DECODING DENSITY - Urbanarium Competition
The Brief
In an effort to increase housing supply, planning policies are calling for apartments, generally up to six storeys, to be permitted in low density zones. However, designers exploring apartment forms find that current zoning, parking and building code restrictions generate buildings that often struggle to offer access to outdoor space, family-oriented amenities and other aspects of sociability.
Entrants were challenged to review and reconsider the constraints posed by existing building codes and other regulations in order to explore solutions to these two pressing issues. Alongside increasing housing affordability, the brief challenged entrants to address climate change, social isolation and mental health, and ecological decline – factors that normally are at odds with lowering construction costs. Entrants were encouraged to explore ideas that could dramatically reduce both cost and environmental impact through shared living arrangements that support affordability and foster a sense of connection and well-being.
Four imagined sites in four imagined municipalities were developed to mimic low density, formerly single-family residential use zones that are generally approximately one third of a standard block in size. Entrants were asked their preferences among sites and generally assigned their first or second choice. Within the assigned site, the brief required proposals to imagine how their approach might be expanded, over time, to reshape the surrounding block face.
Entrants were provided with a framework for their submissions that included project data and urban design, as well as social and economic rationale for the concept. Submissions were to outline project alignment to existing zoning and building codes, as well as proposed impacts to current municipal plans and codes, development approval processes, and innovative legal mechanisms for ownership and financing. Entrants were requested to present a pro forma for their ideas based on cost of construction as provided in a financial base case shared with entrants, which would be compared to the cost of construction of a basic sixstorey wood frame building assuming an increase in density to 2.5 FSR for all sites. The cost reduction listed with each team compares that financial base case for construction costs against the teams’ proposals using simplified measures for cost estimating.
The Jury had discretion in the selection of prize awards considering criteria from the brief: creativity, practicality, implement ability, potential to promote social engagement, access and inclusivity, as well as the anticipated improvement in housing affordability and climate change resilience.
Our Approach
Please click on the link below to access the draft presentation package