Symbiosis

POLIS UNIVERSITY

Project idea

The task is focused on two-storey vertical extensions of the existing residential buildings from the 1960s in Vienna. Many cities in Europe have to face the challenges of increasing numbers of inhabitants and a lack of developable space. However, they have many residential buildings from the 1960s and 1970s which have a lot of raising potential, and therefore could contribute to solving this housing shortage problem.

The goal is to find a design solution with timber material, which can also be used for other residential buildings of the same type from the same period.

Project description

Starting from the task (a 2-storey vertical addition),the concept idea of this project is based on process of symbiosis. A biological concept translated in architecture as an interaction between an existing building and the new intervention- a symbiotic relationship.
3 are the ways of symbiosis: 1.commensialism, 2.mutualism and 3. parasitism
In order for the new symbiont form to come to life, it was necessary to translate these three symbiosis processes into architecture.
Commensalism refers to the process that occurs between the two symbionts, in which the new symbiont derives from the existing symbiont without damaging it.
Parasitism is the process between two symbionts where the new symbiont derives from the existing one by damaging it.
Whereas Mutualism is the process between two symbols where both of these symbols take from each other.
So, as a consequence of commensalism, what I will get from the existing symbiont is the trace of planarity and the transverse structure.
Mutualism would influence the creation of spaces in which both the existing and the new symbionts would share together. This will also lead to a separation of public and private functions.
While parasitism will pay attention to the appearance of the building, therefore, a facade different from the existing one, where in addition to the form and the material besides the appearance will be the vertical access of elevators.

Technical information

The addition is composed of apartments of different sizes, common balconies and a common roof, in which solar panels are also placed.