Lecturer: Professor John Mutlow, ARCH 693a, School of Architecture, University of Southern California Recorded by Jason Muller and Yueming Zhou 01/16/2013 (Yueming Zhou) Topic of research: Housing and Density Goals for two semesters: In first semester the task will focus on research and gathering information while in the second semester it will be the analysis of these information and project design based on the research conclusions. Human is evolved to live under built environment. Human survival needs food, water and shelters. As the global population is increasing, the increasing of housing density is inevitable. There are apparently three main directions of density increasing – growing up, expanding out and going down. Expanding out is comparatively easiest way, but there is a balance between housing density increasing and over occupying agricultural land and natural land needed to be achieved.
Therefore the main topic for the research is how to increase housing density while maintain living quality at the same time. Quality of life involves many aspects such as sunlight access, social spaces and supportive infrastructure and utilities. Balcony and garden in housing provide sunlight access and outdoor spaces. living environment Elements by Christopher Alexander is a good reference about aspects of maintaining life quality. We want to minimize utility cost, taking up less public resource to achieve the same good living quality as density increases. Additional issue is the change of living environment with people aging. We need different living environments as a student, a professional practitioner and a retiree. Research into different living style in terms of age variety, as well as culture variety will also help to make better design decision in increasing density of housing. Assignment for the first week: 1. Research of definition for “Housing” and “Density” 2. Find one book relating to the research topic
The Research paper on The Effects of Urban Growth Boundaries on Florida Urban Densities
The Effects of Urban Growth Boundaries on Florida Urban Densities Prepared by Submitted to ___ Executive Summary Urban growth boundaries (UGB) are a growth management tool adopted from early English land use traditions to categorize land use. UGB’s are boundaries that clearly delineate the limit of the urban density growth permitted and supported by the issuing municipality. Florida instituted the ...
(Jason Muller) The population is growing exponentially and is likely to double in 50 years. Ideas of increasing density is horizontal both upward and downward, and vertically. This is typical of most metropolitan cities: Los Angeles, Hong kong etc. Sheltered housing in what we would come to expect for future populations . These will need water, food, clothes, shelter and utilizes. A density increase would be easy in Los Angeles if we propose to add a second housing unit on traditional single family dwellings. This technique was used in London without changing the urban format.In an urban setting using mass transit would allow for more open spaces. Density adds efficiency to the public spaces. Ralph knowles introduced the solar envelop: which is the rights to solar exposure. Ordinances
have been imposed so that neighboring structures can not violate another structures solar rights . Christopher Alexander introduced architectural elements to improve standards of living. We are not currently harnessing the sun very well, the more we use natural solar energy the less we will need to depend on natural energy. We will be researching the past, present and future of housing developments and will be designing post future contemporary housing. These could to broken down even further: SRO’s and family developments. Note lofts have no exterior space, because most of the occupants are single and like to be out doors to play Class Assignments: look up a density housing booklet and definition for density housing
The Essay on Outer Space
Outer Space started about 100 kilometers above the Earth, but there is still part of the Earth’s atmosphere. Outer Space is the void that exists between celestial bodies including the Earth. In space, two pieces of metal can weld together with no heat or other substances present because It’s not completely empty but it’s consists of hard vacuum containing a low density of particles ...
Reference:
1. Segantini, Maria A.. Contemporary Housing. Skira, 2008. 2. Per, Aurora F., and Javier Arpa. Density Project: 36 New Concepts on Collective Housing. a+t ediciones, 2007. 3. Maria de Lapuerta, Jose. Collective Housing: A Manual. ACTAR, 2007. 4. Per, Aurora F., and Javier Arpa. Next: Collective Housing in Progress. a+t ediciones, 2010.
