14.6.13

Designing an Urban Village / Brenac+Gonzalez


The building is composed of several layers assembled on the vertical axis, over a base that provides properly anchored natural and use-related services. It is designed ​​according to the needs of each housing site, thereby defining the overlay districts. As a village, the high-rise is organized and structured around common areas such as meeting places and places of exchange. It includes characteristics of individual housing, offering to its inhabitants large living areas with more than 3 meters high ceilings and customizable spaces through use of mobile partitions.

The green element of the design is realized by introducing natural environment to high-density housing conditions. In order to achieve an optimal level of comfort, the building accommodates gardens and play areas for children. The gardens allow up to 80 cm of natural soil layers with width of at least 3 meters. They play a fundamental role: they act as sunscreens, protection against wind, noise and pollution.

The project offers a development alternative that reconciles density and quality of life through a return to the fundamental concept of individual homes and rehabilitation of a fallen icon: the village.