Discussion // Residential Towers

In response to the need for architectural compromise (as directed) and other ideas of scale and aesthetic I enumerated in the previous post, I've diverted my approach to answering the question of urban housing in the United States from the all-encompassing block plan and instead begun to explore the viability of residential towers in relatively low-density neighborhoods. The first order of business, I suppose, is to come up with a sort of ad-hoc list of advantages and disadvantages of the tower typology, and to find ways of enhancing the positive aspects and reversing the negative. I've also listed a wide variety of potential precedents; any suggestions for others would be appreciated.

[Literal translation of the Morphosis model.]

Advantages of Tower Housing @ Vermont and Santa Monica

• Best views for a maximum number of units, north to Santa Monica Mountains and south to Downtown LA
• Maximum exposure to desirable light (direct south, diffuse north) and natural ventilation (LA: southwest)
• Liberates square footage for the public plaza. Excessive space can, in fact, be detrimental unless adequate density and appropriate programming is in place.
• Efficient circulation.
• Unique type prompts a revisitation of local architectural norms. This advantage is based on my own philosophy, I understand that not everyone wants something new or even modern. But I yearn for the days when turreted corners are wiped out of our design lexicon...

Disadvantages of Tower Housing @ Vermont and Santa Monica

• Tower layout defeats social aspect of clustered / courtyard models. From the standpoint of theory, this is probably the difficult obstacle to overcome or sell to a client/professor. How do you retain the mass and climate-sensitive features of the tower block without diluting the idea?
• Code and jurisdictional restrictions will not allow it. Yeah, obviously I'm really concerned about this one.
• Requires an unrealistic (unaffordable) structural solution. Really concerned about this one too.
• Previous attempts were unsuccessful or unpopular, and the type carries a negative stigma. With the proper detailing and architectural expression, this one shouldn't pose much of a problem in theoretical design. In the US, real housing projects come under so much jurisdictional and budgetary scrutiny that the end result is very stale and insensitive.

1. Villa Radiuse // Le Corbusier

2. Unite de Habitation // Le Corbusier

3. Van Nelleweg Factory // Brinkman & van der Flugt*

4. Paimio Sanatorium // Alvar Aalto

5. Paimio Sanatorium // Alvar Aalto

6. Kitagaya Housing // SANAA

7. Mirador // MVRDV**

8. Wienerberg, Vienna // Coop Himmelblau

9. Pelleport, Paris  // Frederic Borel

10. Unbuilt Project // Frederic Borel

11. Dept. of Civic Justice , Manchester // Denton Corker Marshall***

*This production factory has a very residential aesthetic in the repetition of elements and scale at the ground level. The firm experimented with pre-fab construction and industrial fabrication in the 1930s.

**This tower project attempted to solve the social problem by creating a giant courtyard void in the center of the mass, lifted high off the ground. Unfortunately it fails dismally as a social space and doesn't inspire much activity. Such spaces require the support of transient populations.

***Another civic building, like the Morphosis project, that could be converted to residential. The offices could be rethought as living spaces.