Systemic Diversity

Several political leaders and movements have left a strong impact on housing in Russia. The Soviet era Housing has been described through terms like Kommunalki - Communal Housing, Khrushchevki or Khrushchovkas. This mass housing made during the 1950’s and 1960’s is devoid of identity and expression. People lived in cramped housing which decayed quickly over the next couple of decades. In cities like Moscow and Saint Petersburg, large areas have this kind of housing which has a crucial impact on the urban character. This design proposal is an attempt to create a more distinct, contemporary identity for mass housing keeping systemic processes and design principles as the central idea.

 

A set of layouts have been worked out based on a modular grid as an ordering principle. The apartments are efficient not just in their floor area but are designed to be flexible such that they adapt to the needs of the residents as well as the changing building typologies. The layouts form the basic modules for conjuring the various building types. This modular nature of the layout is used in various configurations resulting in varied formal outcomes. The Urban villa, Tower and Section building are all designed using the same layouts.

 

A set of components which come together in various permutations have been created for making the “Sun Rooms” and facade modulation. Every apartment has a sunroom which can be modulated as per climate.

 

The material palette chosen consists of brick and plastered finishes. Various brick finishes can be used to create subtle variety to the housing as it is used in a larger, urban scale. The warm colors for the plastered surfaces are chosen so that the buildings become particularly appealing during the harsh winter months.

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Project Video

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