Transitional Living Centre

Site Development

The centre is designed along a street which runs parallel to the east west axis of the site. The street structures movement and organizes the accommodation along its length.

The Building as a City

A generating idea for the organization of space is to imply the order and structure of a city. This approach was adopted for two main reasons. Firstly it could offer another way of reading the center as an institution. Secondly it would bring the idea of living and the city into focus and offer ways of understanding the world outside the center.

Spatial Organization of Building Program

The units of accommodation have been differentiated and have been organized around separate courtyards – each courtyard is secure and all spaces are universally accessible.

Productive Landscape versus Communal Spaces

Communal courts alternate between the units of accommodation. These spaces are treated as productive landscapes which the residents control. The idea of shared production spaces could foster a strong sense of community and togetherness. Also these spaces could be used to emphasize the dignity that is associated with labor. Three units of production are proposed – an orchard, a vegetable garden and a flower garden.