Vertical Houses in the Urban Forest

This proposal builds upon the design research initiated in the previous duplex project. Namely, house typologies for vertical living (or micro-towers), and various types of shared and private outdoor spaces. However, several new programmatic requirements broadened the inquiry and prompted a couple of ideas: vertical houses within an urban forest, and lateral transparency within and between the units.

By minimizing the footprint of the dwellings, and extending the plan vertically, the outdoor space at the ground level is maximized. Decks and micro-gardens adjacent to the houses form a loose grid of communal and semi-private spaces. The towers are arranged as an informal cluster and interspersed with an equivalent number of trees and green walls. Balconies are cantilevered from each tower at various heights to foster interaction between neighbors and to allow residents to sit within the tree canopies.

Finally, rooftop terraces are located at the top of each micro tower, essentially creating an “outdoor room” for each resident, providing them with panoramic views of the surrounding urban forest.