HaoNan Rita Duan + LinHao Eric Zhou
Our thesis proposes an alternative collective housing model integrating living and production into an interdependent cooperative cohort, where space is shared to form connections at different scales. The Songpa District in South Korea typically adopts the "towers in the park" typology to accommodate its high-density population. We want to challenge the conventional use of the “tower” by loosening the organizational layout and allowing more shared space to emerge. Through this spatial reconfiguration, we unveil an intermediate space: Soft Space—a multifunctional "in-between" program that bridges the gap between various facets of community life.
The quality of the Soft Space is adaptable according to the individuals, the community, and the city. In the housing, Soft Space is the large shared hallway that unifies the units into quasi-autonomous "family houses," where residents can cooperatively live together. The shared space fosters interdependency, as each member of the family leans on one another to efficiently engage in shared household activities, such as cooking, cleaning, and childcare. The nooks of the hallways become more private areas for working from home.
In the community, Soft Space is extracted as a tactile zone that is in between housing and production that provides residents and production workers with a cozy space for social interaction. In addition, the spatial and tactile quality of the intermediate space functions as an acoustic barrier to reduce noise emitted from production. Soft Space makes it possible for work and living to coexist in closer proximity.
In the city, Soft Space is the versatile communal zone between buildings and surroundings. The rooftop, the courtyard, the public green space, the market, and the school are where collective events and activities occur.
The interconnectedness of Soft Space fosters mutual reliance and a sharing culture, where people can comfortably “lean” on each other when needing assistance in shared activities.
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