The model of sustainable design for urban residential buildings increasingly emphasizes not only energy efficiency and intelligent use of materials, but also social interaction and a sense of community. The U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Homes criteria actually include community-related considerations towards the top of their 8-point rating system, highlighting the importance of looking first to the context and density potential of a site before beginning to build. As cities grow, of course, there will be little choice but to pack into more closely-knit dwellings. Some future-focused designers have been considering how to accomplish this task in architecture while preserving exposure to greenery and creating a sense of non-claustrophobic interaction. We’ve seen it in Denmark and now a new project emerges out of Seoul, Korea. Seoul Commune 2026 was conceived by Seoul firm, Mass Studies, which investigates “architecture in the market-oriented context of mass production and intensely over-populated urban conditions.” The project riffs off of the “towers in the park” typology utilized in a number of large Asian cities, which sets highrise apartment towers in an expanse of green space, creating openness to offset the compact privacy of the residences. But Mass Studies feel that this model is… (more)
(Posted by Sarah Rich in Green Building at 11:06 AM)