The Fighting Rooms ///
The programmatic needs of a building are usually determined without full consideration of site, zoning, or budgetary constraints. Inevitably, the dimensions of building plans are reduced, pushing rooms against one another and into competition for space. Even after the design is complete and the building is constructed, the friction between rooms rarely subsides. Shifting users, priorities, and technologies apply constant pressures on walls that define rooms. The expansion of one room means the reduction or complete removal of another. How might an architectural framework highlight and respond to programmatic pressures in real-time? What happens when rooms fight each other?
Participants are asked to consider designs that are not simply flexible, but that express programmatic pressures. Submissions may be technical, conceptual, practical, and/or artistic.
JURORS ///
Melissa Bernstein, AIA
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
B.Arch, Temple University
Firm: Jacobs
Emma P. Castro
Kansas City, Missouri, United States
B.Arch, Temple University
Firm: Populous
Ryan Edwards
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
M.Arch, Wentworth Institute of Technology
Firm: Helicon Design Group
RESULTS ///
Alfredo Di Zenzo & Daniel Felix
Florence, Italy & Guimarães, Portugal
Julie Tadros
London, United Kingdom
Neeraj Chatterji
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Parisa Mansourian
New York, New York, United States
John Yoo
Seoul, South Korea
Ömer Kaya
Jersey City, New Jersey
Shui Cheung, Hui
London, United Kingdom.
ENTRIES ///
ENTRIES
Africa
Asia
Europe
N. America
S. America
Oceana
Alfredo Di Zenzo & Daniel Felix
Florence, Italy & Guimarães, Portugal
JURY COMMENTS ///
"This entry's idea of inflating or deflating programmatic pressures is thoughtful and successful in its solution to the requirements of the brief. One is left wanting to know how the idea of inflating/deflating program would resolve itself architecturally."
"This option shows the flexibility of use in different size spaces. It speaks to what size room is most appropriate for the user. One person may prefer the bedroom to be in the largest room, while another user may prefer the living room to be in the largest room."
Julie Tadros
London, United Kingdom
JURY COMMENTS ///
"Like ripples on a pond from even the lightest of leaves, the simplicity and subtlety with which this entry conveys the idea of programmatic pressures is impressive and beautifully executed."
"While this design is only a simple grid system, the idea to trim and delete walls in a concentric circle is creative on its own. The creation of the new space is only possible with the already flexible design, where no wall is a permanent element or a necessity."
Neeraj Chatterji
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
JURY COMMENTS ///
"Although many entries tended towards what one might call the "Tetris approach," this entry, to me, most successfully conveys a sense of a continuously flowing (bordering on never ending) series of programs or spatial requirements that have to be resolved as a means of retaining the cohesive whole that is architecture."
Parisa Mansourian
New York, New York, United States
JURY COMMENTS ///
"This graphic shows different functional uses that may be found in a dense city apartment or loft building. The variety of activities exemplifies how to best use a space to your personal needs, and is graphically entertaining. The complementary colors are a pleasant choice, as well."
John Yoo
Seoul, South Korea
JURY COMMENTS ///
"This option shows modularity of whole rooms vs. modularity of individual walls. With simple colors contrasting the white, the graphic is clear. If one rearranges odd shaped rooms, it will always leave space to create more odd shaped rooms. There is consistency in the chaos."
Ömer Kaya
Ankara, Turkey
JURY COMMENTS ///
"The idea of walls that fight for their place in a space is fascinating. It almost leaves the space hierarchy to take control over the final product. If it matters, then it stays but, if it isn't crucial, then it goes away."
Shui Cheung, Hui
London, United Kingdom
JURY COMMENTS ///
"This is a good example of how different modular units fit together in an infinite number of ways. They vary in size and shape, but ultimately they are part of the common system and design intent of a Mondrian backdrop."
Carlos Cutting
Dallas, Texas, United States
Dammy Lee
New York, New York, United States
JT Bachman
Brooklyn, New York, United States
Ambarus Razvan-Marian
Husi , Vaslui County, Romania
Nevis Isaj
Champaign, Illinois, United States
Levi Bedall
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Jakob Vermelin
Lund, Skåne, Sweden