Designing housing blocks in the post-modern world is one of the most exciting tasks for architects. This is due to the current challenges facing the world. There is a shortage of space and rampant pollution in all aspects. Vertical construction has been the most popular solution to most of these problems. However, multi-unit architectural design has been abused by some real estate firms. The result is large residential units void of privacy and most home needs.
A move to save the situation.
Architects have moved to save such abuse of housing. There are developed better housing designs that fit in the limited space while offering the privacy and comfort of a home. We’ve fished out some of the best multi-unit designs that stand out as examples. The fact that space is getting limited doesn’t mean life and the comfort of a home have to be also narrow.
The environment and urban setting call for housing units that fit into the climate and environment of urban areas. Ecological architecture has integrated construction with nature—a result of designs. Some of the designs below shall bring out alternative energy sources and the embrace of nature in the interior and exterior.
Housing in Torello
This building is an old village that harmoniously lives with a street just next to its doorstep. Being a multifunctional unit allows for residential areas on the top floors while the ground floor is used for businesses. This allows the residential floors to be developed by concrete pillars on the ground floor and brick walls for the residential quarters.
The upper residential unit seems to float above the street to increase space. Therefore, the windows are designed to slide on exposed rails, maintaining the architectural essence of the surrounding environment.
Housing complex.
Have you been to a dark flat overpopulated with living quarters that you feel like you’d get choked at any time? Well, for these multiunit quarters in a valley, things are the direct opposite. The house is designed in a linear form that allows bathrooms and others to run along a central spine beneath the ground floor.
This house is made beside a river; the blocks are divided and planned orthogonally to follow the flow of the river. The units vary, with some being two bedrooms and others three. Two external staircases get to the upper floors. This gives each team a private individual entry.
The more extensive flats are placed on top of the smaller ones. As you can guess, the larger houses are occupied and got less traffic than smaller ones. Therefore efficiently reducing the number of staircases that shall be needed. There are included balconies for the top houses that provide ample space to rest and sunbathe in this social structure.
You shall be interested in the design of living rooms. They use profiling glass which is translucent and allows natural light from outside. During the night, the glass is lit from within to give the impression of glowing towers.
Housing carl-spitzweg-gasse.
These are 49 housing apartments within a pair of 4- story buildings. Being such an enormous but four-floured facility, you won’t need an elevator. Instead, there are multiple stairs designed so that every three houses get a private entry point. With the two upper stories containing mansionettes, you do not have to go more than two floors to reach your apartment.
This buildings living quarters lie alongside one another to give each unit access to natural light. Therefore, there are no bills and needs for artificial light. What impressed us most is the eliminable balcony located to the south side whenever you need more floor space.
Condominio Los Delfines.
In Avenida Balboa, you shall find a 36-story Los defines building on the coast of Panama City. This facility is designed to be multi-functional, offering large community areas, 325-vehicle parking, 1500-square meters of parking area, and 102 residential units.
Being located beside the ocean, there was that tricky part of having all the units face the ocean. The designers gave the towers a slight torsion to allow all the companies to meet the ocean while preventing the front buildings from blocking the innermost one. This mega-structure is made of concrete, with the floors post-stressed. An included community area on the 6th and fifth floors has all luxury amenities installed. When you get to these spaces, you get a clear aerial view of the city and ocean.
This is a large structure that could have been almost impossible to achieve luxuries such as the vie of the ocean. However, all units got across to not only the sea but also natural light.
Leimatt.
Affordable housing needs not be poorly developed. With the skillful use of zoning and construction, Leimatt achieves a standard economic housing structure. With the integration of cheap materials and local conventional building techniques, this structure cheaply offers excellent living conditions in a squeezed city.
At the front, you get a semi-private walkway while the back holds a private balcony. The company uses accumulation as a means to building such economical apartments. All the units have access to natural light.
Multi-unit architectural design – A final thought
Multi-unit housing units do not have to be squeezed with poor ventilation. From the above examples, we find that excellent home conditions can be provided even for the economy class through buildings such as Leimatt. Multi-unit buildings have to blend in their environment while giving you the taste of nature and space.
