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"Northern
Style Housing" in Aomori,
Japan (JL Msika)
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The south facing stepped housing “crown”
All units, at any floor, are open to a small
garden or conservatory and keep therefore a door to the outside.
A variety of
simple level or duplex units, maisonettes, as well as penthouses.
The generous
glazing will efficiently integrate winter solar gains which will be
used as an energy resource. This resource will constitute an important
part of the limited total energy consumption, the buildings being
equipped with external insulation and therefore devoid of
thermal bridges which would allow for energy waste.
The
urban grid base, at ground floor, first and second floors
A close sequence of low rise buildings will
shelter many necessary urban functions, such as food and non food
shops, restaurants, coffee shops, workspaces, flexible office space,
welfare and health service facilities, community halls and salons,
etc...
The built sequence
will establish a structured urban pattern, with streets, local roads,
pedestrian walkways, piazzas, indoor streets and galleries...
The urban grid
will offer a variety of possible paths which will promote social,
cultural and economic intercourse.
The
mixed-use WHOLE will achieve:
a diverse, user friendly,
‘URBAN VILLAGE” which will allow the growth of
community life, of a vibrant culture and economy, while protecting the
environment and saving energy in two ways:
1/ The housing
units will use solar energy for a major part of their
heating requirements,
2/ and the
inhabitants will not any more be as totally dependant on their private
cars since they will have walking-distance access to a wide variety of
urban functions.
Far from being a
negative constraint, life in the Sustainable City, while providing an
effective and responsible answer to global warming, will also offer
cultural integration and a most enjoyable and mind opening way of life.
The stepped
housing of the Solar City will offer such quality of life to all city
dwellers, which was previously reserved to a few privileged owners of
rare penthouses.
A network of paths and cars
At ground level, local roads and walkways will
meet at frequent intervals, since activities usually occur just where
cars and pedestrians meet.
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