studio Mwenge
studio Mwenge
Embedded Files
global perspectives edition 2O20 all editions
Parallel design studio Hasselt University (BE) – Ardhi University (TZ)
Located next to Bagamoyo Road, one of Dar’s main arteries towards the CBD, Mwenge is on the threshold of an extremely rapid urbanization process.
Starting from scenario-thinking, team Mwenge sketches a positive future for this city quarter, crystalized in a series of acupunctural interventions. Highlighting Mwenge’s present qualities, adding new programmes and typologies, students search for an architecture that is connective and creates publicness for all, where projects are regenerative and distributive.
THE GARDEN MOMENTS
Mirte ClerixA lively green community as a connection between people and streets
The Garden moments proposes a new collective housing typology building upon moments of social interaction and belonging.
Keywords: densification oasis liveliness green community intimacy connectivity social housing history
The Garden moments proposes a new collective housing typology building upon moments of social interaction and belonging.
Keywords: densification oasis liveliness green community intimacy connectivity social housing history
A VERTICAL NEIGHBOURHOOD
Lauren De BaetsA modular infrastructure for living and working at Bagamoyo Road
A vertical neighbourhood reclaims space for daily life with an open-ended system, while adding green and identity to one of Dar's main arteries.
Keywords: vertical housing publicness productivity autarky flexibel liveliness incremental identity community neighbourhood green density
A vertical neighbourhood reclaims space for daily life with an open-ended system, while adding green and identity to one of Dar's main arteries.
Keywords: vertical housing publicness productivity autarky flexibel liveliness incremental identity community neighbourhood green density
CHANGING SCALES
Alexander Van GestelFlexible living in a vertical neighbourhood
A concrete plinth topped up with a wooden grid-structure creates a place for local commercial activities, greenery, pockets of public space and qualitative housing units, to strengthen the community of Mwenge.
Keywords: density housing grid infill adaptive mixity publicness urban local materiality wood
A concrete plinth topped up with a wooden grid-structure creates a place for local commercial activities, greenery, pockets of public space and qualitative housing units, to strengthen the community of Mwenge.
Keywords: density housing grid infill adaptive mixity publicness urban local materiality wood
project brief I booklet
The inner area of Mwenge has the potential for a qualitative densification. There is a need for a new housing typology for living in a calm, suburban area.
The Garden Moments proposes design principles for an upgraded residential area. It will serve as a connection between the streets of Mwenge. A second, intimate circulation is created through permeable street blocks with green pockets.
The project aims to give Mwenge a lively community feeling. By incorporating the liveliness and green atmosphere, the building block becomes a safe oasis for children to play, for elderly to rest and for people to meet. Social interaction is strengthened by commercial and communal spaces and by small moments to connected to each other.
The relative orientation and form of the buildings create spatial moments of intimacy, connectivity and greeneryon all levels, whether it is from a living room, a front yard, a passageway or shared gardens. A differentiation in materials, setbacks, etc. and the ability for personalisation of the inhabitants, with a close connection to existing architectural features, creates unique experiences throughout the whole project.
These qualitative moments of space become the building blocks of the project, composing a medium-density vision of future inner Mwenge, linked with its history of inclusive social housing.
The Garden Moments proposes design principles for an upgraded residential area. It will serve as a connection between the streets of Mwenge. A second, intimate circulation is created through permeable street blocks with green pockets.
The project aims to give Mwenge a lively community feeling. By incorporating the liveliness and green atmosphere, the building block becomes a safe oasis for children to play, for elderly to rest and for people to meet. Social interaction is strengthened by commercial and communal spaces and by small moments to connected to each other.
The relative orientation and form of the buildings create spatial moments of intimacy, connectivity and greeneryon all levels, whether it is from a living room, a front yard, a passageway or shared gardens. A differentiation in materials, setbacks, etc. and the ability for personalisation of the inhabitants, with a close connection to existing architectural features, creates unique experiences throughout the whole project.
These qualitative moments of space become the building blocks of the project, composing a medium-density vision of future inner Mwenge, linked with its history of inclusive social housing.
project brief I booklet
How can we live together in tomorrow’s cities, while positively contributing to our natural and cultural environment?
This design searches for a dense way of living together with different generations, adding the experience of freedom, joy and space by inviting the liveliness of Mwenge’s streets in the passages throughout the building.
A modular structure of floor slabs and columns makes it possible to create a flexible infill and accommodate changes over time. The variety of small, medium and large living units, working spaces, vegetable gardens, bars, shops, and generous in-between spaces create a bustling vertical neighbourhood. The infrastructural approach fosters not only productivity and creativity but also autarky: rainwater is collected and reused, vegetables are grown, social changes and incremental growth are accommodated by the structure’s flexibility. Choosing from a toolbox with a variety of panels, the homeowner creates his personal facade while ensuring a coherent composition.
Architecture appears here as an open-ended system ready to adapt to the needs of a rapidly growing mega-city and its individual residents. In its verticality, the project creates publicness, adds green and identity to the urban centrality of Mwenge.
This design searches for a dense way of living together with different generations, adding the experience of freedom, joy and space by inviting the liveliness of Mwenge’s streets in the passages throughout the building.
A modular structure of floor slabs and columns makes it possible to create a flexible infill and accommodate changes over time. The variety of small, medium and large living units, working spaces, vegetable gardens, bars, shops, and generous in-between spaces create a bustling vertical neighbourhood. The infrastructural approach fosters not only productivity and creativity but also autarky: rainwater is collected and reused, vegetables are grown, social changes and incremental growth are accommodated by the structure’s flexibility. Choosing from a toolbox with a variety of panels, the homeowner creates his personal facade while ensuring a coherent composition.
Architecture appears here as an open-ended system ready to adapt to the needs of a rapidly growing mega-city and its individual residents. In its verticality, the project creates publicness, adds green and identity to the urban centrality of Mwenge.
project brief I booklet
Located next to Bagamoyo Road, one of Dar’s main arteries towards the CBD, Mwenge is pressured by the emerging economy and its real estate developments. As a result, glass high rises, mainly representing (inter)national brands and companies, without any relation with or added value to the surrounding city quarter, start popping-up along the north-east edge of Mwenge.
Changing Scales visualizes an alternative. Creating a place for local commercial activities, greenery, pockets of public space and qualitative housing units, this project strengthens the community of Mwenge.Changing Scales consists of a concrete plinth, topped up with a wooden grid-structure.
The plinth extends the current commercial area, recreating the shops alongside Bagamoyo Road and introducing a new, central market area intermingled with shaded and green areas as social meeting places.It is the base of a communal garden and a flexible wooden construction. Built by local craftsmen, the wooden structure introduces an urban co-housing typology with a focus on informal encounters and community vibes. Small living units, alternated with communal spaces create a qualitative living environment. Flexibility and personalisation are guaranteed by the modularity of the system and a series of wooden infill panels. The panels allow vertical greenery in addition to the trees and plants of the plinth garden and assure an enjoyable atmosphere.
In its structural concept and programme, Changing Scales wants to become a reference for future development in emerging cities, answering to rapidly changing social dynamics with a project that adds positively to the liveliness and viability of a neighbourhood.
Changing Scales visualizes an alternative. Creating a place for local commercial activities, greenery, pockets of public space and qualitative housing units, this project strengthens the community of Mwenge.Changing Scales consists of a concrete plinth, topped up with a wooden grid-structure.
The plinth extends the current commercial area, recreating the shops alongside Bagamoyo Road and introducing a new, central market area intermingled with shaded and green areas as social meeting places.It is the base of a communal garden and a flexible wooden construction. Built by local craftsmen, the wooden structure introduces an urban co-housing typology with a focus on informal encounters and community vibes. Small living units, alternated with communal spaces create a qualitative living environment. Flexibility and personalisation are guaranteed by the modularity of the system and a series of wooden infill panels. The panels allow vertical greenery in addition to the trees and plants of the plinth garden and assure an enjoyable atmosphere.
In its structural concept and programme, Changing Scales wants to become a reference for future development in emerging cities, answering to rapidly changing social dynamics with a project that adds positively to the liveliness and viability of a neighbourhood.
booklet 2020 mirte.pptxbooklet 2020 lauren.pptxbooklet 2020 alexander.pptxexit 2020 studio mwenge site.pptxteam
studio coordinators Hasselt University: arch. Peggy Winkels, arch. Ken De Cooman
studio team Ardhi University: dr. Daniel Mbisso, dr. Shubira Kalugila, arch. Yvonne Matinyi, landscape architect Atugonza Sarah Majula
related research teams: Arck Sustainability Research team, prof. dr. ir. arch. Griet VerbeeckArck Trace, Adaptive Reuse, dr. int. arch. Bie Plevoets, prof. ir. arch. Nicolaas Vande Keere, int. arch. Linde Van Den Bosch
advisory team: prof. dr. arch. Els Hannes, arch. Godfrey Ayubu, arch. Bregt Hoppenbrouwers
studio team Ardhi University: dr. Daniel Mbisso, dr. Shubira Kalugila, arch. Yvonne Matinyi, landscape architect Atugonza Sarah Majula
related research teams: Arck Sustainability Research team, prof. dr. ir. arch. Griet VerbeeckArck Trace, Adaptive Reuse, dr. int. arch. Bie Plevoets, prof. ir. arch. Nicolaas Vande Keere, int. arch. Linde Van Den Bosch
advisory team: prof. dr. arch. Els Hannes, arch. Godfrey Ayubu, arch. Bregt Hoppenbrouwers
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