Should we approach affordable housing with a minimalist mindset...?
After studying some housing projects done by Lacaton and Vassal, you can see the simplicity in form, function, and aesthetic. Looking at the project Neppert gardens in Mulhouse France, Lacaton and Vassal stretch the idea of minimalism by creating the spaces in the apartments to be larger than the standard, and offering additional smaller spaces that hold different characteristics. with leaving these dwellings with the bare minimum: concrete floors, corrugated polycarbonate, and glass, it offers the residences a blank canvas for their style and to make their spaces unique and comfortable to inhabit. Furthermore, in this project, the indoor spaces have moments that extend to private outdoor spaces that give the residences the opportunity to control or even be the "bridge" between the built and natural environment.
I find this idea interesting how a particular style works efficiently for a particular program type. Are there other styles that could be used on more focused program types? This makes me think of Ponce City Market and how maybe mixed use buildings that are mainly used for public entertainment could always be built with industrial style, where it works for size and how it seems like an effective way to refurbish and reuse yet still keep the cultural setting. But this makes me ask another question: would applying specific styles to certain program types ruin the characteristics of cities?
Joe, I also enjoyed looking at the projects by Lacaton and Vassal. They seem almost deceivingly simple, but that simplicity offers the user a variety of options to appropriate the space as they see fit. With the surge of interest in sustainability and adaptive reuse, the trend is the more industrial framework of providing the bare minimum to open the building to future reuse. Your question about applying certain styles to program types ruining cities is fascinating. While certain building styles lend themselves to specific programs, they may not necessarily create building clones. Though the bare bones of a building can be similar, their users and uses are different. That is where an architect comes into the picture - how we tailor that building style to cater to the user's specific needs, which can result in innovative solutions that will further help grow the profession.
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