From researching the history and the historical maps of the area I had learned of the reconstruction of Cork Street through an historical block of buildings. I wanted to take some of the street back by manipulating roads, form, landscaping, texture and surfaces to slow down traffic and reclaim the street.  My original concept was to push out an elevated social space onto Cork Street which would be separated from the road by a raised cycle path and planting. I worked in section and plan to design a hierarchy of spaces from the busy street to the quiet sitting spaces associated with the ground floor building function.  

I wanted to create a residential building which had a relationship with the street. Ground floor spaces would be used for community facilities and amenities which the occupants could benefit from. Three housing blocks would emerge from this ground floor community space and would be separated by shared external roof terraces. These terraces would be additional outside spaces along with each unit’s private external terrace. I did not want the typical balconies hanging off the side of the building so the terraces would be recessed into the building. The roof terraces separating the buildings would be shared by all the occupants and can be accessed by everyone. They also act as connection and route to neighbours in another building.

My original thinking of how we might live in terms of the actual units was that I did not want rows of narrow corridors where there is no space to stop and have a chat with neighbours. I wanted the occupants to be able to socialise with eachother in a comfortable shared space which they could all use. I grouped three or four units around a shared communal space which would also house the vertical circulation. These spaces would be completely controlled by the residents. Planting, seats and storage spaces would make it their own and would really allow them to inhabit the space. At the entrances of the units the threshold would be light frame and would encorporate niches and openings to allow neighbours to return items easily, deliever messages easily and to hear or see their fellow occupants in the shared communal space. I would also have no internal bathrooms. Each room would have a window and each unit would be dual aspect.