Locus
“…it is architecture's task to render vivid to us who we might ideally be.” Alain de Botton (The Architecture of Happiness)
Architectural design profoundly influ¬ences the habits and ideals of those it purports to reflect. As sustainabil¬ity finds increasing prominence in our collective vocabulary, our build¬ings should play an active role in pro¬moting new behaviours that support this movement. Our building facilitates the transition from a global individu¬alistic lifestyle to that of a localised self-reliant commu¬nity. The form is meant to reflect this shift in conscious¬ness through the combination of old and new – providing a framework that allows the building to adapt to current as well as unforeseen future needs. The result is a con¬stant state of flux rather than a rigidly prescribed outcome that more closely represents our ever-changing states.
Adaptability is a significant structural con¬sideration. Steel was chosen as the prima¬ry structural material as it offered the most flexibility in design and is completely recycla¬ble. In the residential tower, the structure is over-sized to accommodate the construc¬tion of additional floors in the future. The various systems of the building are designed to conform to the prerequisites of the Living Building Challenge, namely Net Zero Water and Net Zero Energy. Some of these systems could be district based, reflecting the social com¬munity the building is designed to cultivate. The atrium is central to maintaining interior comfort by integrating passive solar, passive ventilation, and evaporative cooling. Prominently located, the vertical farm visually reconnects people and their food source. Before wastewater leaves the site, it is treated in a digester, producing biogas for combined heat and power, and turning the waste into fertiliser for the farm.
Locus is the centre of activity & dialogue. The open public square adja¬cent to the transit station capitaliz¬es on chance encounters to encour¬age a dialogue between the residents and the greater Vancouver community, drawing attention to new possibilities in lifestyle. People can witness co-operative dependency between residents, waste management, composting, communal farms, markets, daily amenities, local indepen¬dent businesses, and the community.
(From competitor's text)
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