Thesis v. 5.0
Thesis
The automobile culture of the past century has been a driving force behind many architectural developments, specifically suburban sprawl, the massive and complex U.S. highway system and the trend toward mobility. Burgeoning environmental and socio-economic pressures combine with this culture to prime Americans for a shift toward Existence Minimum and a nomadic lifestyle.
Theme
The average American moves every six years, spends seven weeks of every year in a car and upwards of $6,000 annually on their car.
The automobile is an omnipresent element in American society, culture, and economics — so pervasive that its impact is often overlooked not only by the average American, but often by civic leaders and city planners. It is a factor that must not be ignored, but recognized as an essential component of American history and culture… and that could potentially lead to further advances in Existence Minimum theory and application.
The Existence Minimum movement of the early 20th century was almost exclusively a European phenomenon. I propose that a re-examination and further development of its theories will make it applicable in the United States. The new Existence Minimum will encompass more than the most efficient living in the smallest space possible: it will be highlighted by a move toward making a smaller imprint environmentally while operating on a smaller budget.
This issue needs to be addressed not only on the organizational scale, but also on the urban scale — how can urbanists and city planners begin to think in a way that is less about sprawl and more about infill and efficient use of already developed land; and on an architectural scale — based on developments in materials and methods that allows architecture to make a minimal impact on the environment while at the same time making it less transient and more mobile.
I will pursue three major ideas: the development of nomadic architecture, including, but not limited to, residential and retail designs; how new developments in mobile living can effect the growth and makeup of cities and suburbs; and the infrastructural needs of this lifestyle.
Vehicle
A continuing investigation into the structural, as well as infastructural, demands that would develop in response to a truly mobile architecture will be the underlying structure (forgive the pun) of the project. In addition, an investigation into the spatial needs of the various programs will be in order, as current norms may not necessarily be the most appropriate.
A series of small projects will be pursued to test the needs and limitations of this lifestyle as well as to establish potential cultural implications. Three types of buildings will be developed: residential (single family, 3-4 people, and bachelor living, 1-2 people), retail (cafes, clothing stores, etc), and business. Several prototypes will be examined that will focus on different mobile lifestyles: the ever-moving and the semi-nomadic. The first is based on the idea of the current mobile home, where one moves at will and very regularly, if not always being on the move. The second is based on a concept that is also prevalent in American society: the upwardly mobile American who moves regularly to bigger and better surroundings.
Bibliography
Duany, Andres and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk and Jeff Speck. Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream. New York: North Point Press, 2000.
The authors of Suburban Nation bemoan the immense and unchecked growth of suburban sprawl as “a landscape in which automobile use is a prerequisite to social viability.” They define
Bell, Jonathan. Carchitecture: When the Car and the City Collide. London: August, 2001.
Teige, Karel. The Minimum Dwelling. Translated by Eric Dluhosch. Cambridge, Mass: The MIT Press, 1932.
Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities.
Case Studies
Urban, or high-density, Infill Projects:
Model Plastic Residence
Architect: Masao Koizumi/C+A
Location: Kanagawa, Japan
Date: 1995
Type: Residential
Area: 1,205 sq. ft.
Reference: Bahamon, Alejandro, ed. Mini House. Barcelona: Loft Publications, 2003.
Suburban, or low-density, Infill Projects:
Elektra House
Architect: David Adjaye
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date: 2001
Type: Residential
Area: 1,291 sq. ft.
Tower House
Architect: Frederick Phillips
Location: Chicago, United States
Date: 2001
Type: Residential
Area: 1,141 sq. ft.
Mobile Architecture:
Small House
Architect: Bauart Architekten
Location: Mobile
Date: 2000
Type: Residential
Area: 675 sq. ft.
Black Box
Architect: Andreas Hanrickson
Location: Halmstad, Sweden
Date: 1999
Type: Residential
Area: 355 sq. ft.
Proposed Program
Residential:
Living Area
Sleeping Area
Kitchen/Cooking Area
¾ to Full Bath
Storage
Transportation Storage (car, bike, etc)
Utilities (could potentially be part of infrastructure and independent of house)
Retail:
Café
Kitchen/Food Prep Area
Dining Area
Foyer/Entry
Office
Half Bath
Storage
Clothing Store:
Sales Area
Dressing Rooms
Office
Half Bath
Storage
Loading dock/receiving area
Other Store:
Sales Area
Office
Half Bath
Storage
Loading dock/receiving area
Business:
Varies
The automobile culture of the past century has been a driving force behind many architectural developments, specifically suburban sprawl, the massive and complex U.S. highway system and the trend toward mobility. Burgeoning environmental and socio-economic pressures combine with this culture to prime Americans for a shift toward Existence Minimum and a nomadic lifestyle.
Theme
The average American moves every six years, spends seven weeks of every year in a car and upwards of $6,000 annually on their car.
The automobile is an omnipresent element in American society, culture, and economics — so pervasive that its impact is often overlooked not only by the average American, but often by civic leaders and city planners. It is a factor that must not be ignored, but recognized as an essential component of American history and culture… and that could potentially lead to further advances in Existence Minimum theory and application.
The Existence Minimum movement of the early 20th century was almost exclusively a European phenomenon. I propose that a re-examination and further development of its theories will make it applicable in the United States. The new Existence Minimum will encompass more than the most efficient living in the smallest space possible: it will be highlighted by a move toward making a smaller imprint environmentally while operating on a smaller budget.
This issue needs to be addressed not only on the organizational scale, but also on the urban scale — how can urbanists and city planners begin to think in a way that is less about sprawl and more about infill and efficient use of already developed land; and on an architectural scale — based on developments in materials and methods that allows architecture to make a minimal impact on the environment while at the same time making it less transient and more mobile.
I will pursue three major ideas: the development of nomadic architecture, including, but not limited to, residential and retail designs; how new developments in mobile living can effect the growth and makeup of cities and suburbs; and the infrastructural needs of this lifestyle.
Vehicle
A continuing investigation into the structural, as well as infastructural, demands that would develop in response to a truly mobile architecture will be the underlying structure (forgive the pun) of the project. In addition, an investigation into the spatial needs of the various programs will be in order, as current norms may not necessarily be the most appropriate.
A series of small projects will be pursued to test the needs and limitations of this lifestyle as well as to establish potential cultural implications. Three types of buildings will be developed: residential (single family, 3-4 people, and bachelor living, 1-2 people), retail (cafes, clothing stores, etc), and business. Several prototypes will be examined that will focus on different mobile lifestyles: the ever-moving and the semi-nomadic. The first is based on the idea of the current mobile home, where one moves at will and very regularly, if not always being on the move. The second is based on a concept that is also prevalent in American society: the upwardly mobile American who moves regularly to bigger and better surroundings.
Bibliography
Duany, Andres and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk and Jeff Speck. Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream. New York: North Point Press, 2000.
The authors of Suburban Nation bemoan the immense and unchecked growth of suburban sprawl as “a landscape in which automobile use is a prerequisite to social viability.” They define
Bell, Jonathan. Carchitecture: When the Car and the City Collide. London: August, 2001.
Teige, Karel. The Minimum Dwelling. Translated by Eric Dluhosch. Cambridge, Mass: The MIT Press, 1932.
Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities.
Case Studies
Urban, or high-density, Infill Projects:
Model Plastic Residence
Architect: Masao Koizumi/C+A
Location: Kanagawa, Japan
Date: 1995
Type: Residential
Area: 1,205 sq. ft.
Reference: Bahamon, Alejandro, ed. Mini House. Barcelona: Loft Publications, 2003.
Suburban, or low-density, Infill Projects:
Elektra House
Architect: David Adjaye
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date: 2001
Type: Residential
Area: 1,291 sq. ft.
Tower House
Architect: Frederick Phillips
Location: Chicago, United States
Date: 2001
Type: Residential
Area: 1,141 sq. ft.
Mobile Architecture:
Small House
Architect: Bauart Architekten
Location: Mobile
Date: 2000
Type: Residential
Area: 675 sq. ft.
Black Box
Architect: Andreas Hanrickson
Location: Halmstad, Sweden
Date: 1999
Type: Residential
Area: 355 sq. ft.
Proposed Program
Residential:
Living Area
Sleeping Area
Kitchen/Cooking Area
¾ to Full Bath
Storage
Transportation Storage (car, bike, etc)
Utilities (could potentially be part of infrastructure and independent of house)
Retail:
Café
Kitchen/Food Prep Area
Dining Area
Foyer/Entry
Office
Half Bath
Storage
Clothing Store:
Sales Area
Dressing Rooms
Office
Half Bath
Storage
Loading dock/receiving area
Other Store:
Sales Area
Office
Half Bath
Storage
Loading dock/receiving area
Business:
Varies
posted by Heather at 5:53 PM
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