SHARING OF THE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNES BEYOND THE FAMILY
All architecture is started from human being.
We have constructed and invented our living space continuously to live with our own beloved people, exactly with our own families.
Family is the smallest unit for the society. Home is the ground for them.
‘Living Hof for the New Family’ is about an extended understanding of family and the sharing of resources in a community. It was started from the question ‘What is the family in this century?’ and ‘What is ‘home’ for our future?
Why does this project focus on family and home issue ? The project focused on the issue of alienation between societies. Before starting thinking about needs for our future, I had started to reflect on the past centuries to see what we have established and what we have missed and lost. Among several significant issues, I felt support to think about the borders around the world especially between societies which is one of the most culprits of social and global issues. Which architect’s attitude we need to have for this issue ? To overcome this issue, the conception of ‘sharing’ was chosen and the research focused on how to be a part of a whole with each other. The programmatic question for me as an Architect was how to let people experience sharing in the city. The remarkable data of Liechtenstein led this project to two main issues. One is the change in demography, especially the big portion of one-person households in combination with a graying society. The second issue is the high level of dependence on imported food and decreasing small farms. Therefore, two questions became aims of this project - how to adapt this changing demography to reintegrate societies and how to reinforce the local food production.
What kind of research, methods needed for the strategies ? The site was chosen from Liechtenstein because I had an opportunity to research traditional architecture in Alpine area and precious tradition in both ways, physically and socially. I chose the post office of Balzers in Liechtenstein as the pilot project and upcycling point because it has had an important role as a connecting element between Blazers and Mäls in history. The building transformed several times throughout its history by the changing needs of both villages. By this precious historical status the project propose the former post office to become the village center for the new family compound. The program calculates 10 People to count as one “family”. Not in the traditional understanding of family but with less private space but generous shared spaces, integrating old people, youngsters, immigrants and refugees. Families will keep smaller private areas and share all the communal facilities to live, work, cook and eat together. Our century is being changed, following different trends and situations of the world. Architects should be able to throw a question about the world for our future. In this chapter, I will throw questions to think about our worlds and our societies to live better and together.
The Board:
