Camila Sanchez Rodriguez

Project Description

In the setting of contemporary urban life of the 21st century and after the isolating global pandemic in 2020, the need to connect with neighbours, communities, and the wider public has become more imperative than ever; therefore, highlighting the need for spaces which foster meaningful social interactions and thus an architecture that lends itself that enables it. However, how can a building provide spaces open to public use and foster a sense of community, without compromis- ing the privacy needed for residential needs?

Neave Brown’s short essay The Form of Housing provides a starting point for an architectural discourse in the development of architecture which strikes a balance between the existing public urban realm and the private qualities of housing. Highlighting the need to create layered buildings that have spaces with different levels of privacies across multiple scales, such as; the public, the communal, semi-private, and private.

The project presented in this portfolio is a mixed-used building consisting of multi-generational housing, co-working spaces, a cafe, and an outdoor public square, aimed at bringing different groups of people together within its setting and enabling a common ground between the wid- er public and residents. Drawing inspiration from Brown’s ideals, the project aims to enable meaningful social interactions between different groups of people at different scales without compromising the privacy needed for housing; thus, setting a new standard for housing in the 21st century, where the relationship between existing and new structures is carefully thought out and harmonious within a the urban sphere.