shelter for all _ HONORABLE MENTION
HONORABLE mention at Shelter for All Competition, March 2012
Project Name: WORKING TOGETHER _ from expert contribution, to local appropriation
Date: April 2012
Type: Open International Architectural Competition
Distinction: Honorable Mention
Status: Project
Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Strategy
The process that we propose is a strategy of intensification of the soft mobility network and an introduction of several points of activities that use the existing and the extended infrastructure in order to provide the creativity and plurality in the public space and generate links between nature, leisure and cultural activities. The concentration points will function as places of gathering, of recreation and sport, as well as small commerce or urban agriculture lots. The strategy for this intensification of public space takes into consideration the uses - current and projected- and the population’s habits. The implementation of the strategy follows the principle «Start Small – Grow fast » and complete a toolkit for the activation of the public space through active participation.
Description
The proposed housing unit aspires to enhance the collaboration between local population and construction experts and also to combine strong and light structures in order to respond to fast and sustainable construction. We choose to focus our research on Turkey, and more precisely on the housing settlements “gecekundu” of Istanbul. The “gecekundu” housing is constructed overnight: concrete, timber and disused material serve the needs of fast construction. We aim to improve the housing conditions of such populations, by supplying them with knowledge and also letting them build the house on their own along with the help of experts.The design is based on a concrete core supporting a wooden structure, responding to fast and sustainable construction. The concrete core is a prefabricated box accommodating the kitchen and bathroom infrastructure, supplied by a local manufacturer. The living spaces evolve around that, situated within the wooden structure.