Mvrdv reconsiders suburban living with plans to transform army barracks in germany

MVRDV RECONSIDERS SUBURBAN LIVING WITH PLANS TO TRANSFORM ARMY BARRACKS IN GERMANY image © MVRDV MVRDV HAS PRESENTED PLANS TO REDEVELOP A FORMER US ARMY BARRACKS IN THE GERMAN CITY OF

MANNHEIM. the 27,000 square meter project, titled ‘funari’, reconsiders the standard housing model and seeks to redefine suburban living by offering residents an affordable lifestyle, with

individuality, diversity and community spirit. the scheme has been developed alongside TRAUMHAUS, a housing producer who focuses on low-cost high-quality homes based on standardized

elements. between the houses, a park is formed from a series of path networks image © MVRDV A HUGE RANGE OF HOUSING VARIATIONS IS DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE SITE, ENCOURAGING SOCIAL

DIVERSITY AND A MIX OF DIFFERENT LIFESTYLES. between the houses, a park is formed from a series of path networks, broken up by spaces designed for public activity — such as fruit alleys or

butterfly gardens. the new village is a catalogue of dwelling and garden typologies, each designed to support a different type of household and demographic. each unit also has a private

garden, handpicked by its residents to provide an outdoor living space that suits them. a huge range of housing variations is distributed across the site image © MVRDV _‘THE COLLABORATION

COMBINES TRADITION WITH EXTRAVAGANZA, EXPERIENCE WITH EXPERIMENTATION, QUALITY WITH QUANTITY, SHARING THE IDEAL OF VARIETY AND SOCIAL ACCESS WITH INNOVATION AND REALIZATION,’_ explain the

architects. through encouraging a range of different inhabitants to occupy the area, the project hopes to transform the idea of village life — with segregated households — into a diverse

community with a greater emphasis on individuality and quality of life. the development encourages social diversity and a mix of different lifestyles image © made by mistake _‘FUNARI BRINGS

BACK THE VARIED NEIGHBORHOOD. IT’S WHERE YOU KNOW YOUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY, WHERE THE KIDS CAN RUN AROUND IN THE STREET, WHERE YOUR HOME IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED IT TO BE,’_ explains MVRDV

founding partner WINY MAAS. _‘but also it’s a comment on the housing system today. a system where young people can’t afford to buy, where ‘affordable housing’ is of such a poor quality, and

where the suburban dream stamps out community spirit and individual expression. we want to show that there is another way.’_ the 27,000 square meter project reconsiders the standard housing

model image © made by mistake VEGETATED HOUSES APPEAL TO THE BUDDING ECO-FAMILY, WHILE STILTED DWELLINGS OPEN UP THE GROUND FLOOR FOR FUTURE EXPANSION. two larger apartment blocks combine

various models in order to further encourage variety. the houses, split into five main categories, are arranged based on a predefined ratio of living types. this method means that diversity

is inevitable, and that gentrification and community isolation is avoided. each household also has a private garden, handpicked by its residents image © made by mistake DESPITE THE SCHEME’S

PEDESTRIANIZATION, RESIDENTS ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THEIR PROPERTIES BY CAR VIA A SUBTERRANEAN PARKING LOT. however, residents are encouraged to use the tram line which runs adjacent to the

development. access for emergency vehicles has also been taken into consideration. 1/10 philip stevens I designboom apr 14, 2016