proposal for slow urban living apartments

Slow Urban Living Apartments: Transformation of Five Story Walk-up Apartments in Seoulby

Yihyun Lim

B.A. University of California, Berkeley (2005) 1 ASSACHUSETTS IS EOF TECHNOLOGY

Submitted to the Department of Architecture MAR 2 6 2013in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Master of Architecture LIBRARIESat tne

Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyFebruary 2014

© 2014 Cy.'-ewet. All rights reserved,The author hereby grants to MIT permission to reproduce and to distribute publicly paper and electronic copies of this thesis

document in whole or in part in any medium now known or hereafter created.

Signature of Author:.................................................................Department of Architecture

January 30, 2014

Certified by................. ..........Andrew M Scott

Associate ProfessorThesis Supervisor

Accepted by................... ..... ....................................................Takehiko Nagakura

Chair of the Department Committee on Graduate Students

SLow Living Apartment City:Transforming the Five Story Walk-Up Apartment Complex in SeoulbyYihyun Lim

B.A. University of California, Berkeley (2005)

Submitted to the Department of Architecturein Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree ofMaster of Architectureat theMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyFebruary 2014© 2014 Yihyun Lim. All rights reserved.The author hereby grants to MIT permission to reproduce and to distribute publicly paper and electronic copies ofthis thesis document in whole or in part in any medium now known or hereafter created.

Signature of Author:Department of ArchitectureJanuary 15, 2014

Certified by....................................................................................Andrew M ScottAssociate ProfessorThesis Supervisor

Accepted by............Takehiko NagakuraChair of the Department Committee on Graduate Students

Thesis Readers

Adele Naude SantosProfessor of Architecture and Urban Planning

Mark JarzombekProfessor of the History and Theory of Architecture

Gediminas UrbonasProfessor of the Art, Culture, and Technology

2

SLow Living Apartment City:Transforming the Five Story Walk-Up Apartment Complex in SeoulbyYihyun Lim

Submitted to the Department of Architecture on January 15, 2014in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree ofMaster of Architecture

ABSTRACT

Experiential living is the new trend for future living. Whether it is through living in micro spacces, flexible units,mixed-use developments, practicing urban farming, or sharing lifestyles, these different trends of living inter-sects at the overlapping theme of experiential living. At the same time, Seoul is facing a final vave of 'retire-ment age' of the first generation of post-war urban housing apartments. Instead of the typical scrap-and-buildurban renewal method (the culprit of the formation of 'apartment city', with over 60% of housing stock asapartments), is there an alternate method of urban redevelopment?This thesis investigates idea of small-scale urban renewal by integrating the idea of 'experiential stow living'in the existing low-rise, enclosed apartment community. Can this idea of transforming the ground level expe-rience with slow food (productive landscapes) and slow craft (mixed-use living and shared spaces) become thealternative model for urban renewal that can be practiced throughout the city of apartments?

Thesis Supervisor: Andrew M. ScottTitle: Associate Professor

3

In Seoul, a city of apartments, a special news onapartment transformation spread...

5

Slow Urban Living- Apar etments in Seoul

Transformatiorioi Five Story Wap

SPECIAL REPORT ON LIVING TRENDS& proposal for 'new' model housing of slow living

retrofit of 1970's five-story walk-up apartments

7

The first section of the special editionof Apartment Daily follows the different

living trends.

8

............................ ..

Living Trends

01 _Experiential Living : Intersecting Trends Points to Experiential

Living as the Future 18

02_Case Study: Slow Living Movement 20

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The next section further examinessocial and demographic trends,from urban farming to craft based

small entrepreneurships.

10

...... ..... -

Social Trends

01_The Rise of "Homo Faber": Man as Maker 22

02_Slow Food: Produce What You Eat - how much farm land 23

is needed to sustain yearly consumption?

03_From Etsy to Budy, an online marketplace for handmade goods 25

04_Makers movement - micro entrepreneurs 27

05_Shared Toolshop, Workshop Space for Small Business Owners 29

A new Model for Live-Work

11

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Demographic and Housing Trends

01_Featured Report - Demographic/Housing Trends 30

02_From Tower Living to Ground Living 32

13

1 ~~~1

- f-i ~: ~:* [

14

Proposal: Slow Living Apartment CommunityTransformation of Existing Five-Story Apartments

01_Apartment Danji's (complexes), Pockets of Enclaves 37

02_From Scrap and Build to Reconfiguring the Ground 39

03_Neighborhood Transformation 40

04 Apartments Re-envisioned: Back to the Basics: SLOW LIVING 49

05_Ground Level Transformations - Opening up the Private Compound 50

06_Slow Living Apartments - Plans and Sections 64

07_Slow Living Components - Productive Gardens 85

08_Slow Living Components - Live-work/Shared Workshops 91

09_Slow Living Components - New Units/Retrofit-Infill 97

Ground Level Townhouses

Rooftop Level Bridge Houses

10_Afterword_ Micro-Urban Renewal as the Preferred Method 113

11_References 115

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Featured Report - Living Trends

Featured ReportExperiential Slow Living as Future Living Trend

Trends

Cities and living environments have beenevolving and adapting to changes in differ-ent trends. Whether it is through organicreconfiguration (due to market forces), ortop-down changes through public policy,housing in cities are constantly reorganiz-ing. What are the key trends that are hap-pening currently that will shape the futureform and function of urban living environ-ments? From micro-units to shared living,this article looks at four trends in housingthat will inevitably overlap to reveal thefuture living trend; the experiential living.

Trend 1Micro Living:Living simple, living small

Micro-living is both a product of densifi-cation of cities and also socio-economicchanges. Changing demographics suchas aging population, increased life expec-tancy, elongated single life, and increasednumber of single households demands fora change in housing form. The desire forliving close to the cultural amenities a cityprovides increased the demand for housingin cities. With the advent of technology inflexible interior housing configuration, peo-ple are able to live in small compact spaces.

Trend 2Mixed-Use Living:From Townhouses to Live-Work UnitsMixed Use CommunityDays of strict zoning are gone. Separat-ing the land use to living, working, shop-ping, and producing are stories of the past.Back in 1961, in the book "The Death andLife of Great American Cities", Jane Ja-cobs celebrated cities formed from ev-eryday uses and enriched by diversity.She criticized the segregation of uses ofthe city from zoning and advocated theblurred boundaries of urban programs.Mixed-use is key; light manufacturing canoccur in homes, entertainment can oc-cur in workplaces, work can be done athomes, and food can be produced in cities.

Trend 3 Trend 4Self-Sufficient Living: Shared LivingCultivating Community from Produc- From carshare to toolshare - sharingtive Landscapes hobby spaces

Growing food is not just for farmers. Smallurban plots can be used to produce veg-etables and fruits year around and bringus a step closer to becoming self-suf-ficient. From rooftop gardens to pocketparks, productive Landscapes within thecity become another infrastructure forthe city that connects pockets of residen-tial enclaves to another, Food becomes asocial medium where growing own foodfulfills a desire for the haptic and tangi-ble, creating a city infrastructure that en-gages people and cultivates community.

Our world is becoming more and moreshareable. Sharing is a growing practiceand a concept that is restructuring ourworld. There are car sharing, yard shar-ing, tool sharing, co working, and co hous-ing, just to name a few. Sharing is thenew social contract where new lifestyleis emerging from changes in the conceptof ownership and increased efficiency.

These four trends have the commonground of expanding the experience ofdaily life.

Experiential living, where tangibleexperience is key, is the future livingtrend.

19


Trends: Slow City Movement

relaxed or lei-surely pace; unhurried

What is Slow Movement? "Slow" en-compasses several layers of meaningthat go beyond "sustainable". Slow isthe opposite of "fast" - fast food, fastmoney, fast living -- and the negativeconsequences "fast" had for the envi-ronment, society, and health of people."Slow" embodies cooperation, sustain-ability, resilience, and sufficiency.

The CittasLow Movement, was initiatedin 1999 by the mayors of four Italiantowns to advocate the "La dolce vita"(sweet life). Based on the Slow Foodand the Slow movement, the Slow CityMovement seeks the real developmentof communities by cultivating and con-

miages from cittastow.kr

tinuing the local culture of the commu-nity. The movement seeks to protectthe natural ecology of communities,traditional culture, local products andhandicrafts, and increase communityengagement.

As in the Slow Food movement, theSlow City movement also aims to linkproducers and consumers to fair trade.The movement has spread across 16countries with 116 Slow City networks.

slow (adj.)Movement or actions at a

20


Experiencing the slow city is becomingpopular in Korea, appreciating its cut-tural and educational values. There arecurrently nine 'slow' cities throughoutKorea, ranging from salt farms to zip-buL (straw) handcraft village.

.t

images from cittaslow.kr

21

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Featured Report - SociatTrends

Featured ReportThe Rise of"Homo -Faber": Man as Maker

Trends

In an era of the digital, haptic and the tan-gible is coming back to the main scene.We're seeing the increasing interestin growing own food and creating owngoods. Sociologist Richard Sennett in his2008 book, "The Craftsman", makes acase for homo faber (or "man as maker").According to Sennett, it is only throughmaking things that we gain true under-standing, and is one path to a fulfillinglife.

In a culture with overload of branding andcheap mass-produced goods (from fastfood to fast fashion), a post-industrial.nostalgia for the pre-industrial handmadeproducts is on the rise. Handmade prod-ucts are romanticized, and uniquenessand quality are winning over quantity.

Easy access to online markets to sell andbuy these handmade goods is also addingto the popularity of handmade goods. An

online marketplace connects the farmer tothe customer directly, or a stay-at-homemother can open an e-commerce site eas-ily to market her handmade goods.

The following section will cover two com-ponents of "Homo-Faber";

1. Slow Food movement - makingown food

2. Makers movement - individualentrepreneurs and handmadegoods

22

Man as Maker1. SLow Food Movement: making your own food

ROOFTOPS

year-around veggiesgrains and legumesgreenhouses

URBAN FARM

grains and legumesseedlings, seed savinggreenhouses and nurseries

Urban farming is a common prac-tice these days. Private backyardsare converted to vegetable gar-dens, empty lots are appropriatedas community gardens, and vacantrooftops are turning into rooftopvegetable gardens. Various tech-nologies, from aquaponic to aero-ponic farming, allows urban dwell-ers to become creative in growing

their own food in multiple ways.The illustrations on the right showsdifferent scales of urban farmingoptions, which can be utilized atindividual home level, communitylevel, or a city-wide level (ediblestreetscapes).

COMMUNITY GARDEN

veggies, orchardsflowers, herbsapiariesseedlings, seed saving

STREETS

berries and fruitsnuts

23

44

Featured Report - Social Trends

1acrepq (4,047 sqm)

How much urban farm land isneeded to feed enough fruits andvegetables for 1 year?

According to a study, one acre of farm landcan produce enough fruits and vegetablesto feed 144 people annually. This convertsto 28 square meters of farming space forone person.

4

24

1 I

Featured Report -Social Trends

From Etsy to Budy: Growing Business ofHandicrafts Online Social Open Markets

Trends

Etsy, an ecommerce site for hand-made and vintage goods, boasts itspeople-powered economy with per-son-to-person commerce. The plug-and-play platform allowed anyonewith simple Internet skills to start anonline business. Since it launched in2005, the Brooklyn-based companynow has over 25 million membersworldwide (over 200 countries), andemploys more than 400 people in theUS and abroad.

Sociologist Richard Sennett, agreescrafters are "not just bored peo-ple with time on their hands. A lotof people are finding their day jobspretty empty, whereas learning a

craft provides a real satisfaction. It'sa skill - things like carpentry andweaving are mentally and physicallystimulating, and people get inherentpleasure out of that kind of work," hesays (Barford, Vanessa. "Etsy, Folksyand the Mania for Making Crafts." BBCNews. BBC, 1] Aug. 2012. Web. 30 Jan.2014)

Followed by the success of Etsy andFolksy (UK version), Korea now alsohas its own version, called Budy. Thefounders of Budy are hoping to bringthe handcraft market to the main-stream economy, and also encour-age entrepreneurship among womenand old retirees.

-

44>

25

Featured Report -Social Trends

Women in the Workplace:percentage of women participating in economic activity, 2012 surveyhttp //!xwwndex.go kr/egarms/sttsisp'potal/stts/PO STTSjIdxMain.jspidx cd=1572&bbs=INDX 001&clas div=A

past 10 years, the employement rate of women has been statted at 50%

51%

50%

49%2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

26

.... .......

Featured Report - Social Trends

Man as Maker2. Slow Crafi Movement : Micro Business Entrepreneurs

As seen in the previous example ofonline e-commerce for micro en-trepreneurs, easy accessibility ofthe online platform to reach out tomillions of other users is becominga large incentive for handicrafts.The rise of the handicrafts also re-flects the desire to express individ-uality and personality in a cultureof cheap mass-produced goods.The individuality of the small onlineshops brings the consumer withthe maker directly, bringing theexcitement of meeting the makerof the product one will purchase.

In Korea, the employmentrate of women has beenstalled at 50%.

The combination of handicraftsand online marketplace is one wayto bring in the women labor intothe active economy. In Korea, theemployment rate of women hasbeen stalled at 50%. According toa 2012 survey of women partici-pating in economy activity, amongOECD countries, Korea ranked onthe bottom end of the chart with55.2%, behind the OECD average.

27

-- ---- -± ----

WOOh-WORKING

General wood-working includestraditional wood-working craftskills. These skills are used incarpentry, whittling, furnituremaking and in some cases,architectural construction.

There a number of machines fromhand tools to digital mills thatcan be included in wood-workingfacilities:

* Air Compressors* Bandsaws* Power-Carving* Circular Saws* Drills* Grinders, Buffers* Joinery* Jointerst* Lathes* Miter Saws* Mortisers* Planers* Routers- Sanders* Shapers* Table Saws* Chop Saws

METAL-WORKING SCANNING

General metal-working includes Just as there is the proper printer

a number of standard machines for each job so is the case with

and processes for working with scanners. There are general

metal. The term covers a wide purpose models but size. form,range of work from large ships color and fidelity all matter. 3Dand bridges to precise engine scanners capture information

parts and delicate jewellery. In from a 30 object and translatemany cases machines for working it to a digital model for use andwith wood and metal are similar manipulation in a variety ofin function however, the machines software programs. They include

themselves often have special 3D scanners, laser digitizers and

requirements to move between CT scanners. Again the machines

materials. For example bandsaws included are only a sample-are used for both metal andwood however, metal band sawsrequire water hoses, cold air andseparate ventilation and plumbing MILUNGlines, as well as special blades.

" Metal Drills" Cold Saws" Metal Lathes" Edge Finderst Metal Grinders" Draw bars" Tapping ad Rolling Tools" Vises

Milling is a subtractive processwhich removes material tocreate a desired form. In mosttraditional settings mills arepart of daily wood-working ormetalworking shops. However,advances with computer-controlled, CNC milling almostmandates that this type of tool becalled out as separate from theirtraditional carpentry-focusedrnainternart%

AD WT1VE MANUFACTURING

3D printers range not only inprinted material (from metal toplastic, even food!) but in theprocesses they use to print. A 3Dprinter typically involves sometype of material being laid downin an additive process to slowlybuild a 3D form. Different designdisciplines use various printersbased upon that design's needs.Printer processes can rangefrom Stereolithography to FormDeposition Modeling and themachines included in this sectionare only a sample.

SOFTWARE

All of the machines reviewedhave proprietary software thataccompanies them. In additionmost machines require priorknowledge of various 20 and 3Dcomputer aided design programs.A sampling of both types ofsoftware are reviewed in thissection.

Existing~ labl[abs., kiita! Makers iloscana

28

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Shared Toolshop, Workshop Space forSmall Business Owners: A new ModelforLive- Work

The idea of tool libraries has beenaround since the 1970s, offeringcommunities to share resourcesthat would otherwise spend themajority of the time sitting in draw-ers. However, due to modernizationof cities, and individualization ofhousing types, communal spaceshave been slowly disappeared. Inthe current days of sharing society,the concept of sharing has returned.The term 'tool' has a wide range ofmeanings, from kitchen tools (think

large cooking blender), garden-ing tools, fabrication tools for de-sign and crafts, and also the spaceitself (kitchen and workspace).Housing complexes, or local com-munities in cities are bringing backthe shared spaces as a desiredamenity for residents. Easy accessto rapid prototyping tools (as illus-trated on the opposite page) andworkspaces can foster creativityand micro-entrepreneurship withinthe everyday life of urban residents.

N

11F29

This graph overlays multiple data on demograph-ics, housing stock, housing structure type, and alsothe redevelopment timeline. When looking at all ofthese data concurrently, we will be able tofind re-lationships between different trends, and also pre-dict the future direction of housing developments.

----------------------

30

Featured Report -Demographic/Housing Trends

Featured ReportDemographic/Housing Trends

Demographics Housing Stock Flexible Adaptation

Aging baby boomers, decreas-ing birthrates, aging society

The demographic trends of past fiftyyears show a slowing down of popula-tion growth rate. By 2040, Korea willface negative growth in population.It is also an aging society, with a babyboomer generation entering the 65+ agegroup. Over 30% of the population willbe people of 65 years of age and over.

What type of alternative lifestyle canhousing provide?

2008 marked 100% of housingprovision rate - The need fbrmassive construction is no longervalidApartment as housing type was firstintroduced in 1960s, and since them itbecame the majority of housing stock.In the late 1980s, government-ledmass construction of apartment hous-ing changed the urban form of the city.During this time over 50% of housingstock became apartments. In 2008,housing construction surpassed the100% housing provision rate. Althoughthere still is a mismatch of supply anddemand, the overall housing stockhas reached 100%. The need for mas-sive construction is no longer valid.

Reuse Retrofit Re-EnvisionBack to 'rigid-frame apartments': more opportunities for retrofit

The first generation of apartmentswere built in rigid-frame structure.However, during the mass construc-tion boom, reinforced concrete wall/column structure was preferred dueto lower cost, and faster constructiontime. However, at this time when popu-lation is decreasing and housing stock isabundant, retrofit has become the newmethod of redevelopment. Adaptationand flexibility are the new keywords inhousing development, and rigid framestructures are now back in demand.In what ways can we retrofit the exist-ing rigid-frame structure apartments?

31

Featured Report -Demographic/Housing Trends

From Tower Living to Ground Living

Housing design reflects the val-ue of the society : views, height,and back to access to nature

Housing developments reflect thevalue of the society it was built in.From low-rise communities of the1960s, the housing developments fol-towed the value of "modern living", ]tower living, and panoramic viewsof the city. As cities become dens-er with influx of population, the onlyway to accomodate the entire popula-tion was by building taller and taller.If housing is a reflection of the cur-rent values of the society, how willthe changing concept of urban liv-ing affect the housing form? Howwill the concept of slow-living influ-ence the redevelopment of housing?

32

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Proposal for Slow Urban Living Apartments - a retrofit

Prototypical Model Housing from 1970s Turns IntoModel. Retrofit SLOW Community

35

SEOUL

OVER 60% HOUSING STOCK ARE APARTMENT COMPLEXES

36

Apartment Danji' (complexes), Pockets of Enclaves

Planned by the government and built by profit-driven develop-ers, the high-rise apartment housing type is the most perva-sive housing type found in Seoul. Compressed modernizationinduced rapid gentrification and urban renewal in SeouL. Usersand developers demand that buildings generate profit. The in-centive of providing additional floor area ratio to existing Low-rise residents, drived developers to instigate large-scale dem-olitions, followed by new construction, This scrap and buildprocess produced enclaves of high-rise gated communities.

The continuity of time and space in the urban landscape is inter-rupted by this cycle of scrap and build. Apartment as a housingtype has exponentially increased from 13.5% in 1985 to 53% in2005 (Kangnam district75.8%, national47.3%). In 2011, newcon-struction forapartment housingwas400,000 units, whereas con-struction of single-family housing was not even at 30,000 units.The homogenous, apartment developments create pock-ets of enclaves within the urban city. By limiting access to

non-residents, the block developments form an invisiblegated community and segregating the urban populationsocioeconomically. Rem Koolhaas writes about this pro-cess of urban redevelopment in his book as such, "Throughparallel actions of reconstruction and deconstruction, acity becomes an archipelago of architectural islands float-ing in a post-architectural landscape of 'erasure' wherewhat was once a city is now a highly charged nothing ness."

Housing creates social and physical armatures for streets,parks, neighborhoods, and communities. It shapes and orga-nizes the city and the quality of life of urban dwellers. If thisprocess continues, the city will become an archipelago of pri-vate developments, left with streets and commercial areas.

37

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From Scrap and Build to Reconfiguring the Ground

Is scrap and build the only method of urban renewal? In theessay "Exodus", Rem Koolhaas describes urban renewalas war against the existing cities. Implants of large com-pounds of apartment buildings destroys the urban context.Existing lifestyles are eradicated and the sense of place isdiscontinued. Memories and local life is contained in oldcommunities (even though they are bleak 60s modernistapartments), it is necessary to preserve parts of the pastwhile implanting new things.

The following design proposal calls for a reconfiguration ofexisting low-rise apartment complex. It is certainly underthe pressure of redevelopment (the classic cycle of scrap-

and-build), however, is it possible to reconfigure the exist-ing state with additional elements of 'experiential slow liv-ing' to increase the property value?These reconfigurations can occur at contained scales, suchas the ground condition of apartment communities. By re-configuring the scenes and ways of our daily life, this pro-posal aims to create an alternative method of urban renew-aL.

How would you like to move around your community? Howdo you cultivate community? Through reconfiguration of oldbuildings, we have the opportunity to bring new visions.

39

Neighborhood in Transformation

Is this a community of the past? Should thislow-rise apartment community go throughthe same process of urban regeneration?

I I

Instead qf demolishing and building high-riseapartment buildings. can we design infills, re-configured ground conditions, and addition-al amenities to create a valued conununity?

diverse spacesdifferentiation

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Stories of the Past: StandardizedApartments as the Main HousingModel

Book Review: Apartment Surgery, by Y. Lim

Efficiency, profitability, and high housingdemands created the box-like apartmenthousing type. Average lifespan of apartmentcomplexes are 30 years - instead of scrapand build redevelopment, what are otherways of retrofitting the complex to meet thecurrent needs?

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1991L 1997

u-rn-SINGLF FAitYl' E - -- -

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LOW R E MULTI FAMILYUNITS

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Neighborhood in TransformationUrban Renewal

ELEMENT 01: DENSITYHIGH' DENSITY MODERN LIVING - 1970s - 2013

1946-19981313 UNITS

-,,777 - ICIVIL SERVANTS)(HLLULVI -OP'W

MIDDL

EL- Li MENTARY

1970 -003S( UNITS r

I (FOREIGNERSI[REDEVE LOPED)

"a0UNITS 4.

SCH OOL 1974 - 20115 I/ 1300 UNITS)

IREDEVELOPMENT UNDERCONSTRUCT'ONJ

From 1966-1973, a total of 3220 apartment units were -

constructed along the waterfront.Apartment complexes were arranged along a main com-merciat spine-road, following perry's neighborhood unitconcept.

he *hangang mansion' complex is the only remainingfrom the 1970s house provision plan. All other complex-es are redeveloped into 20-30 story high apartments.

HOUSING DENSITYUNIT TYPES AND SIZES

4~ 1'

I 1' // lj I I [ /

K I~i 1'

/ ~iP~%% ~/

K (20) 188 sqm

(40) 168 sqm

(198) 122 sqm

% (258) 105 sqm

% (134) 89 sqm

650 units total

HOUSING DENSITY78.6 units/hectare

II ft/

K K

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Proposal: Slow Living Apartment CommunityNeighborhood in TransformationUrban Renewal

LAST REMAINING LOW-DENSITY COMPLEX

~~C-K

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/

HANGANG MANSIONHOUSING DENSITY78.6 UNITS/HECTARE

AVERAGE HOUSING DENSITYOF REDEVELOPED APART-MENT COMPLEXES IN THENEIGHBORHOOD (IF BUILT INLOW RISES)300 UNITS/HECTARE

RECOMMENDED HOUSINGDENSITY (FOR 3-5 STORIESBUILDINGS)150 UNITS/HECTARE

HOUSING DENSITY

Proposal: Stow Living Apartment CommunityAlternative method for Urban Renewal

Apartments Re-envisioned: Back to the Basics: SLOWLIVINGTrends

In the previous section, we have identifiedexperiential slow living as the future trend inhousing. In a citywhere over half of the urbanform is dedicated to block apartments, willthese changes in trends affect the housing?

How will demographic trends such as theaging population affect demands for housingdesign and the formation of neighborhoods?What about new live-work arrangements?What are the alternatives to class-strat-ified, uniformly designed residential de-velopments? What kind of ground levelexperiences can cultivate communities?

The Slow Living Apartments aims to ad-dress some of these issues by layeringideas of slow-food and slow-craft/live-owork entrepreneurship spaces. Sus-tainability must be accessible and ap-plicable to the practice of everyday life.

49

Ground Level Transformations - Opening up the Private Compound

41 4"

ft

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BREAK LARGE COMPOUND DEVELOPMENTINTO SMALLER BLOCKS

LINEAR BUILDINGS WITHDEFINED FRONT AND BACK,

UNUSED EXTERIOR SPACE

URBAN BLOCK TYPE WITHMULTIPLE FRONTAGE TO

PUBLIC STREET.POSSIBILITIES FOR PUBLIC

AND RESIDENT PROGRAMS.

Seoul is a composition of urban archipelago of recon-struction and deconstruction of apartment buildings. Thehomogenous form of rectangular apartment complexesdominate the current cityscape of Seoul. The by-product ofthis inscription on urban fabric is the equally homogenouspublic scape. Even though the apartment complexes areplanned and built with a kit of place-making tools (such as

playgrounds, community centers), the semi-public spacesof in-between spaces of apartment complex are becomingmore and more exclusive. If this current state of redevel-opment process continues, what we will be left with areislands of housing developments and left-over streets withcommercial spaces as public zones.

50

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Proposal: Slow Living Apartment CommunityGround Level Transformations - Opening up the Private Compound

OPENING UP PRIVATIZED SPACE: REINTEGRATE INTO URBAN FABRIC

site area:82,593 sqm

building footprint (sum}17,995 sqm

privatiZed area

lincLudes roads, parking)

The site is currently an enclosed community, withfences around all three edges. The above diagramshows the privatized area of the community. It iscurrently used as parking spaces.

51

OPENING UP PRIVATIZED SPACE: REINTEGRATE INTO URBAN FABRIC

Goal: To open up the privatized area, and break up the large complexto reintegrate the site into existing urban fabric.

Issue: Apartment owners have in fact 'purchased' the use of privatizedarea. This area should be 'returned' to the individual unit owners inorder to reclaim the public realm.

privatized area64,58 sqm

(includes roads, parking)

sum of all units:3,652 sqm

0.87 sqm of privatized area= per sqm of residential unit

(20) 188 sqm

(40) 168 sqm

(198) 122 sqm

(258) 105 sq m

x 0.94 sqm of privatized areaper sqn of residential unitlincludes parking, roadsl

163 sqm

146 sqm

106 sqm

91 sqm

77 sqm

- 35 sqm tot par king? per unit

128 sqm

111 sqm

71 sqm

56sqm

42 sqmn

- 40% totr roads

76 sqm

66 sqm

42 sqm

33 sqm

Result: provide the specified areaas shown to each unit as its own'private (100%) space.

25 sqm

52

In order to deprivatize the private grounds, privatespaces should be distributed back to the residents.Whether it through the form of private gardens oraccess to resident-amenity spaces, introduction ofdefined spaces is key to opening up the grounds.

Participation and appropriation of public space is es-sential to increase the quality of public space. Appro-

priation creates a sense of ownership of the spaceand thus the sense of responsibility to maintain theshared space.

The diagram on the left side illustrates how much'private" space needs to be distributed back to theresidents for the common ground to be public andshareable.

53

LIVE-WORKCOMMUNITY WORKSHOP

COMMERCIAL

Pi N H N I L !\PE ING TiS iNEET

AFTER-SCHOOL EDUCATIONCULTURAL SPACE

M1 I1 FV- RAMES

ELEVATED RESIDENT STREETWITH SHARED GARDEN

WR APR)UND MFSh WALLSTH AMPS

PRODUCTIVE GARDENXTE7 N 1)ED c,' R C7TR i'R D

1+1 UNITS--- T -- -- -- - --- - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - -- --I - - -- - - - - - - -

-----------

............. ---- --------

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This study looks at creating programmaticcourtyards by clustering apartment blocks to-gether. However, it was limited to breaking thelargercompound into smallercourtyard blocks,and lacked cohesiveness of the community.

55

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(20) 188 sqm

(40) 168 sqm

T (198) 122 sqm

% (258) 105 sqm

% (134) 89 sqm HOUSING DENSITY78.6 units/hectare

650 units total

56

IOPLN UP VIEW QWRRIDOR

xAURL OPLN SPACLSMALLER SCALENARIETY OF BLOCKS

-220 UNITS

This study attempts to create the feel of asmall scale residential neighborhood byslicing through the existing buildings andopening up the ground leveL. However,the deletion of the units reduced the totalnumber of housing units by 220.

57

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4

MORE OPFN SPACESMALLER SCALE/VARIETY OF BLOCKS

ADDITIONAL FLOORS, PRIVATE TERRACME

+220 UNITS (650 TOTAL)

This study takes the previous version ofopening up the ground level, and addingnew units at the top level to regain the lostnumber of housing units. The rooftop unitsgets access to outdoor rooftop spaces.

58

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Alternate way of adding new units,bridging between two buildings withnew vertical access.

59

.........

POPULATION 2i

28,617

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What is needed in this neighborhood?

This area is a residential community with a maincommercial strip piercing through the center ofthe neighborhood. Each of the residential apart-ment compounds are encolosed communities,creating pockets of enclaves. A closer look atthe types of establishment shows lack of cul-tural and green space in the neighborhood. Thepopulation composition shows a large num-ber of families and older citizens, a need forfamily oriented, community space is detected.

60

Proposal: Slow Living Apartment CommunityGround Level Transformations

or N

~_ 2TOTAL ESTABLISHMENTS

SMALL SHOPS/MARKETS (22%) CLINICS/HOSPITAL [9%j18In I IN In I I In In IN IN I n I In IN In IN Is IN I n n in W iffi o- -. I is Ila In nn JIN 11iN IN Is iN iN Is il INi IN iN i IN IN is Il IN IllE IN IN IEIEn IEI IN IN Ito I i In Is In In in IN N In i n is

REAL ESTATE AGENCIES (15% A ED 1A)N i8%) BANKS 14%) OTHER 13%) SERVICES (10%)

61

.. ............

Adjacent housing communities of thisapartment complex has undergone mas-sive redevelopment. What is the future ofthis last remaining low-rise community?

62

The future of this community may becomean experimental ground for urban farming(slow-food), and small craft industry. Thecompound will be opened up to the public.

63

SITE PLAN

64

SITE PLANThe site plan shows the twomain green axis that charac-terizes this community. Newbridging units at rooftop andground level also be seen.

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SITE STRATEGIES

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New Units

Underground Parking

New Unit Vertical Acciess

67

ROOFTOPS

year-around veggiesgrains and legumesgreenhouses

URBAN FARM

grains and legumesseedlings, seed savinggreenhouses and nurseries

COMMUNITY GARDEN

veggies, orchardsflowers, herbsapiariesseedlings, seed saving

STREETS

berries and fruitsnuts

The ground level is where major reconfigu-ration is occuring. The compound is openedup to the public street, allowing visitors tostroll down the two main green axis of thecommunity. Coutryards and smaller farmplots are designated as privately ownedplots, where residents can grow food.New townhouse infill units are also presentat this level, along the green axis.

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The rooftop level is where new bridge units areintroduced. The two story addition houses fourunits, where each unit has access to either aprivate rooftop garden or shared patio. Thereare total of 52 new units.

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CLUISTER PLANS

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Existing ConditionGround UsageParking Underground Parking

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In the existing site, the entire site was occupiedby parking spots. Parking surround each building,which left no open space for resident use. In thisproposal, concentrated parking is located on theunderground level (half-level), below the sharedcourtyard deck.From 1066 parking spots, the proposed plan pro-vides approximated 350 parking spots. These spotsare intended for shared cars for residents.

76

cluster plan - underground levelparking

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slow craft walk

workshops

communitygallery

slow craft walkworkshops and shared spaces

two axisslow food walk + slow craft walk

slow food walk

slow craft walkmixed use retail + live work units

productive landscapesprivate plots and community gardens

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cluster plan - ground levelproductive gardens and

townhouses

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Flexible Living RetrofitNew Unit Vertical Access

Flexible Living RetrofitNew Units

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The rooftop level is where newbridge units are introduced.The two story addition housesfour units, where each unithas access to either a privaterooftop garden or shared patio.There are total of 52 new units.

cluster pLan - bridge Level6th floor elevated living

with rooftop gardens

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The next four set of diagrarns illustrate therelationship between area of urban farmplots and the productivity from these farms.What happens if all 1000/c of the rooftopand ground becomes vegetable gardens?How much area needs to be converted tofarm plots if all 100% of residents needs tobe fed? What about the proposed design?

85

IF 100% OF ROOFTOPS AND GROUND AREA 191,67 SOMIS USED AS FARM PLOTS

4 28 sqm y 1person

What happens if 100% ofground level and rooftoparea becomes farm plots?

In this case study, roads,parking, and all availableground plane is converted tofarm plots (which is unlike-ly). At 28 m per person (afull year of vegetables andfruits), this coverage canfeed 3,273 people, over 184%of the resident population.

TOTAL E A EA

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86

THESE PLOTS CAN FEED 3,273PEOPLE WITH ENOUGH FRUITSAND VEGETABLES FOR 1 YEAR

To calculate the number ofresidents in this complex,The average number ofpeople per household (2.73persons) has been multipliedby the number of units (650units). We can estimate thatthere are about 1,776 peopleliving in this community.

TO FEED THE ENTIRE RESIDENT POPULATION(1,775 PERSONS) WITH ENOUGH FRUITS ANDVEGETABLES FOR 1 YEAR

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1775 personseiasan X 28sqmfpersn

650 UNITS2.73 PERSON PERHOUSEHOLD

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54.% 49,700 SGM) COVERAGE OFGROUND+ ROOFTOP AREA ASURBAN FARM CAN FEED ENTIRERESIDENT POPULATION OF THISCOMMUNITY

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How much area needs to beconverted into farm plots,in order to feed 100% of theresidents (1,776 people)?

We'll need to convert 54% ofthe total area of rooftop andground level area,This doesn't leave much areaof the ground level for otherusage, such as streets, park-ing, and open space.

1 TOTAL__SE AREA

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I ud5lesroad% pa jogtxd buildinle'tprmt)

87

APPRXIMATELY1775 RESIDENTS

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IF ALL EXISTING LANDSCAPING(18,714 SOM) IS USED AS FARM PLOTS

4 28sqmTHESE PLOTS CAN FEED 669PEOPLE WITH ENOUGH FRUITSAND VEGETABLES FOR 1 YEAR

How about if all existingLandscaping of the currentsite plan is converted intofarm plots?

Currently only 19% of theavailable surface is used aslandscaping. This results inproductivity of being able toproduce enough vegetablesfor 669 people annually (38%of total residents).

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THESE PLOTS CAN FEED 851PEOPLE WITH ENOUGH FRUITSAND VEGETABLES FOR I YEAR

The proposed design utilizes26% of all available ground/rooftop surface as productivegardens, which producesenough vegetables and fruitsto feed 45% of the residentpopulation.

Differently size plots areprovided as private vege-table or shared communitygardens. Although a 7%increase in green surface(from existing condition)doesn't seem significant, theproposal creates differentnodes of farming areas forcollective experience.

26% 45%if. N8 1Tersons)

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PROPOSAL

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1 person

SLOW LIVING COMPONENTSLIVE-WORK/ SHARED WORKSHOPS

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TOWNHOUSE UNITS + INDIVIDUALWORKSPACES

The townhouse units along the commercialstreet is provided with add-on workspacefor those wishing to run their home-officeor shops.

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SHARED WORKSHOPS_GARDENING TOOLS/COMMUNITY KITCHEN_TOOLSHOPS

Shared workshop, fabrication, and educational spaceoccurs along the main vehicular street, inviting thevisitors to join the different programs that might happenthroughout the day.

95

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NEW UNITSGROUND LEVEL TOWNHOUSES

ROOFTOP LEVEL BRIDGE HOUSES

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STANDARDIZED UNIT CONFIGURATION (EXISTING)

9 (134) 89scIm

(258) 105 sqm

(198)122 sqm

(40) 168 sqm

(20) 188 sqm

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STANDARD CONFIGURATION =3 BEDROOM + KITCHEN/DINING + LIVING

98

HOUSING DENSITY78.6 units/hectare

(20) 188 sqm

(40) 168 sqm

(198) 122 sqm

(258) 105 sqm

(134) 89sqm

650 units total

Existing ConditionUnit Types

EXISTING CONDITIONIn the existing site, there are five differentsizes of units (all within the same building), andare distributed throughout the site in clusters.However the unit configuration is the same in

all sizes of the units, it is only different in scaleand sizes. If only the rigid frame structure isleft and the interior is demolished, what typesof other living arrangements can be inserted todiversity the living condition?

99

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Flexible LANin' g RetrofitDouble Story Townhouse Units

GROUND LEVEL TOWNHOUSE UNITSNew townhouse infill units utilizes the rigidframe structure of the first and the second lev-el of the apartment buildings, and infilled alongthe grid module of the existing structure,Townhouses are located along the two greenaxis, allowing residents to have direct access to

Ground level townhlocations are shadeblue

the productive landscapes outside. Multiledirect entries of townhouse units increasesthe porosity at the ground Level, creatingcommunity along the streets.

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DIVERSITY: ACCOMODATING VARIOUS HOUSEHOLD SIZES

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ROOFTOP LEVEL BRIDGE UNITSThe rooftop level is where new bridge units areintroduced, The two story addition houses fourunits, where each unit has access to either aprivate rooftop garden or shared patio. Thereare total of 52 new units.

107

Flexible Living RetiofitNew Units

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109

Micro-Urban Renewal as the Preferred Method

The Slow Living Apartment example above uses various 'new living' components toinject the "experiential slow living" experience to the existing community. The resultof this transformation is increase in property value that can hopefully outweigh theincentives of the bonus FAR (floor area ratio) of large redevelopments.

These methods provide the possibility of Live-in renovation, where residents can con-tinue to live in their familiar neighborhoods,

Imagine this micro-renewal method is practiced in all remaining apartment com-plexes throughout the city. If all ground level are reconfigured with the idea of urbanfarms and small industry workshops, it can create a continuous productive urbanlandscape that connects the different enclaves of the city. It will form a new urbaninfrastructure.

What do you think?

113

Thank you everyone for your help and guidance,Finally. Let's move on.

114

REFERENCES

BOOKS AND ARTICLES

Chi, Jr-Gang. Heterogeneous Taipei Post-6o Mid-low Rise Housing Renovation Makes the City. Taipei: Garden City, 2013. Print.

Gelezeau, Valerie. Seoul Ville Geante, Cities Radieuses. CNRS Paris, 2003. Print.

Gorenflo, Neat, and Jeremy Adam Smith. "Ten Ways Our World Is Becoming More Shareable." Privatize! Volume 30. Amsterdam: StichtingArchis, 2011. 21-25. Print

Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of GreatAmerican Cities. New York: Random House, 1961. Print.

Lim, C. J., and Ed Liu. SmartcitiesEco-warriors. Abingdon: Routtedge, 2010. Print.

Mobile Experience Lab, MIT, Digital Makers Toscana: Understanding the Regional Economic Potential of Digital Fabrication and ArtisanalCraft, MIT,2013.

Koh Kitayama, Yoshiharu Tsukamoto, Ryue Nishizawa. Tokyo Metabolism.

Koothaas, Rem. Small, Medium, Large, Extra-large: Officefor Metropolitan Architecture, Rem Koolhaas, and Bruce Mau. New York, NY: Monacetti,1998. Print.

OPEN: Social Engineering, Nai Publishers 2008/No. 15

WEBSIT ES

www.cittastow.org - Cittastow International

Barford, Vanessa. "Etsy, Folksy and the Mania for Making Crafts." BBC News. BBC, 11 Aug. 2012. Web. 30 Jan. 2014.

Davis, Kathleen. "The 'Etsy Economy' and Changing the Way We Shop." Entrepreneur. N.p., Mar. 2013. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.

McGuirk, Justin. "The Art of Craft: The Rise of the Designer-maker." Theguardian.com. Guardian News and Media, 01 Aug. 2011, Web.30 Jan. 2014.

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proposal for slow urban living apartments

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