I've been spending a lot of time finding precedents for social housing. The best examples I find feature individual staircases serving a few units per floor (sans corridor) or have single-loaded corridors. It seems like the double-loaded corridor is reserved for the more dreary large housing blocks. Can anyone think of some nice contemporary (last 20 years) social housing projects that feature a double-loaded corridor?
I'd prefer an open-air single-loaded corridor, but the consensus is that it will cost more money to build because of the increase in exterior perimeter per unit. I'd think that not needing to condition the corridor, or finish it with carpet, wallbase, etc. could help offset the cost. Anyways, was just wondering if anyone on the 'nect would mind sharing some experience w/ this. thanks much.
james webb
Jan 26, 11 6:01 am
alot of mvrdv project have internal corridors. chk their website
mantaray
Jan 26, 11 9:17 am
why would you prefer open-air corridor?
kungapa
Jan 26, 11 10:27 am
VM houses by BIG. Though not technically a social housing project, the M house features a double loaded corridor.
St. George's Fields
Jan 26, 11 12:42 pm
"why would you prefer open-air corridor?"
Pest control. Odor control. Disease control. Pollution control. Also, the ability to use toxic chemicals and solvents on your front porch. It can also be less noisy.
usernametaken
Jan 26, 11 1:46 pm
I guess that, technically speaking, the "Hiphouse" by Atelier Kempe Thill could be considered as somewhat of a modulation of the double-loaded corridor. And is quite luxiorious for social housing. The central hallway does seem a bit too much like a prison, though (except on the ground floor)
wow, that project by Atelier Kempe Thill is beautiful. Mirador looks like it employs a somewhat similar strategy w/ interior corridors as well. Had checked out Silodam; some of those corridors are fun but feel a little scary and claustrophobic.
So it looks like a good strategy is to widen the corridor and try to cut open the floor a little bit to get natural light into the space. Thanks much everyone for the comments. username, I'll check out all your examples today. Thanks for all the help everyone.
Manta, the single-loaded corridor preference has to do with the unit floor plans and just some other aspects of the site. We'd like to be able to have light, fresh air, and views on both sides of the unit so we can fit bedrooms on one side and living on the other. Realize you can do this in other ways, but it works as a nice clean diagram for the project and site. There's also some issues w/ bldg orientation and how the single-loaded gives us more massing flexibility to enclose green space. Uxbridge brings up some good points; if we decided to enclose the single-loaded condition, we would lose the cost-cutting measures I mentioned above. I could on and on, realize exterior corridors aren't the best in a lot of (most?) situations but for this project they seem appropriate.
Volunteer
Nov 8, 18 7:57 am
Consider the classic loggia opening to a courtyard? You could do a modern version if the traditional is not appropriate for your building.
Hello all,
I've been spending a lot of time finding precedents for social housing. The best examples I find feature individual staircases serving a few units per floor (sans corridor) or have single-loaded corridors. It seems like the double-loaded corridor is reserved for the more dreary large housing blocks. Can anyone think of some nice contemporary (last 20 years) social housing projects that feature a double-loaded corridor?
I'd prefer an open-air single-loaded corridor, but the consensus is that it will cost more money to build because of the increase in exterior perimeter per unit. I'd think that not needing to condition the corridor, or finish it with carpet, wallbase, etc. could help offset the cost. Anyways, was just wondering if anyone on the 'nect would mind sharing some experience w/ this. thanks much.
alot of mvrdv project have internal corridors. chk their website
why would you prefer open-air corridor?
VM houses by BIG. Though not technically a social housing project, the M house features a double loaded corridor.
"why would you prefer open-air corridor?"
Pest control. Odor control. Disease control. Pollution control. Also, the ability to use toxic chemicals and solvents on your front porch. It can also be less noisy.
I guess that, technically speaking, the "Hiphouse" by Atelier Kempe Thill could be considered as somewhat of a modulation of the double-loaded corridor. And is quite luxiorious for social housing. The central hallway does seem a bit too much like a prison, though (except on the ground floor)
http://www.atelierkempethill.com/0053_1.html
Other than that, Vienna has quite a remarkable history of high quality social housing. For contemporary Viennese projects, you might check out the work by Querkraft (http://www.querkraft.at/?area=projects&sub=wohnen), or the housing projects by Delugan Meissl Or what about a true "Passiv" social housing project? (http://www.beton.org/sixcms/detail.php?id=40837)
wow, that project by Atelier Kempe Thill is beautiful. Mirador looks like it employs a somewhat similar strategy w/ interior corridors as well. Had checked out Silodam; some of those corridors are fun but feel a little scary and claustrophobic.
So it looks like a good strategy is to widen the corridor and try to cut open the floor a little bit to get natural light into the space. Thanks much everyone for the comments. username, I'll check out all your examples today. Thanks for all the help everyone.
Manta, the single-loaded corridor preference has to do with the unit floor plans and just some other aspects of the site. We'd like to be able to have light, fresh air, and views on both sides of the unit so we can fit bedrooms on one side and living on the other. Realize you can do this in other ways, but it works as a nice clean diagram for the project and site. There's also some issues w/ bldg orientation and how the single-loaded gives us more massing flexibility to enclose green space. Uxbridge brings up some good points; if we decided to enclose the single-loaded condition, we would lose the cost-cutting measures I mentioned above. I could on and on, realize exterior corridors aren't the best in a lot of (most?) situations but for this project they seem appropriate.
Consider the classic loggia opening to a courtyard? You could do a modern version if the traditional is not appropriate for your building.