>THERE IS AIR BETWEEN THINGS

It seems that the way of living can be less parceled out than what we have experienced so far. The stratification and the space segregation have caused a disarticulation in our habitat. The interior and the outside, the individual and the collective, the artificial and the natural seem to be radically separated in the way we live inside cities. Facing this, how would a gradual habitat be? A place that manages to cause the air to flow between things. An explorable intermediate space able to establish diffuse relationships between its parts, where situations are a clear manifestation of the conquest of a space to be discovered.

>SPIRIT OF THE PROJECT

“New Babylon, does not stop anywhere (because the Earth is round); knows no borders (because there are no longer national economies), or collectivities (because humanity is fluctuating). Any place is accessible to each one and all. The entire planet becomes the house of the Earth inhabitants. Everyone changes of place whenever desired. Life is an endless trip through a world that transforms so fast that every time it seems different.”
Constant Nieuwenhuys

>CONTEXT

Concepción, a university city
In Concepción there are 23 study centers, mainly located around the city center. The location of the project between these study centers shortens the time used in transit. And at the same time, revitalizes the urban spatial structure through the use of services and recreation.
Concepción, seismic city
The collapse and the later demolition of constructions after the earthquake of February of 2010 in Concepción left a considerable amount of empty sites without an specific use. After 4 years, the sites have been used by an avalanche of real estate proposals that tend to standardize living. To today, there are approximately 73,000 m2 of vacant lots without an specific productive use.

>LOCATION

A piece of land in the center of the city has been chosen, placed between two sites with residential uses. In this sense, the proposal seeks to use a narrow site of eleven by fifty-five meters. The narrow of the space grants it a commercial disadvantage which has been used as an opportunity for the design of the proposal.

>USER

Temporary inhabitant
Users are students or professionals. They come from around the world to study postgraduate programs, or are exchange students. We think on a temporary user who brings his life in a suitcase, who generates little roots and is able to live in small spaces. The social characteristics of the user are manifested in their capacity of adaptation, eagerness to know the city and the people who live in it, they spend a lot of time outside the house and are willing to share in the public space.

> RESIDENCE

Is an establishment where passengers stay, a state of inhabiting determined by time. Thus, each passenger must adapt his life to a new space. The space of the residence is given to the development of relationships between strangers, subjects to a place. Based on the idea of making the relationship between the spaces of the architectural ensemble gradual, certain space porosity has been proposed allowing relating in a more intense way the different daily activities.

IV ELECTROLUX CONTEST, "PROJECTING A COLLECTIVE HOUSING"
1st PLACE

Name: VSR, Vertical Residences Students

Location: Región del Bio-Bio. Concepción

Architecture and design: República Portátil

Students team: Rocío Vásquez Schillinger, Gonzalo Burgos, Héctor Contreras, Camila Luza

Images: República Portátil