It is considered essential that new housing equate more closely than at present with the major changes in social patterning. These are primarily related to increases in personal affluence, mobility and ‘free will’ or ‘leisure’ time.
The house must enable and encourage its occupants’ desires for a finer life, and not stultify or restrict them. Thus any planned provision of living space must take into account the probable rate of change of demands made on it by its occupants. Since prediction of ‘the good life’ for others is neither feasible nor desirable, housing must incorporate socially desirable life-spans in its physical design.
In addition, the rapid changes in population growth and location must not be restricted by existing or future urban concentrations. Additional flexibility in urban planning is afforded by rapid-construction housing capable of equally rapid removal. Also, the capacity for the rapid provision of housing enables advantage to be taken of other socially beneficial site conditions, which, without such facility, might never be exploited. The proposed housing makes possible a wide range of ownership, while the range of units and parts provides extensive individual variation.
While whole rings can be added to a house, the major physical flexibility envisaged will be in the repositioning or the replacement of internal units. Initially, units are fixed in the rings in the factory, and the ring then totally sealed prior to transportation. The variety of openings for entry, glazing and ventilation enables variation in orientation to be independent of the direction of the rings. A range of roofs is provided to meet a wide range of climatic conditions.
Immediate links with the surrounding site and various outside uses are formed by means of additional rings used as porches, wind lobbies, patios, garden shelters and stores, or open-air children’s play pens. No provision is made in the system for garages, since these are considered obsolete. Partial shelter for automobiles would be additional to the system.
An extremely wide range of variations in the family group has been designed for, and this is evident in the typical plans shown. Increase time for leisure activities in the home requiring space and particular servicing and storage, has been a major determinant in both the spaces created and the infil units provided. Family patterning ranging from maximum communal living to large self-serviced ‘cells’ for each member is possible.
Life span of the ‘rings‘ is 40-50 years, and of the cladding and internal units 20-25 years. The internal plant life is 5-12 years.
Constructional Principles.
To fabricate and assemble as much as possible in the factory and to minimize skilled assembly work on site.
To eliminate any site connection of vertical load bearing walls by transmitting loads between floor, ceiling and foundation through simple bearing pads.
To position the bearing pads so that the sheet steel sections are economically used and deflections controlled.
Illustrations
REFERENCE
Price, C. (1967) ‘A change is required in our current attitude to “Housing”’, Architectural Design, May.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Extremely Provocative 