The Vertical Neighbourhood Redefining the Tower

The Vertical Neighbourhood Redefining the Tower

Low Jeng Jin, P.

Bier, H.H. (mentor)
Biloria, N.M. (mentor)
Vollers, K.J. (mentor)

Architecture and The Built Environment

Architecture

Hyperbody

2015-10-30

Vacancy in high-rise office buildings has over the last decade become an increasing problem in many cities around the world. Within Europe, the problem is especially true in Netherlands with over 7 million square meters vacant as of 2012. Current solutions to this issue involve conversion to residential spaces, updating and upgrading the office technologically to attract companies, or failing that demolition. However, none of these solution changes the nature of the tower typology. By its nature, a tower is a highly antisocial building. Despite being a highly populated environment, inhabitants are largely segregated by floors that are connected by an elevator. The only usable space for social interaction and public activities is located at the ground level around the building. It is only here where the tower has any interaction with the city and the street therefore limiting the public realm to a horizontal landscape. By extending the street into the building and elevating it with a series of ramps and varying vertical circulation, social spaces and areas for interactivity can be expanded to encompass more space within a city. This verticality allows for areas such as functions that require close proximity to main roads to be stacked in a way that leaves a smaller footprint in growing cities. By applying this concept to existing vacant towers, the urban fabric and city skyline does not need to be changed dramatically thus retaining the overall feel of any given city. Functions that are introduced into these spaces should always have a practical and desired use, and with this in mind the local populace must be an active player in the conception process. By coupling these needs with city planning, the introduction of this system can change the way towers are used in the future and ensure spaces that will be in constant use by city dwellers.

vertical neighbourhood
reusing vacant towers
adaptive reuse

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:1dd43f3a-ccde-4aec-88bb-77fd923eabb2

2015-11-01

51.91275347, 4.42926049

Student theses

master thesis

(c) 2015 Low Jeng Jin, P.