Andrea Barei

Guelph, Ontario CANADA

Design Statement                                                  

The design for the multi-family housing unit stems from the desire to create a functioning multi-facetted community in a single block. Taking suggestion from the surrounding urban network, the design is broken down into 4 main sectors that act on 2 planes. The public and gathering spaces are directly accessible from the North, providing the opportunity not only for retail purposes, but also to attract people to the site for relaxation. Instead of what was once a deteriorating site, the new design creates a feature and focal point for the community with which to take cues from for further enhancement. The residential component is located on the South side of the site. There are two main housing forms. To the West there are single family homes, comprised of 3 ground floor shipping containers and 2 upper level containers. To the East, an apartment-type complex provides a second opportunity for housing. This portion also includes an indoor amenity space for all inhabitants of the development. The push for sustainability is immediately evident by the use of the shipping containers. This project attempts to further this momentum by incorporating many sustainable practices throughout the site with an attitude of integrated design that could be reflected in a LEED certification.. The overall goal was to create both interior and exterior spaces that were functional, beautiful, and sustainable.