Sewtahal . Zhang . Postma . Cai

Vertical Village: A Sustainable Way of Village-style Living

source: courtesy of Sewtahal . Zhang . Postma . Cai . d3 Housing Tomorrow competition .
Project members: Rajiv Sewtahal, Yushang Zhang, Riemer Postma and Qianqian Cai
Studio tutor: Alexander Sverdlov

What we investigated with this medium‐density housing project is a new way to enjoy village living without occupying conventional land area. The Vertical Village can achieve this goal.

For our studio work in The Why Factory of professor Winy Maas (MVRDV) at the TU Delft we analyzed the pros and cons of typical spatial organization of both traditional village and urban high‐rise residences, we determined this concept of “3D plot division” inside a vertical volume to realize the idea of a vertical village. This division is based on the 3D Voronoi algorithmic system, translating the relation of points into interfaces to divide a certain volume into individual cells. If every cell is owned by one family, changing the positions of points allows an opportunity for various 3D individual domains.

Control of the generation of points is essential -- every point should be relatively orthogonal to its nearest point, so that every cell offers the largest surface perpendicular or parallel to the horizon. Some activities, such as cooking or studying, rely on those orthogonal surfaces, while others, including gardening or leisure, may occupy more irregular zones. Therefore, both practical and dramatic spaces have been defined by this system.

Each family can decide where and how to place their house inside their own 3D plot. A series of cells is designed as circulation and public facilities to provide dwellers with conveniences and places to convene in collective activities.

In the end, collective dwelling is not simple stacking layers, but rather, a more complex yet organized co-existence of unique individual domains in a vertical community.