aspect orientation. As the galleries are accessed via two separate staircases and lifts at each end, people will only rarely walk past these windows. This principle maintains the privacy of these apartments, despite the fact that their windows open onto the walkways. The apartments themselves have a classic arrangement with a hallway as internal circulation space. A large sliding door separates a bedroom or more private space from the living room, making the apartments well-suited for the elderly. The continuous loggias on both long sides of the building allow one to step outside directly and look over the surroundings.

Werdwies housing development Zurich, 2007 Adrian Streich Architekten 76 384

Section

Typical floor plan

77 385

Courtyard access 4 storeys 4 units per floor In this house type, single-storey apartments are stacked in four building volumes arranged around a central, atrium-like access courtyard. Each of the four units on each storey has its own large terrace which is accessible from the communal atrium and, like a front garden, mediates between the public and private areas of the house. Two of the units have two private bedrooms while two are smaller with only one bedroom per storey. The arrangement of the terraces as spacing elements between the buildings allows each unit

2nd floor

to stand independently and receive light from all directions. In some cases, two units share entrance zones, allowing them to be coupled to form very large units with two independent outdoor areas. The large apartment types can optionally be used as a shared flat for two separate parties, each with their own entrance.

Student project Darmstadt University Philippa Glaser 78 386

1st floor

Section

3rd floor

79 387

Courtyard access 6 storeys 3 to 6 units per floor The key typological characteristic of this house type is the stringent, concentric arrangement of rings that structure the floor plans. The innermost ring contains the access stairs, lift and bridges leading to the entrances to the apartments. The second ring houses all functional spaces and services such as the entrance hallways, storage spaces, toilets and bathrooms. The third ring is a narrow strip of cupboards that open onto the fourth ring, the main internal circulation space in the apartments. The outermost ring houses the living and private rooms

1st floor

as well as the loggias. This rigorous structure provides a basis for many different floor plan arrangements which can vary from floor to floor. The internal corridor zone can be closed off at different intervals to divide or combine sets of rooms or apartment units.

Ground floor

Student project Darmstadt University Johannes Lahme 80 388

Section

2nd floor

81 389

Hybrid 8 storeys 4 units per floor Hybrid housing projects in the city can make a valuable contribution to the urban vitality of their surroundings. The first two storeys of the eight-storey building contain maisonette apartments. The floors above are all single-level apartments of different sizes, with two or three rooms. On the two uppermost floors the apartments expand to form large two-storey penthouse apartments with correspondingly spacious roof terraces. The lift is the only vertical element; stair access begins at the entrance to the building on the west side before turning on the second floor to run north-south along the entire longitudinal axis of the building. A skylight and loggia on the sixth floor illuminate the interior staircase. Each apartment has its own large balcony, with privacy screens on either side, sometimes also roofed over.

Esplanade housing Munich, 2003 Steidle Architekten 82 390

1st floor

6th floor

Ground floor

2nd floor

83 391

Section

Top floor

84 392

85 393

Hybrid 4 storeys 3 to 4 units per floor This student project proposes an extremely flexible system for configuring apartment sizes. The basic principle involves a series of transverse circulation axes with stairs arranged in opposite directions which intersect with a longitudinal infrastructure axis.On the upper

Cross Section

floors, the stairs can optionally be incorporated into the internal circulation of an apartment. Each stair can potentially be accessed from the rooms on either side, making it possible to join together spaces in different constellations. One need only open or close off short wall segments. The floor plan here shows an arrangement with seven units in total. On the ground floor, there

Longitudinal section

are two one-and-a-half-room apartments as well as a larger apartment over several floors reached via two sets of stairs. The remaining larger apartments feature double-height spaces and galleries as well as loggias and large roof terraces. The building’s structural arrangement makes it possible to develop a wide variety of new floor plan constellations.

Ground floor

Student project Darmstadt University Sebastian Schaal 86 394

3rd floor

2nd floor

1st floor

87 395

Hybrid 5 storeys 1 to 2 units per floor When circulation spaces are sufficiently illuminated and spatially inviting, they have the potential to become spaces for interaction. This building type is organised around a wide and generously proportioned circulation space in the centre of the plan that spirals upwards. This space also contains the stairs which grow narrower with each floor and

2nd floor

open onto well-lit terraces. Five apartments of different sizes surround this open core and wrap around the corners of the building. The plan of the apartments and their allocation are reminiscent of those of detached houses arranged on a single floor. Some of the apartments have a split-level arrangement creating a lively interplay of living areas where large entrance lobbies open onto the central interaction areas.

1st floor

The cost of this arrangement is a less economic ratio of net floor area to gross volume of the entire building, and the lack of vertical lift access. The latter could be provided by using an alternative arrangement of the parking spaces.

Student project Darmstadt University Daniel Dolder 88 396

Ground floor

Longitudinal section

4th floor

3rd floor

89 397

Hybrid 10 storeys Variable number of units This building concept is based on a vision of society in which the building provides an open and dynamic structure that can respond to the continually changing needs and different social constellations of its residents. The building structure consists of narrow folded strips of floor plan that extend across different levels vertically within the building. Access cores are inserted between these strips which make it possible to reach the different levels and provide structural rigidity. The outward-facing openings provide space for more reclusive living areas which are

2nd floor

linked vertically with the inward-facing communal spaces. The stepped arrangement of such openings ensures that the spaces within receive adequate illumination and affords internal views through the structure. Greened roof terraces and open areas are interspersed throughout the volume of the building, providing quality outdoor environments as well as conditioning the building’s microclimate.

Diploma project Darmstadt University Tobias Katz 1st floor 90 398

Longitudinal section

91 399

High-rise 14 storeys 4 units per floor The access to these tower blocks results from the arrangement of the buildings in a group. The ground-level entrances lie to the north and south sides of the buildings, which explains the helix arrangement of the stairs and the long, narrow entrance corridors in the interior. The north and south sides of the building are closed façades punctured by square windows, while the west and east sides are fully glazed revealing the pattern of x-shaped structural supports behind – a structural arrangement that is unusual for housing projects. Sliding glazed panels allow the large loggias to be opened. Each storey contains three three-room apartments and one fourroom apartment of different sizes. The floor plans are also unusual, separating the bath and toilet, and containing a very small room for use as a child’s bedroom.

Chassé Park apartments Breda, 2001 Xaveer de Geyter 92 400

Typical floor plan, type 3

Typical floor plan, type 1

Typical floor plan, type 2

93 401

High-rise 18 storeys 3 to 5 units per floor The most apparent quality of this residential high-rise building is its waterside location. The unusual sculptural quality of the building is derived from the immediate requirements: as the middle zone of high-rise buildings is generally regarded as the least attractive, the form of the building reduces it to a minimum. The base of the building contains comparatively large apartments with a large number of bedrooms. The apartments in the middle zone have economical floor plans while the upper zone that cantilevers out over the water contains luxury and maisonette apartments. With the exception of the maisonettes, which face out over the water, all the apartments are arranged around the corners so that they face in two directions. The large apartments even face in three directions and the penthouses at the very top also have interior courtyards.

Silverline tower Almere, 2001 Claus en Kaan Architecten 94 402

2nd to 6th floor

7th floor

95 403

Section

96 404

11th, 13th, 15th floor

12th, 14th, 16th floor

97 405

High-rise 17 storeys 3 units per floor The three wings of the star-shaped floor plan of the building are accessed via an enclosed fire stair on the outside wall and a naturally illuminated and ventilated internal lobby. Each wing contains one, sometimes two apartments. The star-shaped arrangement means that each apartment has views in at least three directions and is there-fore optimally illuminated. A section of the large apartment in the south wing can be divided off into a separate flat which when combined with the flat above forms a small maisonette. Almost all the rooms in all the apartments are naturally illuminated and ventilated. Sliding doors can be used to separate the kitchen from the living room as required. Each apartment has its own loggia or balcony which is wide enough to form an outdoor living area adjacent to the living room. External glazing shields against wind and draughts, and allows the outdoor areas to be transformed into spacious garden rooms.

Star House 3 Munich, 2007 Steidle Architekten 98 406

Typical floor plan

Section

99 407

High-rise 21 storeys 3 to 4 units per floor The perforated tower block has a crossshaped floor plan with a central access core with lift shafts and parallel dogleg fire escape stairs. The apartments are arranged around this core in a clover-leaf fashion. The units follow an L-shaped plan and face in two directions. The larger apartments occupy two L-shaped elements, one containing the living area, kitchen and dining area, and the other the private bedrooms. These units have a view in three directions. Views between the loggias in front of the living area and the bedrooms create interesting spatial relationships between spaces that

Typical floor plan 2

are not connected internally. The strongly contrasting treatment of the different surfaces of the façade lends the building a distinct appearance and emphasises its function as an urban landmark.

De Rokade residential building Groningen, 2007 Arons en Gelauff Architecten 100 408

Typical floor plan 1

101 409

High-rise 22 to 31 storeys 6 units per floor The strongly rectangular volume of this complex with its uniform façades lends it the appearance of an office building. The spatial qualities of the six apartments on each floor are, therefore, all the more surprising. Each floor has two one-room apartments, two three-room apartments and two five-room apartments. The compact arrangement of the vertical access – a double-helix stair and three lifts – makes it possible to produce extremely economical floor plans. In all cases bedrooms and ancillary spaces are reached via the living rooms. The bathrooms and toilets are located internally around the access core next to the entrances. This strict spatial arrangement has the disadvantage that some apartments face northeast – only the view can compensate for their poor illumination. The apartments to the northwest have three west-facing bedrooms while the living and dining area faces north. The arrangement of the three towers means that they will partly shade one another. As a result, the only really good apartments are on the uppermost storeys.

"PopMoma" residential tower Beijing, 2007 Baumschlager & Eberle 102 410

Typical floor plan

103 411

High-rise 26 storeys 4 units per floor The division down the centre of the structure and the angular halving of the geometry of the floor plans lends the building a rhythmic structure as well as different levels of illumination. Each of the two cores features a helix staircase arrangement and two lifts that provide access to two units on each floor. The apartments at each end of the building are organised around a large living area that extends the entire depth of the building and opens onto a total of four bedrooms. Two of these have en-suite bathrooms; a further bathroom is located in a freestanding box in the centre of the large space. Where the two halves meet at the corner, the basic principle of the apartment typology varies. Here, there is no large, continuous living area, and one bedroom less. There are no loggias or balconies. The excellent illumination strategy gives the façade a regular grid with only a few toilets located in the interior of the building.

"Moma" residential tower Beijing, 2007 Baumschlager Eberle 104 412

Typical floor plan

Ground floor 105 413

High-rise 22 storeys 5 units per floor The unusual geometry of the building is dictated by its illumination. The splayed façades of the north face of the building ensure that the apartments behind receive light from the east or west respectively. The oblique, cut-off ends of the north wing of the tower building also allow sunlight from the south to spill onto the loggias at either end. The south wing of the building contains three sets of three-room apartments with different dimensions and room depths. This helps to modulate the building’s geometry and breaks down the mass of the building to more pleasing proportions. Both of the three-room apartments on the north side are accessed via a long corridor, illuminated by a deep slot in the building’s volume. The illumination of these apartments is supplemented by a jointly usable loggia in the centre of the north face that allows light from the west into the apartment on the east and vice versa. The kitchens all adjoin small balconies. All the other toilets and bathrooms are internal and without natural light.

KNSM apartment tower Amsterdam, 1995 Wiel Arets Architects 106 414

Typical floor plan

Ground floor

107 415

High-rise 28 storeys 2 units per floor Although the internal means of access in this tower block does not conform to European standards, this older building nevertheless represents something of a novelty. Five different maisonette apartments with differing room heights are stacked in an arrangement so complex that one can only marvel at the planning achievement. That said, the concept is quite straightforward: twostorey "houses" with spacious terraces, small balconies and rooms on different levels aim to give the residents a sense of identity akin to that of a single-family house – albeit at lofty heights Two-storey loggias are located at the corners of the building and are the tallest rooms in the maisonette apartments. The apartments extend the entire depth of the building and, in addition to a spacious living and dining area, contain four individual bedrooms which are offset via a split-level arrangement by half a storey. The variety of apartment types and spatial interrelationships caters for almost every need.

Kanchanjunga tower Bombay, 1983 Charles Correa Associates 108 416

Typical floor plan 2

Typical floor plan 4

Typical floor plan 1

Typical floor plan 3

109 417

Section 110 418

111 419

High-rise 35 storeys 6 units per floor In central Europe, high-rise buildings are only rarely to be found in publicly subsidised housing. The floor plans of the apartments in this building are accordingly unspectacular and dictated predominantly by economic considerations: the building comprises 103-m²large three-room apartments as well as 66-m²-large two-room apartments. The southwest façade with large loggias clad with printed glass elements contrasts strongly with the smaller windows and folding elements of the northeast façade. The building is rotated slightly to avoid apartments that face only north, and the plans span the corner so that they receive light from at least two directions.Although the floor plan configurations are not especially innovative, the realisation of a residential high-rise building with non-luxury apartments signifies an approaching paradigm shift in the appreciation of this housing typology.

Wienerberg apartment high-rise Vienna, 2005 Delugan Meissl Architects 112 420

29th floor

Ground floor

113 421

High-rise 36 storeys 1 unit per floor This residential high-rise project, containing luxury apartments with almost 400m² floor area and nearly 160m² outdoor space per apartment, takes the idea of the single family house and replicates it vertically to spectacular effect. Each apartment spans three storeys. With each storey, the floor plan turns 90 degrees around a communal access core so that each apartment receives light from all sides. The apartments are luxurious beyond all measure and feature double-height spaces and broad flights of stairs. The apartments are reached via a lift that leads directly from the garage to the apartments. Although the proposed means of access does not conform to generally recognised safety requirements for high-rise buildings, the apartment sizes are unrealistic, and the greening of the terraced gardens will not be possible in the form shown, the audacity of the design idea is nevertheless forwardlooking and formulates new objectives for multi-storey housing.

Torre Cuajimalpa residential tower Mexico City, completion in 2011 Meir Lobaton and Kristjan Donaldson 114 422

Typical floor plan, type 2

Typical floor plan, type 1

115 423

Section

116 424

Typical floor plan, type 3

117 425

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Illustration credits Floris Besserer  14 Hannelore Pfeifer  16, 20, 22 Charles Correa  24

The Courtyard House Luís Ferreira Alves  33, 56 Paul Tierney  35 Ernst Linsberger  37 Christian Richters  38 Lang + Schwärzler  43 Myrzik und Jarisch  45 Peter Bender  46 Thomas Ott  54 Rainer Oefelein  70 Becher + Rottkamp  73 Peter Bonfig  75 Eva Martini  89 Daniel Malhão  91 Jin Hosoya  93 José Hevia Blach  95 Raffaele Cavadini  97 Margherita Spiluttini  98 Jan Kucera  103 Allard van der Hoek  104 Ryue Nishizawa  106 Hisao Suzuki  109 Annika Kingl  110 Kazunari Sakamoto  113 FOB Architects  115

The Row House Ignacio Martínez  131 Sebastian Schaal | Martin Trefon  133, 137, 140, 147, 150, 159, 161, 163, 196, 198, 200, 202, 204 Walter Stamm-Teske  134 Francesca Giovanelli  139, 171 Günter R. Wett  149 d-company 152 schneider+schumacher 154 Rolf Mühlethaler  165 430

AV 1  167 Piet Rook  169 Eduard Hueber  173 Herman Hertzberger  179 Oscar Gil Delgado  186 Michael Heinrich  189 Ottokar Uhl  212 Verena Herzog-Loibl  214

The Town House Michael Reisch  222 Michael Fontana  224 Wiel Arets Architects  226 Günter Pfeifer  228, 256, 288, 318 Alexander Gempeler  230, 231 Andrea Melbling  232, 233, 240, 243 Darlington Meier Architekten  236 Ruedi Walti  238, 314 Akiko + Hiroshi Takahashi workstation  244 Alexander Scholtysek  246 TU Darmstadt  250, 252, 262, 280, 282, 294, 298 Atelier 5  258 Robertino Nikolic/arturimages  260 Francis Soler  266 Kathrin Hinkel  268 Martin Trefon  270 Oski Collado  274 C. F. Møller Architects  276 Herman Hertzberger  286 (top) Jens Willebrand  286 (bottom) Steven Holl Architects  290 Philippe Gazeau  292, 316 Philipp Zindel  302, 303 Tomio Ohashi  306 Åke E:son Lindman  308 Nalbach + Nalbach  311, 313

The Freestanding House Åke E:son Lindman  329 G. G. Kirchner  331 431

Ruedi Walti  333, 341, 361 Florian Holzherr  334 Roger Frei  339, 370, 373, 384 Pez Hejduk  343, 345 Iwan Baan  347, 349 Christian Richters  351, 382 Heinrich Helfenstein  353, 359 Valentin Jeck  355 Christian Weyell  357 Hannes Henz  362, 365 Eduard Hueber  367, 411, 412 pool Architekten  369 Franziska von Gagern  390, 393 Tobias Katz  399 Gilbert Fastenaekens  400 Luuk Kramer  402 Stefan Müller-Naumann  406 Allard van der Hoek  409 Hélène Binet  414 Charles Correa  416, 419 Hertha Hurnaus  420 Meir Lobaton + Kristjan Donaldson  422, 425

432