INTERMODAL HOUSING
INTERMODAL HOUSING conceptualizes the shipping container as a module within which various modern residential lifestyles may be efficiently organized, packaged and transported to any location equipped with the infrastructure ready to receive them.
The proposed site, located directly south of Broad Street station in Newark, New Jersey, is remade as a mixed-use development utilizing a series of five plug-in residential system prototypes. The residential facilities are oriented north-south in order to form a series of pathways which filter pedestrian traffic between Orange St. and Broad Street Station. Gardens, boutique stores, cafes, and tenant related amenities are located along the pedestrian circulation to add a civic dimension to the ground level.
Residential units are composed of six stacked 40 foot long containers. Unit types range from single-level studios to a two-level duplex. The unit assemblages are “plugged-in” to an infrastructural support system based on intermodal freight handling and transportation. The units may be removed, replaced, or upgraded based on user needs.
Roof gardens, atrium spaces, and connecting bridges link the residential programs and encourage a sense of community while also giving the buildings porosity for natural ventilation. Shipping container materials are reused to create passive solar features such as louvers and trellises for shading devices while other sustainable techniques, such as photovoltaic panels are integrated into the atrium glass. The resulting aesthetic effect is a rich collage of patterns and color which humanize the experience and encourage sustainable urban living. |
