Living in the Forest
Between trees is a new residential district with 180 apartments varying in typologies and sizes set amongst a variety of landscape types for children to play and families to enjoy their free-time. While most of the apartments are for low-income families (approx. 80%), the remaining housing in the proposal is at market rate. The site faces the Danube River and the alluvial forest. Rather than aligning the development parallel to the streets, the proposal generates a series of long courts perpendicular to the existing forest.
This siting strategy engages the thick fluvial landscape (extended into the inner courts by the addition of a new substantial tree canopy) and exposes the apartments to the prevailing breezes from the West. This exposure facilitates aeration of the domestic areas and, simultaneously, shelters the inner courts for an increased use of the community during the winter months.
The apartments face East-West and have private gardens to the West. Attached to these gardens, both the kitchen and living rooms extend their areas with the corresponding access to the sunset exposure and the pleasures of living in the outdoors.
Team: Silvia Benedito & Alexander Häusler (partners), David Birge, Velania Cervino