Skyrocketing prices of London housing have become so unbearable that many have turned to less-than-ideal compromises. Large homes can be found but come with commutes of hours; places are still available in the city, but only for those with sky-high paychecks. Unable to balance their needs, people are resorting to workarounds that disrupt the existing urban fabric and dissatisfy all involved. Surely we can do better.Architecture competitions have always contributed in stimulating public interest and have generated numerous community-oriented designs. Bee Breeders"s recent competition challenged designers to take on this issue, calling for inventive solutions to London"s housing crisis as part of its Affordable Housing Crisis Design Series. Common themes and ideas emerged among the entries: the construction of new housing systems, rehabilitation of public spaces, new methods for land ownership. But the winners addressed the global demand for affordable urban housing in an innovative and sustainable approach.The winners and shortlisted projects of the Bee Breeders London Affordable Housing Challenge, after the break:一等獎： Beyond the ShellBeyond the Shell . Image © Lianjie Wu, via BeeBreeders在倫敦對於住房危機提供的解決方案中，設計者進行了全面的構思，其設計有著自由的方式，還透過3D列印實現快速建造，並創造大規模的精細住宅房，使其具體適應當地居民。基礎建設採用了網格框架、無限曲線、有機設計，以及精細建造工具。1st Prize - Beyond the ShellThe winning proposal checks all the boxes when it comes to providing solutions to the housing crisis in London. The designer took advantage of the free-form design, affordable cost, and rapid construction provided by 3D printing, and created exquisite-looking mass housing complexes that take shape and adapt with their residents. The foundation infrastructure is designed in a grid-like frame, allowing an infinite range of curvilinear, organic designs, manufactured with digital fabrication tools transported in mobile trucks.二等獎：Re.Co.De: 重建現代社群Re.Co.De: Redesigning Contemporary Dwelling. Image © Massimo Bricocoli, Gennaro Postiglione, Stefani Sabatinelli, Nicola Sirugo, via BeeBreeders第二名入圍的作品與之不同，同樣傾向於解決住房危機，這一方案集中強調內部佈局設計的重要性，可以服務更多人。設計者認為，現存建築中佈局的共同居住與重組，能夠創造更多有效空間，並能適應更大的居住組團。總之，設計者重新設計倫敦標準住房街區的內部佈局，以浴室為中心，流動分離並裝配配件，滿足各種各樣的適用人群。2nd Prize - Re.Co.De: Redesigning Contemporary DwellingThe 2nd-place project took a different, yet favorable approach to resolving to the housing crisis. The proposal focused on the importance of having a well-designed interior layout that caters to more than one individual. According to the designers, cohabitation and reorganization of the layouts of existing buildings creates more efficient spaces and can accommodate larger groups of inhabitants. Accordingly, the designers rearranged the the interior layout of a typical London housing block, and offered an array of flexible interior layouts, with an adjusted bathroom core, movable partitions and equipped wall fittings, housing a mixture of personalities and profiles.三等獎：Informal IntimacyInformal Intimacy. Image © Medina Dzonlic, Daniel Andersson, via BeeBreeders三等獎作品面向使用者，有著現代主義的解決方法，設計師摒棄一體適用的建築技術方法。靈活性與空間的組合是專案設計的關鍵，並且設計者意在提供許多空間序列和靈活的房間，而不是尋求標準空間。3rd Prize - Informal IntimacyA user-oriented, modernist approach landed the 3rd-place prize, dismissing the “one-size-fits-all” architecture typology. Flexibility and spatial combinations were key words in the development of the project’s design, as the designers focused on providing a variety of spatial sequences and flexible rooms, instead of resorting to standardized architecture principles.Bee Breeders學生獎：Wesley 新城/ChronotopiaWesley New Town // Chronotopia. Image © Yip Siu, via BeeBreeders學生獎被授予給社群型的方案，這一方案專注於經濟與共享利益，名為“誠信社群土地”的方案利用現有社群發展所得利潤為中小型企業提供只出租的住宅單元。這些新興的企業和單元的維修與服務同樣由這些利潤提供，而供暖與電力則來源於廢物的再利用。Bee Breeders Student Award - Wesley New Town / ChronotopiaThe Student Award was granted to a community-oriented project that focuses on affordability and shared profit. The proposed ‘Community Land Trust’ helps develop rented-only accommodation modules for small/medium enterprises using the profit earned by existing community developments. Maintenance and services of these emerging enterprises and modules is also acquired by these profits, while the district heating and electricity is granted by the local waste, heat, and energy generated by the district’s warehouses.Bee Breeders綠色獎-綠色社群Hedge House. Image © David Saand, Simone De Bergh, Björn Vestlund, Jay Williams, via BeeBreeders綠色建築獎被授予給最具創新環保方案，設計師面向可持續策略，構思了城市文脈的重建。設計者採用有著綠色立面的“窄住宅”技術，在人的尺度上使城市景觀更加密集。另外還設計了由樹所包圍的房屋，它們坐落於公園和街道之間，透過綠色立面與共享屋頂構成公園的自然形態，並形成公共交流空間。Bee Breeders Green Award - Hedge HouseThe Green Award is granted to the project with the most innovative eco-friendly proposal, and this year, the winners of the award offered a sustainable rehabilitation and active frontage of the large-scale post-war buildings and their urban context. The designers created a new ‘narrow-housing’ typology veiled with a green facade, densifying the city’s urban landscape at a human scale. The proposed Hedge House is designed to sit between the park and streets, acting as a natural border of the park with its green facades and shared roof terraces, and promoting communal well-being.Hedge House. Image © David Saand, Simone De Bergh, Björn Vestlund, Jay Williams, via BeeBreedersBeyond the Shell . Image © Lianjie Wu, via BeeBreedersRe.Co.De: Redesigning Contemporary Dwelling. Image © Massimo Bricocoli, Gennaro Postiglione, Stefani Sabatinelli, Nicola Sirugo, via BeeBreedersInformal Intimacy. Image © Medina Dzonlic, Daniel Andersson, via BeeBreedersWesley New Town // Chronotopia. Image © Yip Siu, via BeeBreeders
Skyrocketing prices of London housing have become so unbearable that many have turned to less-than-ideal compromises. Large homes can be found but come with commutes of hours; places are still available in the city, but only for those with sky-high paychecks. Unable to balance their needs, people are resorting to workarounds that disrupt the existing urban fabric and dissatisfy all involved. Surely we can do better.Architecture competitions have always contributed in stimulating public interest and have generated numerous community-oriented designs. Bee Breeders"s recent competition challenged designers to take on this issue, calling for inventive solutions to London"s housing crisis as part of its Affordable Housing Crisis Design Series. Common themes and ideas emerged among the entries: the construction of new housing systems, rehabilitation of public spaces, new methods for land ownership. But the winners addressed the global demand for affordable urban housing in an innovative and sustainable approach.The winners and shortlisted projects of the Bee Breeders London Affordable Housing Challenge, after the break:一等獎： Beyond the ShellBeyond the Shell . Image © Lianjie Wu, via BeeBreeders在倫敦對於住房危機提供的解決方案中，設計者進行了全面的構思，其設計有著自由的方式，還透過3D列印實現快速建造，並創造大規模的精細住宅房，使其具體適應當地居民。基礎建設採用了網格框架、無限曲線、有機設計，以及精細建造工具。1st Prize - Beyond the ShellThe winning proposal checks all the boxes when it comes to providing solutions to the housing crisis in London. The designer took advantage of the free-form design, affordable cost, and rapid construction provided by 3D printing, and created exquisite-looking mass housing complexes that take shape and adapt with their residents. The foundation infrastructure is designed in a grid-like frame, allowing an infinite range of curvilinear, organic designs, manufactured with digital fabrication tools transported in mobile trucks.二等獎：Re.Co.De: 重建現代社群Re.Co.De: Redesigning Contemporary Dwelling. Image © Massimo Bricocoli, Gennaro Postiglione, Stefani Sabatinelli, Nicola Sirugo, via BeeBreeders第二名入圍的作品與之不同，同樣傾向於解決住房危機，這一方案集中強調內部佈局設計的重要性，可以服務更多人。設計者認為，現存建築中佈局的共同居住與重組，能夠創造更多有效空間，並能適應更大的居住組團。總之，設計者重新設計倫敦標準住房街區的內部佈局，以浴室為中心，流動分離並裝配配件，滿足各種各樣的適用人群。2nd Prize - Re.Co.De: Redesigning Contemporary DwellingThe 2nd-place project took a different, yet favorable approach to resolving to the housing crisis. The proposal focused on the importance of having a well-designed interior layout that caters to more than one individual. According to the designers, cohabitation and reorganization of the layouts of existing buildings creates more efficient spaces and can accommodate larger groups of inhabitants. Accordingly, the designers rearranged the the interior layout of a typical London housing block, and offered an array of flexible interior layouts, with an adjusted bathroom core, movable partitions and equipped wall fittings, housing a mixture of personalities and profiles.三等獎：Informal IntimacyInformal Intimacy. Image © Medina Dzonlic, Daniel Andersson, via BeeBreeders三等獎作品面向使用者，有著現代主義的解決方法，設計師摒棄一體適用的建築技術方法。靈活性與空間的組合是專案設計的關鍵，並且設計者意在提供許多空間序列和靈活的房間，而不是尋求標準空間。3rd Prize - Informal IntimacyA user-oriented, modernist approach landed the 3rd-place prize, dismissing the “one-size-fits-all” architecture typology. Flexibility and spatial combinations were key words in the development of the project’s design, as the designers focused on providing a variety of spatial sequences and flexible rooms, instead of resorting to standardized architecture principles.Bee Breeders學生獎：Wesley 新城/ChronotopiaWesley New Town // Chronotopia. Image © Yip Siu, via BeeBreeders學生獎被授予給社群型的方案，這一方案專注於經濟與共享利益，名為“誠信社群土地”的方案利用現有社群發展所得利潤為中小型企業提供只出租的住宅單元。這些新興的企業和單元的維修與服務同樣由這些利潤提供，而供暖與電力則來源於廢物的再利用。Bee Breeders Student Award - Wesley New Town / ChronotopiaThe Student Award was granted to a community-oriented project that focuses on affordability and shared profit. The proposed ‘Community Land Trust’ helps develop rented-only accommodation modules for small/medium enterprises using the profit earned by existing community developments. Maintenance and services of these emerging enterprises and modules is also acquired by these profits, while the district heating and electricity is granted by the local waste, heat, and energy generated by the district’s warehouses.Bee Breeders綠色獎-綠色社群Hedge House. Image © David Saand, Simone De Bergh, Björn Vestlund, Jay Williams, via BeeBreeders綠色建築獎被授予給最具創新環保方案，設計師面向可持續策略，構思了城市文脈的重建。設計者採用有著綠色立面的“窄住宅”技術，在人的尺度上使城市景觀更加密集。另外還設計了由樹所包圍的房屋，它們坐落於公園和街道之間，透過綠色立面與共享屋頂構成公園的自然形態，並形成公共交流空間。Bee Breeders Green Award - Hedge HouseThe Green Award is granted to the project with the most innovative eco-friendly proposal, and this year, the winners of the award offered a sustainable rehabilitation and active frontage of the large-scale post-war buildings and their urban context. The designers created a new ‘narrow-housing’ typology veiled with a green facade, densifying the city’s urban landscape at a human scale. The proposed Hedge House is designed to sit between the park and streets, acting as a natural border of the park with its green facades and shared roof terraces, and promoting communal well-being.Hedge House. Image © David Saand, Simone De Bergh, Björn Vestlund, Jay Williams, via BeeBreedersBeyond the Shell . Image © Lianjie Wu, via BeeBreedersRe.Co.De: Redesigning Contemporary Dwelling. Image © Massimo Bricocoli, Gennaro Postiglione, Stefani Sabatinelli, Nicola Sirugo, via BeeBreedersInformal Intimacy. Image © Medina Dzonlic, Daniel Andersson, via BeeBreedersWesley New Town // Chronotopia. Image © Yip Siu, via BeeBreeders