3³ Housing: 3 Units, 3 Meters, 3 Typologies

Project idea

“How to design a house that fulfils the need of a modern Algerian citizen?”… This particular expression was the beginning of a long journey towards the accomplishment of "33 Housing" project. Located in “Ruisseau”, the new business district in the centre of the Algerian capital, "33 Housing" aims, on one hand, to integrate urban housing in a business district, in response to the post-independence housing crisis in Algeria. On the other hand, it comes as a revolutionary solution to problems on the architectural scale, related to Algerian habits, culture and traditions, thus the concept of the project “R(E)volution”.

Project description

“How to design a house that fulfils the need of a modern Algerian citizen?”… This particular expression was the beginning of a long journey towards the accomplishment of "33 Housing" project. Located in “Ruisseau”, the new business district in the centre of the Algerian capital, "33 Housing" aims, on one hand, to integrate urban housing in a business district, in response to the post-independence housing crisis in Algeria. On the other hand, it comes as a revolutionary solution to problems on the architectural scale, related to Algerian habits, culture and traditions, thus the concept of the project “R(E)volution”. The concept combines between modern and/or Revolutionary solutions, and traditional and/or Evolutionary ones, mainly by reinterpreting the elements of the traditional city of Algiers “Casbah” in a new and “modern” way.
On the urban scale, the concept is materialized through the articulation between the public, semi-public, semi-private and private spaces. These spaces are the evolution of the same system of hierarchy known as “Derb”, used in the ancient city of “Casbah”. Furthermore, on the architectural scale, the use of “split level” system in both private and semi-private spaces gives the occupants the sensation of an individual house or a “Villa”. This system allows each apartment to have its own porch, a wide welcoming space, to mark the transition between the semi-private areas (stairs landing and circulation area) and the private area (apartment). This space reinterprets what is known locally as “El Houma”, a social gathering place for residents to meet, interact and relax.
Regarding the project’s integration, "33 Housing" was designed based on the principle of Double Impact (site-on-project and project-on-site). Therefore, the project impacts its surrounding environment by creating a transit area for pedestrians from all directions, thus, restoring the neighbourhood’s social life and encouraging functional and social diversity. However, in order to benefit from the site’s potentials, the project is oriented towards the North-East direction, for better views and natural ventilation (cross ventilation). Furthermore, it aims to create a continued skyline between the high-rise buildings the South-West side, and the low-rise buildings of the North-East side of the district. Finally, due to site’s challenges, "33 Housing" is decomposed into small volumes to give every apartment access to light, ventilation and panoramic views.
As for the apartment interior spaces, they’re organised in three (3) principle units based on “Space Users” and “Space Usage” (Guest unit, Daily unit, and Intimacy unit), mainly for one purpose: “Fulfil the needs of today’s Algerian citizen”. With this topic being a huge controversy for the last few decades, this distribution respects the traditions, religious beliefs and daily habits of its occupants, by adapting the scheme of the ancient house of the “Casbah”, through the separation of visitors and resident’s areas, connected by a transitional space without visual connection, for a better comfort. In addition to that, it offers all the required spaces for basic daily needs, which are missing in the conventional apartments, such as the “laundry room”, “master bedroom’s bathroom”, “private terrace” and “family living room”.
To conclude, it’s safe to assume that "33 Housing" is nothing but a technical answer to a question that is not technical at all, but is rather cultural or historical…

Technical information

As for the apartment interior spaces, they’re organised in three (3) principle units based on “Space Users” and “Space Usage” (Guest unit, Daily unit, and Intimacy unit), mainly for one purpose: “Fulfil the needs of today’s Algerian citizen”. With this topic being a huge controversy for the last few decades, this distribution respects the traditions, religious beliefs and daily habits of its occupants, by adapting the scheme of the ancient house of the “Casbah”, through the separation of visitors and resident’s areas, connected by a transitional space without visual connection, for a better comfort. In addition to that, it offers all the required spaces for basic daily needs, which are missing in the conventional apartments, such as the “laundry room”, “master bedroom’s bathroom”, “private terrace” and “family living room”.