Building in Porta Venezia
2015. Milan, Italy
A proposal of scalable modular architecture: a concept that tries to mix habitability, incrementality and flexibility.
Its objective is to create habitable spaces capable of adapting its qualities according to different necessities of its inhabitants.
The proposal starts from a habitable unit, stablishing a base that can be multipled to define a building that can adapt into different shapes and urban contexts.
Technically, the idea of having an adaptive space defines two types of environments: permanent (main structure, connexions areas, bathrooms, kitchen, circulations) and changeable (common spaces, rooms, studios, terraces, etc.). From this perspective, the project proposes (1) a mother structure that contains all the permanent; and (2) modular spaces that function as plug-in elements, defining all the changeable. This independence brings also the possibility of having modules on permanent change through motion. From this perspective, flexibility is achieved under two main features: (1) a rotative living/dinning room module (3 positions = 0º - 45º - 90º); and (2) the possibility to add more square meters by plugging modules.
By one hand, the first feature define a dynamic first floor. The module rotation was thought to easily re-organize the space to have a changeable interior atmosphere and to include a climatic responsive movement (closed module = higher amount of perimetral insulation; open module = higher amount of glazed perimetral surfaces). By the other hand, the second feature allows to increase the apartment's square meters on the second floor by adding new modules if needed.
In this case, the building is designed as part of a masterplan for an area in which 2 neighbourhoods are separated by train-lines: Tortona as a creative hub, under process of gentrification. And Navigli as a tourist attractor with Naviglio Canal, restaurants and bars.
The proposal seeks to complete the built edge of the city, specifically on the railway border, providing a concrete solution for the parking lot problem. In this way, the parked cars are grouped on the edge through 2 bars, creating an open space qualified as a promenade that connects 2 points. The first is determined by the Porta Genova train station, while the second is defined by public infrastructure (elevated plaza, auditoriums and a library) located in the widest part of the promenade. In parallel, this space houses a large residential building, creating a dynamic meeting and leisure point.
The building, composed entirely by flexible units, is exhibited to the city through 2 dynamic facades that are in constant movement. On the one hand, from the promenade and facing the river, it is possible to observe how the inhabitants rotate their modules to achieve different interior environments, while others receive prefabricated modules to increase the size of their apartments. On the other hand, the rear face of the building exposes a more subtle variation through the movement of the counterweight system that allows the rotation of the opposite facade.
