Brief - #1 Residential (Private Realm)

KAS OOSTERHUIS: communication is a positive thing, so why not communicate with your environment?
VIRTUAL FRIEND: will the building talk back to you?
KAS OOSTERHUIS: yes, sure, it responds directly to what you do or say, it may respond in many ways: talking, moving, refreshing information content, playing music, it all depends on the game you're playing (2001 E-Motive Architecture - www.oosterhuis.nl)

Residential Live/Work Scheme

Question:

To explore the impact and use of adaptive technologies and smart materials on human needs and social interaction within the private realm.

Brief:
A residential live-work scheme which is adaptable to individual needs and requirements, balancing privacy and interactions in both the pubic (work) and private (living) elements to the programme. Additional elements such as personalised community space as well as the possibility of additional features to support an increasing live-work workforce (such as conferencing facilities) should be considered as elements which could dynamically change according to usage, population and time of day within the scheme.

Goals:
· To explore the impact of pervasive technologies on 21st century concept of the house and notions of place making where individuality is often expressed through personal home pages and weblogs. What makes a house a home where home pages and their wider connections are often more personal elements to peoples lives?

· Explore hyperbody concepts of adaptability and response within a residential development, possibly driven from dynamic usage patterns of live-work and the idea of dynamically adjustable place making .

· Exploration of the wider notion of community both physically and virtually through integration of the concept of ones identity (eg johndoe69@anywhere.com) and a physical address. Different notions of community and identity emerge and can be questioned and different patterns of working have emerged based upon this. How is a residential community altered and what elements need to adapt to cater for this?

· Question whether your environment could be as personal and changeable as your homepage and whether your house is your physical home page and if so how is it expressed?

· Explore how smart technologies can address these issues and be incorporated into the local physical community where anonymous mass housing has become the norm. This can be expanded to how community space (semi-private) can develop reflecting individuality within the collective realm.