HABITAT FOR A SATELLITE TOWN by COLIN H. DAVIDSON with the Boston group of CIAM M. Architecture 1955 MITLibries Document Services Room 14-0551 77 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 Ph: 617.253.2800 Email: docs@mit.edu http://Iibraries.mit.eduldocs DISCLAIMER OF QUALITY Due to the condition of the original material, there are unavoidable flaws in this reproduction. We have made every effort possible to provide you with the best copy available. If you are dissatisfied with this product and find it unusable, please contact Document Services as soon as possible. Thank you. The images contained in this document are of the best quality available. habi tat for a satellite town TITLE: FABITAT FOR A SATELLITE TOWN AUTHOR: COLIN M.DAVIDSON with the Boston group of C I A M ABSTRACT: THIS PROJECT IS AN ATTEMPT TO DEVELOP A NEW KIND OF ENVIRONMENT. IT USES THE LATENT POSSIBILITIES OF CONTEMPORARY TECH-, NOLOGY AND ECONOMIC POTENTIAL TO FULFILL OUR SOCIAL NEEDS. TECHNIQUES: NOT A PRODUCT OF A SPECIALLY CREATED INDUSTRY, THE COMPONENT PARTS OF THE HOUSE WILL BE MASS-PRODUCED BY SUITABLY RELATED EXISTING FACTOR IED AND ASSEMBLED AT A CENTRAL POINT ON THE DEVELOPMENT. ECONOMICS: GEARED TO A CONSUMENRS' MARKET, THIS HOUSE AND ITS GROUPING ARE CONCEIVED FOR THE NEEDS OF A HIGHLY MOBILE MIDDLE CLASS WITH EVER-RISING STANDARD OF LIVING. IMMOBILISED CAPITAL (THE SHELTER) IS REDUCED, AND FLEXIBILITY FOR RENTAL OR PURCHASE IS INCREASED( INTERIOR COMPONENTS) SOCIAL: IN A TIME OF ANONYMOUS SOLUTIONS TO COLLECTIVE PROBLEMS, THIS CONCEPT IS AN ATTEMPT AT RESCALING THE SOCIAL PAT- TERN AND RESPECTING THE INDIVIDUAL THIS IS EXPRESSED IN DESIGN CHARACTER IN BOTH THE NEIGHBORHOOD habi tait for a sate IIIte town iI AND THE DWELLING. TWO STANDARDS OF SUB-MODULES GIVE ALMOST UNLIMITED FLEXIBILITY IN THE LAY-OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD CLUSTER AROUND ITS MECHANICAL NUCLEUS AND IN THE ARRANGEMENT OF THE HABITAT WITH THE COMPONENT PARTS CHOSEN AND INSTALLED FOR THE NEEDS OF EACH OCCUPANT. A SEQUENCE OF DIAGRAMS AND TEXT DEVELOPS THIS THEME: AFTER A BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE CONDITIONS WHICH PROVOKED THIS PORJECT THE TWO LEVELS OF ENVIRONMENT ARE DISCUSSED, EACH IN TERMS OF ITS TECHNICAL, ECONOMIC AMD SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS. SUBMITTED IN PART IAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE AT THE MASSACHUSETTS INST I TUTE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST, NINETEEN HUNDRED AND F IFTY FIVE SIGNATURE OF THE AUTHOR: CERTIFIED BY THE THESIS SUPERVISOR: ACCEPTED BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON GRADUATE STUDIES: hab itat for a sate I ite town CONTENTS: 1- 4 5- 6 7-26 THE SHELTER.......................................pags 27-46 A TEST CASE... ... .. ..... .................. .pages 47-53 a**. ...pages ....... * .... THE CHALLENGE............. pages .. .. ............... .. *..** THE URBAN PATTERN.. THE NEIGHBORHOOD CLUSTER..........................pages APPENDICES: BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SOURCES......................... EXTRACT FROM A LETTER......... ...... ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............. ... *........ ................ COLORED PLATES ON PAGES 27, 28, & 53. hab it at for a satellite town PEOPLE MAY SOME DAY LEARN TO BUY NOT ONLY PACKAGES OF GROCERIES OR BOOKS BUT " THE LARGER PACKAGE " OF A NEIGHBORHOOD, A SOCIETY, A WAY OF LIFE. LES HOMMES APPRENDRONT PEUX T'ETRE UN JOUR ACHETER LIVRES NON SEULEMENT DES PAQUETS D'EPICERIE OU DE MAIS AUSSI LE "PLUS LARGE PAQUET"D'UN QUARTIER D'UNE SOCIETE, D' UN STYLE DE VIE. THE -I- LONELY OnOW.... ( LA FOULS sOLITME) 2 h abi t at for a ate l I Ite ftown habt tat for a sateIIIte 3 town LEVITTOWN AND THE LIKE ARE WROWGI TECHNICALLY. THEY USE NANCIAL ORGANISATION, THEY ARE WRONG SOCIALLY AND IMMENSE RESOURCES OF MATERIALS AND F140 BUT THEY FAIL TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEM. THEY ARE BIGGER SOLUTIONS THAN EVER BEFORE, BUT BY THE LAW, SO WELL wKNCN TO SCIENTISTS# THAT EVERY PHENOMENON HAS A LIMIT OF SIZE WITHOUT HAVING RADICAL CHANGE OF PATTERN, AT THE OUT-SET. THEY ARE DOOMED IT IS A PROBLEM OF THIS GENERATION LARGE TOWNS FOR PEOPLE KNOWN ONLY THROUGH IMPERSONAL AND WHOSE REQUIRSIENTS MUST 8E ALWAYS CHANGING. TO BUILD STATISTICS, IT IS ABSURD TO CREATE FOR THEM CNE OR TO OR EVEN THREE STANDARD T YPE S OF HOME AND EXPECT1HEM TO SUFFICE. IT IS EQUALLY ABSURD TO THEN PUT GRATUITOUS VARIANTS ON THE HOUSES, GIVE IDENTITY TO THE HOME. IVE. UNDER THE ILLUSION THAT IHEY THEY MAKE THE MOTONY MORE AGRESS. IT IS ANACHRONISTIC TO TRANSLATE MODERN HIGH.POWERED Flo NANCING INTO NAILS AND STUDS, NEGLECTING THE RESOURCES OF IN- DUSTRY. THE PUBLIC IS REACTIIGL IT HAS DISCOVERED THETRAILERS AND IS OCCUPYING THEM FOR PERMANENT DWELLINGS IN AN INCREDIBLY LARGE NUMBER. INDUSTRY PRODXES THE TRAILER, A PACKAGED FORM OF LIV- IN3, WELL STUDIED IN DETAIL, BUT DENYING THE FREEDOM OF SPACE. T-E TRAILER IS NOT MEANT FOR GREGARIOUSLIVING, AND THE ASPECT OF THE TRA1LFR CAMPS IS A SORRY TESTIMONY TO THE FAILURE OF THIS SOLUTION. INDUSTRIAL ISATICN OF THE HOUSE IS THE ANSWER, INDUSTRIAL ISATICN OF 1HE PART S, SO DESIGNED THAT THEY CAN 6E ARRANGED TO SUIT THE NEEDS OF THE OCCUPANT. STANDARDISE THE SHELTER TO ENSURE ADE* GUATE PROTECTION, EXPRESS THK INDIVIDUAL IN THE CIQCE OF PARTS. 4 s habitat for a a te I I I te town habi tat for a satellite S town THE SUBURBAN T 0*4: THOUGH THE PROBLEM CENTRES AROUND THE DWELLING AND ITS ItMMEDIATE ENVIRCNVFNT, IT IS INDISPENSIBLE TO GLANCE AT THE HIGHER LEVELS OF PLANNING TO ENSURE LOGICAL HIERARCHY. AT 1HE HEAD OF SOME RAPID TRANSPORTATION LINK TO THE SOURCE OF EMPLOYMENT, THE SATELLITE TO/N MJST BE CONCENTRATED AT HIGH DEN- SITY TO AVOID UNNECESSARY TRANSFERS FROM CNE FORM OF TRANSPORT TO ANOTHFR. SURROUNDED THE TOWN WILL CONSIST OF A PATTERN OF SUPER-BLOCKS BY STREETS PLANNED F OR MEDIUM-FAST TRAFFIC. THESE WILL BE CONNECTED PERIODICALLY TO THROUGH-WAYS FOR LONG DISTANICE TRAFFIC, AND 1HEY WILL LINK THE PARKING AREAS DIRECTLY. THERE WILL BE NO CUL S-DE--SAC OR RESIDENTIAL STREETS THERE CHILD- REN PLAY PER ILOJSLY AMONGST THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC, TO THE JEOPARDY OF THE FORMEP ANDiHE INCONVENIENCE OF THE LATTER. OPEN SPACE, NORWALLY FRACTIONED AMO(NGST A MULTITUDE OF PRIVATE M OWNERS FOR WHOM IT IS OFTEN A SERVITUDE AND WHO HAVE A MINI OF PRIVACY ON IT, WILL BE GROUPED IN BELTS THAT WIND THROUGH THE CENTRES OF THE SUPER-BLOCKS. CNLY THE REALLY USERUL AMOUNT OF GARDEN WI LL BE L EF T TO THE INDI VIDUAL , IN THE FORM OF 'MAT HAS COME WRONGLY TO BE CALLED "PATIO". THE GREEN BELT WILL PROVIDE THE IDEAL SETTING FOR THE SCHOOLS, KINDERGARTENS AND SOCIAL CLUBS THAT WILL BE DOTTED ABOUT THE SATELLITE TOWN. OVER- OR UNDER-PASSES WILL ALLOW THE PEDESTRIAN TO PROCEEDALNG THE GREEN-BELT FROM ONE SUPER-BLOCK TO THE NEXT, AND DISTANCES WILL BE SO SHORT, DUE TO THE HIGH DENSITY, 7.75 FAMILIES PER GROSS ACRZE, THAT THE SHOPS AND THE COMvUTING TERMINAL CAN BE REACHED ON FOOT. hab I tat 6 !IA ,AN An LL~HTGAH P T YF,1CAL PH-to S(J B- LCK F R 300 FAIMUIL IES a satel lte habi tat for a se telitt town THE NEIGHBORHOOD CLUSTER. THE SOCIAL ENTITY THAT IS MEANINGFUL IS MUCH SM/ALLER THAN THE SUPER-BLOCK OF 300 FAMILIES. MENTS, DESPITE CERTAIN CONTRARY PRONOUNCE. 30 FAMILIES HAVE BEEN GROUPED TO FORMTHE AVERAGE UNIT. THE AUTCMO)BILE WILL NOT PENETRATE 1I I5 NEIGHBORHOOD CLUSTER AND ITS STREETS WIL BE FREE FOR PLAY ANDS TROLLING, FOR SOCIAL CON- TACTS AND SAFE DAWDLING, PEDESTRIANS TO THE STREETS WILL CARRY THE FLOW7 OF HE CENTRAL PLAZA OR TO THE GREEN BELT. OPPOSITE PAGE, THE SKETCH$O4WS ONE ASPECT OF THE STREET. ON THE M ONE ASPECT OF THE PEDESTRIAN WAY LINKING THE HOUSES, A NATURAL PLACE FOR THE SOCIAL CONTACTS AND ACTIVITIES UN ASPECT DE LA VOIE POUR LES PIETONS JOIGNANT LES HABITATIONS, PLACE NATURELLE POUR LES CONTACTS SOCIAUX. 00~ O-- -+ '" o1 -+-4 - habi tat for a satel lI te town 9 PLANNED AROUND A MECHANICAL CORE, THE HOUSES FILL AN AREA NOT MORE THAN 200 FEET FROM IT. THE AUTOMOBILE PENETRATES TO THIS CORE, WHERE THERE WILL BE A CAR-PORT FOR EACH OMNER. CORE, HE WILL FIND MAIL-BOXES, DELIVERY BOXES, PENSING MACHINES FOR HIS DAILY REQJIREMENTS. IN THE AJTOMATIC DISFROM THERE, HIS WALK IS NOT MORE THAN 200 FEET, IN SAFETY AND IN CONGtENIAL SURROUNDINGS. THE EXISTING CHAOTIC SITUATION OF THE SUBURBS WITH THE ONIPRESENT AUTOMOBILE, CANNOT CONTINUE, THE DANGER IS ALREADY TOO REAL, AND THE DISPERSION IT CREATES DAMAGING TO SOCIAL CONTACTS. PARKING SPACE, BY GRCUPING MECHANICAL AMENETIES AT THE IT IS FELT THAT THE FACT OF LEAVINGTHE AUTO#* MOBILE WILL RE SIGNIFICANT, NOT NERELY OBJECTIONABLE. THE MEO-4ICAL CORE: THE MECHANICAL CORE WILL GROUP ALL THE FACILITIES FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ARE EITHER UNECONUMICALLY DISPERSED AT EACH INDIVIDUAL HOUSE OR EQJALLY UNECONOMICALLY SERVED BY LOCAL STORE AND DELIVERY BOY, BOTH DCOMED IN FACE OF RISING WAGES. AT THE CAR-PORT, EACH RESIDENT WILL HAVE A STORAGE UNIT WHERE HE CAN DEPOSIT SUNDRY HARDWARE, A SMALL BARROW7 FOR CARRYING PARCELS TO HIS HOUSE. UNDER THE MAIN SHELTER HE WILL HAVE A MAIL BOX, A DELIVERY BOX, STORAGE UNIT. AND A DEEP-FREEZE SERVING HIM THROUGH THE CONMJNITY, THERE WILL BE MACHINES TO DISTRIBUTE MILK, BREAD, SOME BEVERAGES, CIGARETTES AND EMERGENCY DRUGS. AND CENTRAL HEATING AND COOLING WILL BE THERE, TOGETHER WITH AN INCINERATOR AND GARAGE FOR THE GARBAGE COLLECTOR. A ROOM WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR BULKY DELIVERIES TO BE DEPOSITED DURING THE ABSENCE OF THE HOMEONER. '1 h ab 1 tf ~f ar a town I. SECONDARY ROAD. RUE SECONDAIRE q!N M I 141MiWt I I I I I I I 2. GUESTS' PARKING. PARKING DES INVITES 3. CAR PORT. ABRI POUR VOITURES 4. SERVICE SHELTER. ABRI DES SERVICES - - 5. PEDESTRIAN SQUARE.PLACE POUR PIETONS - 6. PEDESTRIAN STREET.VOIE PEDESTRE 7. 32'x32 HOUSE. MAISON 10, 7 2 56 8. 24x321 HOUSE. MAISON 9. GREEN AREA. ZONE VERTE. - - ;- , 5xl0,25m. x10,25m. - -- habitat for a sate llite town II tifrorator underr / M& onanco do k /A oar-pors\ oner nor~iling conver$ ior4 plaPlt__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ [.-1 1LiILJ [jr (loo free so~ lookers_ _ storage units~ ~FV1 1 FF7 ~7T7 ~ .A I~ JIp- I~ -4 mail I + -6 I 4 77-],; I I I 4 -- delivery L+ fire hose 4 hyd public telephone ,distributing I machine3 '40Oft 30 20 10 THE MECHANICAL CORE. 0 12 ".4 THROUGH THE MECHANICAL CORE, THE ACCESS TO THE NEIGHBOURHOOD CLUSTER NOWOFFERS THE DAILY FACILITIES. LE GROUPEMENT DES SERVICES MECANIQUES,. ACCES AU GROUPE DE VOISINAGE,POURVOIT AUX BESOINS JOURNALIERS habitat for a sate IItK ron hab tfat for a sate I Ife 13 town OPENING FROM A SMALL CENTRAL PLAZA, EACH PEDESTRIAN STREET WILL HAVE A DIFFERENT CHARACTER. THEY ENCLOSE ARE DIFFERENT, THE GROUPS OF THE HOUSES SOME COMPACT, SOAE SPREAD-OUT. SOME HOUSE WILL BE ALIGNED, OTHERS WILL HAVE VARYING SETBACKS. THE HOUSE ITSELF WILL VARY. BITRARY BUT BASED ON DEFINITE BECOME APPARENT LATER, THE GREAT DISTANCES, IDENTIAL STREET, THESE CHANGES ARE NOT AR. FEATURES OF THE DESIGN THAT WILL AND ARE INTEGRAL FEATURES OF THE SCHEME* NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE SUB-URBAN RES- WILL HAVE BEEN COVERED BY CAR, WHEN THE DRIVER'S ATTENTION CAN BE FOCUSED ON THE ROAD ALONE, AND ONLY SMALL DI S- TANCES WITH SUSTAtNED INTEREST WILL REMAIN TO BE COVERED BY HIM AS HE WALKS FROM HIS CAR 10HIS HOME, AN INTERESTIWG END TO HIS HOME -COM ING. OPPOSITE PAGE: SKETCH SHOWING THE VIEW OF THE HOUSES THAT FACE THE CENTRAL PLAZA. THIS IS THE FIRST VIEW OF THE CLUSTER ON LEAVING THE MECHANICAL(DRE. itt :j ~LLt'[p1 t own habiUtat for * 14 Isate II Itt ..1 habItat for a sate'l Ite town 15 o 1 frt I 16 habi tat for a SItellite town SITE WORK. THE EXPERIEICES OF LEVITT SHOW THAT IT IS INTHIS PART OF THE CCNSTRUCTION OPERATION THAT GREATEST ECONOMIES ARE NEC4 CESSARY THOUGH HARDEST TO OBTAIN, SCALE OF THE INDIVIDUAL HOUSE, RATHER THAN WORK AT THE IT IS PROPOSED THAT THE SITE WORK BE DONE FOR AN ENTIRE CLUSTER AT A TIME. ITE PAGE AND ON THOSE T1HAT FOLLCW, IN THE OPPOSw WE WILL SEE THE ESSENTIAL STAGES OF THE SITE WORK ING, HOW IT I S RATIONAL ISEDTO AVOID MAN-HOURS ON SMALL JOBS. THE TECHNIQUES ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE USED RECENTLY IN ROAD-CONSTRUCTION. LET US IMAGINE A TYPICAL S ITE, AND FOLLOW THE STAGES OF CONSTRUCTION FROM THE BEGINING TILL IT IS READY TO RECEIVE THESHELTERS. (COMPARE PAGE8 FOR Titi PLAN OF THE FINISHED CLUSTER) THE EXACT LIMITS OF THE CLUSTER ARE PICKETED, TREES THAT ARE SUF F ICI ENT L Y NOTEWOR THY TO BE SAVED ARE MARKED, LIMINARY SURVEYING I S DONE, ARE NOT INDICATED YET. AL L THE PRE- THOUGH THE POSIT IONS OF THE HOUSE S hab I t a t for a sateIlIte7 town 0 100 ft habitat 18 USING HEAVY MACHINERY, BULLDOZERS AND GRADERS VIHICH ARE ABLE TO OPERATE EFFECTIVELY IN THE AREA OF APPROXIMATELY 4 ACRES THAT IS OCCUPIED BY A CLUSTER, THE GROUND WiL NOW BE CLEARED OF AtL VEGETATION EXCEPT THE SPECIAL MARKED TREES (THESE MUST BE FEW IN NUMBER TO MAINTAIN THE EFFICIENCY OF. THE MACHINES). LEVELLING WILL SMDOTH THE AREA OF THE CLUSTER, TH BETWEEN NEIGHBORING CLUSTERS. ROUGHLY GRADED, THE DUCTS. BANKING THE EAR- ROADS AND PARKING LOTS ARE AND THE SYSTEM OF TRENCHES IS EXCAVATEDFOR (ALL THE DUCTS WILL GO IN THE SAME TRENCH WHICH WILL NOT BE RE-FILLED WITH EARTH, BUT COVERED WITH STANDARD CONCRETE ELEMENTS FOR EASM ACCESS.) for a ste ilt town h ab tat for a satellte. town 1 1 *1~ I- 4'----I I ~ I I K.-.- ~t ___ * * I I--~-~- LttL~ -- 4 I LK / n 100inm~O ft 20 habi tat for a satelIIte town THE JUNCTION BOXES ARE CONNECTED TO THE PIPEoDUCTS PLACED AT POINTS THAT WILL BE UNDER T HE SHELTERS. PIPE&FOUNDATIONS ARE FORCED INTO THE GROUND IN ROWS OF THREE, SIX TO A HOUSE , AND CONCRETE UNDER PRESSURE OHOSE SIZE, IS INJECTED TOF ORM A BULBOUS FOOTING OjNTROLLED BY THE PRESSURE AlDIHE YIELD OF THE SUB-SOIL, AUTOMATICALLY CORRESPONDS TO THE NECESSARY DIMEN44 SICNS, THE SITES ARE DEMARKED. UP TO THIS POINT, WORK HAS BEEN CONDUCTED WITH THE TOLERANCES NECESSARY FOR HEAVY MACHINERY, NOV RAILS ARE FITTED TO THE HEADS OF THE PIPE FOUNDATIONS AND ARE LEVELLED PRECISELY BY SCREW JACKS. THE SHELTER CAN BE LIFTED ONTO ITS BASE NOW. hab itatf f or a, sla t e I f Own te 2! u T~~~ 1H4 ;Lf LTF. TH R7 3t T M E T 22 habi tat for a satellite t own THE PLOT, THE SHELTER ANDTHE INTERIOR COMPONENTS. THE DESIGN HAS CLEAR DIVISIONS, NATURALLY INTER-RELATED, BUT OBEYING CERTAIN INDEPENOANT CRITERIA. TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THEM AT THIS STAGE. NOW THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEENTHE FROM PAGE 27 THE SHELTER AND THE EACH GROUP HAS DIFFERENT SHELTER THE PLOT THE FOUNDATION RAILS THE JUNCTION BOX THE CLOSETS THE TOILET THE BATH-ROOM THE KITCiEN UNIT THE FLOOR DECK THE STAIRS THE PANELS THE WINDOWS AND INTERIOR COMPONENTS. FERENT PATTERN OF OWNERSHIP AND RENTAL, THE WE WILL EXAMINE PLOT AND THE SHELTER, SUB*MODULES, NOTE* IT IS IMPORTANT AtND FITS INTO A DIF- habi tatf for a sate III te 23 town RESEARCH BY THE DEVELOPER WILL ENABLE HIM TO PREDICT WITH REASONABLE ACCURACY THE FAMILY STRUCTURE OF THE FUTURE OCCUPANTS, AND PAST EXPER IENCE WI LL REVEAL TO HIM THE I R FEEL INGS ON THE SUBJECT OF GARDENS. FOR THERE IS A CHOICE IN BOTH THAT HE WILL HAVE TO MAKE THOUGH THE ODNSEQUENCES OF THIS CHOICE ARE LESS DRASTIC THAN WITH CONVENTIONAL DESIGN. THE PLOT IS AVAIL- ABLE IN TWO WIDTHS, 33' AND 24', EACH WI TH A DEPTH OF 90'. ON EACH PLOT A TWO- OR A ONE-STOREY SHELTER MAY BE PLACED, THE LATTER BFING AT FIRST FLOOR LEVEL OR RAISED ON P.ILOTIS TO SECOND FLOOR HEIGHT. THE ELEVATION ON THE OPPOSITE PAGE INDI- CATES CLEARLY THE SIX DIFFERENT TYPE THAT THESE ALTERNATIVES ALLOW, AND IN EACH CASE THE MAXIMJM NUMBER OF BEDROOMS THAT CAN BE ARRANGED IN EACH SPACE CONVENIENTLY IS INDICATED. IT WILL BE NOTICED THAT THE LARGEST SPACE IS REPEATED IN THE DRAW. ING, SINCE IT WILL BE ALSO THE MOST COMN. THE SECTIONS ON THE FOLLCWING TWO PAGES ARE CONCERNED WITH THE SECOND CHOICE, WHETHER THE SHELTER BE PLACED AT HE FRONT OF THE SITE, WITH A MAXIMUM PRIVATE REAR GARDEN, SET BACK 24' OR 30'. THE FACT OF HAVING A FRONT GARDEN MAY GIVE GREATER PRIVACY TO THE HOUSE, LESS PARTICIPATION IN THE SOCIAL LIFE OF THE STREET, REAR GARDEN. BUT A SMALLER THE DECISION HAS TO BE MADE DUR ING THE SITE WORK, AND CANNOT BE CHANGED, THOUGH, AS WE WILL SEE, THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE INTERIOR COMPENSATES CONSIDERABLY FOR THIS. IT WILL BE NOTICED THAT IN NO CASE DO OPPOSITE HOUSES FACE D IRECTLY INTO EACH OTHER IF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM 1.5 LESS THAN 40'.IN THAT CASE, ONE OF THE HOUSES WILL FACE SIDEWAYS ONTO AN INTERSECTING STREET. IF THE DISTANCE FALLS BELOW( 25S', THE INTERSECTING STREET. BOTH THE HOUSES WILL FACE CNTO 30'x3OxI6' 301x30x8I 21'x30'x16' UP TO 6 BEDROOMS UP TO 3 BEDROOMS UP TO 4 BEDRIQOMS. STREET ELEVATION SHOWING THE PANGE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SHELTER AVAILABLE. 5 metres 15 feet 30tx30'gtx 21'x30'x8' 30'x30'x16 21'x30'x8l UP TO 3 BEDROOMS UP TO 2 BEDROOMS UP TO 6 BEDJROOMS UP TO 2 BEDROOMS ELEVATION SUR RUE MONTRANT LA GAMME DLS DIFFERENTS TYPES D'ABRI DISPONIBLES STRVT VTION TLI ING TH RANGE OF DI F FERfNT TYPES OF SH FLT: R THAJ AF ALSO SHO K THE INTGPAL PATTERN THAT %TEMS FPOM TH1ES, TYPF 5 AND TH IFIF T ION) THA T E XPRP SS THE INDI VI DUAL I T' R IOR\ A RRANGU /IENT:. AVAllABLE , IT NT F V5 "TRA- to IR -+- Os -0O O -ZE -- , , ~ -I- 01 -#1 =r CAP -- -4- I I I =1 opposite I'll' j~LIIIII~ houses at centres of plots, distance between window walls 76' approx. 0 opposite houses: one at centre of plot, one at front, 10 20 30 ft distance 461 approx. SECTION ACROSS A PEDESTRIAN STREET S'ECT ION\ opposite houses: one set back 241, AC ROSS A PEDESTRIAN STREET one in front. Distance from windowi to wall 40' opposite houses at front, corner case. Distance betmeen blind walls 161 0 10 20 3" Q v---, -+ ap~~ A hab tat for a satellite town 27 THE SHELTER. This is the prototype of the shelter with one of the possible arrangements of interior components a nd windowwalls. View of the street front. -- - _-V-, 0 . - ffic - -- - 28 THE SHELTER view of ihe garden front habi tat for a Sste IIIt e town town" ' 29 THE SHELTER street front THIS IS THE LARGEST S-iELTERED SPACE THAT IS PROPOSED. IT IS SUFFICIENT TO ENCLOSE THE REQUIREMENTS OF A FAMILY OF EIGHT PERSONS, THOUGH AS SHOWN IT IS ARRANGED FOR FOUR. IT IS SITED IN THE CENTRE OF THE PLOT, WIH A SMALL GARDEN FOR PRIVACY BEHIND THE SHELTER, AND A PRIVATE PART VISIBLE FROM THE STREET IN FRONT. A PORCH ENCOURAGES OUT-DOOR LIVING, IN CLOSER CONTACT WITH THE STREET AND PASSING PEDESTRIANS. - ~-4- PO.L f habitat for a sate lI te town 31 1 I 6 31 / ~N 0 0: LEGENO: I. PORCH. 2. LIVING SPACE 3. 0)NING AREA 4. KI TCHEN 5. STUDY 6. TOILET 7. BATH ROOM 8. BEDROOM 9. PRIVATE GARDEN PORCHE SE JOUR COIN A MANGER CUISINE BUREAU TOI LETTE SALLE DE BAIN CHAMB RE JARDIN PRIVE - 5 metres 15 feet PLAN AND SECT1ON SHOWING ONE POSSIBLE ARRANGEMENT OF THE 30' x 30' x 161-4" SHELTER. WITH THREE BEDROOMS. THIS IS FOR A FAMILY OF 4, 5 metres 15 feet -I- -Q -- ::r , -.- habitat for a sate II I te town 33 1~ - El A C a U 34 I habi tat for a sate IIIte town 9 2. LK 10 ,T *1. ?arm *.10 PLAN, SECTION AND asto INTER IOR PERSPECTIVE OF THE 3-iELTER ARRANGED FOR A FAMILY OF 8, WITH- SIX BEDROOMS. AS m- hab itat for a satel ite town - -- sm 35 INTER IOR P ER SPECT IVE LOOKING TOWARDS THE PRIVATE GA RDEN SECTION THROUGH A SINGLE-STOREY SHELTER. ' .. r 0 . o ... . -s -. -9- habi tat for a sate Ilite town 37 ECONOMICAL CONSIDERATIONSt IN VIEW OF THE TREND IN HOME OWNERSHIP, SSURES OF ACCUMULATED MORTGAGES, WHICH, UNDER THE PRE- HAS LOST ALL EXCEPT THE TITLE AND IN VIEW OF THE INCREASING MOBILITY OF THE CLASS FOR WHOM THIS PROJECT IS DESIGNED, IT IS FELT THAT THE SHELTER AN4D THE PLOT UPONWHICH IT STANDS SHOULD BE RENTED. INTHIS CASE, THE DEVELOPER HAS ONLY TO INVEST HIS CAPITAL IN THE SHELT ER AND THE AMENETIES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD CLUSTERS, BUT 1S SAVED THE EXPENSE OF THE PARTITIONING AND INTERIOR FEXTURES. THE INTER- IOR COMPONENTS ON THE OTHER HAND, WILL BELONG TOT HE OCCUPANT WHO CAN EITHER BRING THEM OR SOME OF THEM WITH HIM WHEN HE MOVES, OR CAN BUY THEM AT THE APPROPRIATE DEALERS WHICH WILL BE NEAR ANY SUCH DEVELOPMENT. THERE WILL BE A SECOND-HAND MARKET FOR THE RESALE OF UNITS AND COMPONENTS. THE OCCUPANT THE SAVING FOR LIES IN THE FACT THAT THE RENT HE PAYS IS LOWER IN PROPORTION TO THE DEVELOPER'S SAVING, AND THE CAPITAL HE INVESTS IN COMPONENTS IS STRICTLY CCNTROLLED BY HIS NEEDS OR TASTE. IT IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF MASS-PRODCET ION THAT THE DEMAND MJST REMAIN AT A HIGH LEVEL OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, TION ITSELF MiST NOT FLOOD ITS OWN MARKET. THAT THE PRODUCi. IT IS NOT INTENDED, THAT THE SHE LTER SHOULD BE OF VERY LONG DURATION, ANDWEATHERING, FASHION AND TECHNICAL ULATE CHANGE. INNOVATIONS SHOULD BE ABLE TO 5TIM-m CONSEGUENTLY EACH SHELTER IS COMPLETE, INDEPEND ANT OF ITS NEIGHBOR FOR SUPPORT OR INSULATION. THE SMALL SPACE BETWFEN CONTIGUOUS UNITS WILL BE SEALED WITH A COCOON SPRAYED GASKET THAT CAN BE CUT EASILY 'VENIT IS NECESSARY TO REMOVE EITHER OF THE HOUSES. H 0 10 20 ft CROSS-SECTION OF TWO CONTIGUOUS SHELTERS. Qo -+ o -. :- ' . Q -e"" habi tat for aseittilitt towh 39 DETAIL OF THE RIGID PRESSED ALLUMINIUM FRAMES, THE PLASTIC IM- NER AND OUTER SKLNS, AND THE SECOND FLOOR-DECK, SHOWING DUCTS. habltet for a satellite town 40 TECHNICAL CCNSIDERATIONS: THE SHELTER IS, BASICALLY, A TUBE, EITHER 30t OR 21' IOR WIDTH, 16'-4" OR 8'-0" HIGH. 30' TO GLAZED WALLS. INTER- ITS OVERALL LENGTH IS 36', RIGID PRESSED ALUMINUM FRAMES ON 3' CENTRES AND DIAGONALLY BRACED HOLD OUTER A ND INNER SKINS, IN THE PLANE OF THE WALLS, THE OUTERSKIN, IMMVABLE, IS OF TWO SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE PLASTIC, SEPARATED BY SPACERS AND BON-DED BY A PLASTIC FOAM OF NON-COMMUNICATING CELLULAR STRUCTURE. THIS FOAM SERVES THEDUAL PURPOSE OF INSULATION AND PREVENTIG FLAPPING. THE INNER SKIN IS SIMPLY A RIGID SYSTEM OF PLASTIC PANELS CLIPPED ONTO NOTCHES ON THE FRAMES, WHICH CAN BE CHANGED. THE WINDOW-WALLS ARE AN INGENIOUS SYSTEM OF GLAZED UNITS, THAT FOLD IN PAIRS, AND OPAQUE PANELS THAT CAN BE MOVED AT EACH CHANGE OF OCCUPANT AND FIXED WITH PIN-BOLTS, SERVING TO FIX THE HINGES AND LATCHES OF THE OPENIN3 GLAZED UNITS. OUTER SKIN IS TRANSLUCENT, THE AND BY REPLACING THE PANELS OF THE INER SKIN BY TRANSLUCENT PANELS, EXTRA LIGHT CAN BE OBTAINED AT ANY POINT OF THE INTERIOR. SINCE PLASTIC MATERIALS CAN BE CUT AN1D BONDED EASILY, IT IS POSSIBLE TO INSERT SUBBLE-DMES IN ANY POINT. THIS SAME PROPERTY FACILITATES THE SEALIN3 OFF OF THE SPACE BETWEEN NEIGHBORING HOUSES BY A COCOON STRIP. THE THAT, INNER SPACE CAN BE DIVIDED HORIZONTALLY BY A FLOOR DECK WITHIN CERTAIN LIMITS, CAN BE ARRAN3EDTOCOVER LITTLE OF THE LOWER LEVEL. THIS FLOOR DECK, MUCH OR OF RIGID ACORN- TYPE, IS SUPPORTED ON SLENDER TUBULAR COLUMNS W TH NON-SL IP UPPER AND LOVER TIPS, THE FRAMES. PLACED SO AS TO BE ABOVE ANY ONE Of STABILITY IS GIVEN TO THE DECK BY CLIPS THAT HOLD IT AGAINST THE STRUCTURAL FRAMES. CONNECT THIS DECK WITH THE LOWER LEVEL. SELF-SUPPORTING STAIRS habi tat for satellite I 41 town THE VERTICAL SPACE DIVIDERS, PARTITIONS, CLOSETS OR BATH & TOIL ET UNITS, ARE ARRANGED SO THAT THEY CAN BE ASSEMBLED AT ANiY POINT ON THE I FOOT SUB-MODULE AND IN ANY NUMBER FROM TWO IN LINE TO 4, WITH THE ADDITION OF A NON-STRUCTURAL COVER STR I P. THE PANELS THEMSELVES OBTAIN THEIR OWN STABILITY FROM 17 42 habitat for a satellite town HAVING A SPRING-LOADED UPPER EDGE MEMBER THAT IS RELEASED %HEN THE PARTITION IS IN PLACE, JAMMING IT BETWEEN THE FLOOR AND CEILING. THE CORE OF THE PARTITIONS IS A SERPENTINE TUBE THAT GIVES STRENGTH AGAINST DEFORMATION AND PERMITS, ALSO WHEN IT IS IN PLACE, THAT SAND BE BLOWN INTO THE INTERIOR FOR SOUND DEADENING BY MASS. THOUGH IT IS RELATIVELY SIMPLE TO INSTALL THESE PANELS AND UNITS, THE MAINTENANCE AUTHORITIES EXTEND THEIR SERVICES TO INCLUDE HELP IN THIS MATTER. habi tat for a satl 1 te 43 town THE BATH-ROOMS AND TOILETS ARE COMPLETE NOT ONLY WITH ALL THE APPARATUS AND FITTINGS, BUT ALSO ALL THE PLUMBIN3 AND CCNDUITS. THEY ARE PRODJCED IN ONE INDUSTRIAL OPERATION FROA LIGHT-WEIGHT MATERIAL. THE PLUMBING CONECTIONS ARE IN ONE CORNER, FROM WHICH THE Y CAN EMERGE IN El TI-ER OF TWO DIRECTIONS, AND BE CONNECTED TO THE DUCT-WORK OF THE HOUSE. THE VERTICAL DUCTinWORK IS IN THE SPACE BETWEEN THE TWO SKINS OF THE HOUSE, CORRESPONDING TO THE DEPTH OF THE STRUCTURAL FRAMES. SO THE ONLY LIMITATICN ON THE PLACING OF THE BATH-ROOM OR 'TOILET UNITS IS THAT THEY BE NEXT A SIDE WALL. THE DUCTS ARE OF FLEXIBLE PLASTIC, AND WILL BE FED DOWN THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FRAMES TO BE CONNECTED TO THE JUNCTION-8OX UNDER THE HOUSE. THE SPACE BETWEEN THE SKINS WILL BE VENTILATED (VACUUM) AND WILL EXTRACT AIR FROMTHE BATHROOM AND TOILET UNITS AT THE POINT WHERE THE PIPES ARE CONNECTED. ,hab itat for a sat 4ite town 0, .4.. /- TOI LE T BATH ROOM I habitat for a satellite I '5 town a ~ .- ~-- Jr - a, THE TYPE OF SHELTER THAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED UP TO THIS POINT CORRESPONDS TO THE MOST ADVANCED THOUGHTS IN TERMS OF EXISTING INDUSTRY AND TRANSPORT AND CONSTRUCTION CONDITIONS. AS CONDITIUNS CHANGE, HOWEVER, IT IS CONCEVABLE THAT THE DESIGN MAY BE tvDDIF IED MORE OR LESS RADICALLY. THE EXTERIOR DIMENSIONS CAN- NOT CHANGE, AND THE INTERIOR MUST BE BASED ON THE SAME I FOOT SUB -MODULE. THE THREE HOUSE TYPES THAT ARE ON THESE PAGES ARE PRESENTED NOT SO MUCH FOR THEIR ACTUAL DEStGN AS TO EMPHASISE THE PRINC;PLE THAT OTHER TYPES ARE FOSSIBLE, AND RILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE INTEGRAL VARIETY THAT CHARACTER ISES THE DESIGN-. 46 A- hiabitat #or a .atellite town habitat for a sate lIte town r~ 47 4v --- -Of- J, # L - _- - ~ -- tI - - 50 -- i-3 - - * - f- - habi tat 48 for a 48 satellite town TEST CASE. THE PROGRAMME CALLED FOR THE ERECTION OF THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY HOUSES OF VARYING SIZES. THE OCCUPANTS OF THESE HOUSES WILL BE EMPLOYED ATA NEAR-BY INDUSTRIAL PLANT. THE AREA IS AT PRESENT MAINLY UNDEVELOPED, THOUGH THERE WILL BE SUBSEQUENT INCREMENTS OF HOUSING, AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE NECESSARY ANCILLARY BUILDINGS, SHOPS, THEATRE, SCHOOL CLUBS. THE SITE SELECTED FOR THE FIRST INCREMENT OF HOUSING IS LINKED TO THE NEIGHBORING VILLAGES BY A ROAD, WHICH, IF INSUFFICIENT FOR ULTIMATE REQUIREMENTS, WILL FACILITATE THE CONSTRUCTION. IT IS DELIMITED BY A RIDGE OF GLACIAL ORIGIN ON THE NORTH AND EAST. THE RIDGE IS INTERRUPTED WHERE THE ROAD PASSES THROUGH. FROM THE BASE OF THE RIDGE, THE SITE RISES SLOWLY TO THE WEST, AND END ON A STEEP GULLY OVER WHICH THERE IS A VIEW WESTO ./ARDS. FINGER-LIKE EXTENSIONS OF THE PLATEAU STRETCH NORTH- WEST AND SOUTH. THE GROUND IS AT PRESENT COVERED WITH A THICK UNDER GROWTH, SCRUB OAK AND OCCASIONAL PINES THAT SURVIVED A RECENT FIRE. THE SUB-SOIL IS MAINLY GRAVEL. WHERE THE GROUND IS DISTURBED, IT REQUIRES IMPORTED LOAM BEFORE VEGETATION WILL GROW AGAIN. THE PREVAILING WINTER WINDS ARE FROM THE NORTH-WEST, IN SUMMER BREEZES ARE FROM THE SOUTH-SOUTH WEST, AND STORMS SEEM TO BLOW FROM THE WEST SOUTH WEST. hab I t a f for -a sate I town i e149 so 0. 0* :e 0 I limits buildable lands ,.ulley DIAGRAM SHOWdING EXISTING CONDITIONS: LIMITS OF BUILDABLE LAND (AREA APPROXIMATE'LY 50 ACRES), EXIST-ING ROADWAY AND TRACK, WIND CONDITIONS. 50 undlaared wood.-land an Cs.ki_ RN07 vam &To& EXTRACT FROM THE MASTER-PLAN SHOWING THE ZONE FOR THE INITIAL 330 HOUS ING UNITS, MAIN AND SECONDARY EXITS FROM THE REGION. NURSERY SCHOOL HAS BEEN ADDED TO PLAN habitat for a atellite town -C4- WNIeI fl) C) d d AH I t 52 habitat for a satellite town THE PROPOSED SOLUTION USES THE PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE BEEN EVOLVED IN THIS RESEARCH. IT USES THEM, SHOWING THE LATENT FLEXIBILITY OF THE METHOD. THE HIERARCHY OF THE SUPERBLOCK PATTERN. IS MAINTAINED, BUT NOT THE ENCLOSING ROAD PATTERN. THE PROGRAMME DOES NOT GALL FOR AN URBAN FEELING, AND THE OPEN COUNTRY THAT ABOUNDS ON ALL SIDES SUGGESTS THAT THE CLUSTERS OPEN TOWARDS IT. CONSEQUENTLY THE ROADS ARE IN THE CENTRE OF THE DEVELOPMENT, AND SITES AS NEAR AS POSSIBLE TO THE MIDDLE OF THE BUILDABLE AREA, LINKED WITH THE OUTLETS RECCOMM MENDED BY THE MASTER PLAN. TWO SHORT CULS-DE-SAC HAVE BEEN ADDED TO SERVE PARTS OF THE BUILDABLE LABD OTHERWISE FAR FROM THE MAIN ROAD. DESPITE THEM, NO HOUSES ARE MORE THAN 300' FROM OPEN COUNTRY. PEDESTRIAN OVERPASSES LINK THE SECTIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OVER THE ROADS, AND OFFER A SAFE WAY TO THE NURSERY SCHOOL (THE WAY TO THE SCHOOL CAN BE SUPERVISED FROM THE HOUSES AT ALL POINTS, FOR THE COUNTRY AROUND IS NOT SUITABLE FOR SMALL CHILDREN.) THE CLUSTERS AVERAGE THIRTY FAMILIES, AND THflE HOUSING UNIITS ARE DISTRIBUTED IN THE FOLLOWING PERCENTAGES: TYPE A (UP TO 6 BEDROOMS) 48, TYPE B (UP TO 4 BEDROCMS) 22 TYPE C (UP TO 3 BEDROOMS) 25, TYPE D (UP TO 2 BEDROOMS) 5. habi tat for a sate IIIte town. 53 PERSPECTIVE VIEW OF TION. IT SHOWS MORE FIGURATION. IT ALSO WEEN NATURAL GROUND DENS (GREEN) THE MODEL OF THE PROPOSED SOLUCLEARLY THE TOPOGRAPHICAL CONINDICATES THE DISTINCTICN BETCOVER (GREY) AND RE-SOILED GAR- habitat for a iV sate I I ite town BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SOURCES. It is not the purpose of this bibliography to list all the books that should be read in connection with the more general aspects of this enquiry. These should include the workd on urban design by authors such as Gallion, Stein, on house financing contained in the work of Charles Abrams. Also the following works have a bearing on a particular aspect of the project: Fortune, October 1952 vol 46:4 "Levittown" Fortune, May, June, July and August 1953. "The Transients" W.H.Whyte, Jr. Fortune, July 1932. "The Dymaxion House" R. Buclminster Fuller. American Fabrics, spring 1953 "The Dymaxion world of R. Buckminster Fuller" R.W.Marks. Architecture '54. "Special Number on Jean Prouv4". number 11/12 Architecture d'Aujourd'hui, "La M1aison Contemposaine" Study on "le 16-n.py-Juine 194,6 Iestinger, L: Social Pressures in Informal Groups. Kelly, Burnham: The Prefabrication of Houses. Nelson, Paul: La Maison Suspendue Woods-Kennedy: The House and the Art of Its Design. Other sources include interviews, and from the following the specific concepts mentioned emerged, among many others: with Burnham Kelly: the need of design control over all the private land, and the wastefulness of a typical suburban lot from that concept. the value of giving a priute and a public Kevin Lynch side to the habitat Jacqueline Tyrwhitt: the value of the mechanical core, and the need to develop it to the utmost. Welles Coates the difficulty of reconciling flexibility with change of the outer skin: the need to delimit from the outset the final volume that the house will grow into. habI tat for a; sate liIte town ACKNOWLWDGEVMENTS: The wishes to thesis author of this emphasise this memorandum: "I am very glad to express ure that I had to work Payne and Maurice with H. Morse Silvy ution of this project. the pleas- on the evol- Within the fra- mework of the Boston Group of the CIAM and in response to the challenge tained in the circular Bakema of the CIAM months X of strenuous collaboration con- sent from J.B. committee, many and stimulating lead to the germination of the ideas developed in this thesis. "I cannot in justice attempt the many architects and gave advice and to name planners who encouragement at all stages of the development of the pro- ject. To do so would raise the irrelevant issue of protocol, and would also fail to recognise the many others whose talk and behaviour created the en- vironment that helped this project." habi tat Vi for a safeltite EXTRACT FROM A LETTER: ".....The time in history at which a new useful mechanical device is born, has perhaps more influence on the details of present living than the physical characteristics of a country. "This'timing in history'will have great bearing on the details of prefabrication of dwellings. It is the basis of the great conflict in auto design in this country. The battle line is sharply drawn between the mass-producer and the innovator. They are mutually abhorrent to each other. To the producer any change means added cost - perhaps a reduction later, but always added at present - and it is the present- only that interests the producer. His ideal society would be one always in his 'present' time, i.e. completely static. The innovator sees possible improvements by a change in design. He must break through the static resistance set up by the mass-producer....U.S.A. industry was basicallr that of the innovator until the 1930's. Then it swung under the influence of the producer for the masses, so that now the road of the innovator is beset with difficulties and it requires a far greater expenditure of time and savings than formerly to make a change. That is why the forward looking manufacturers here are turning to the smaller markets of Europe and South America in which to perfect innovations only attacking the great American mass when the innovation has become an accepted thing. This sounds like Spengler, except that when an innovation is put within the financial reach of the mass, it b absorbed by it with t'emendoas .speed, only to suffer stagnation in a few years. But the profits during this absorbtion are great, so that a group can develop periodically innovationd acceptable to the masses and it will stay in business, while those that only reap present profits from static situations, die gracefully in a few years. "....This battle of mass-production versus innovation is the most talked of probiem today among industrial executives. At the present time the mass producers are in the saddle here, but falling profits make their seats insecure and as they begin to realise it, they will start compromising with the innovator. All of the above has a bearing on your prefabrication designs. t....The American home no longer centres around the hearth. It is the W.C., the bath and, to a growing extent, the deep-freeze and refrigerator that are the symbols of comfort required to make up the family dwelling. Individually all these items are now mass produced and for the moment approximately standardized and static. It is their arrange ment and installation that is'Te fft to the individual, so that cheap in themselves, they become costly to set in place. ....Here the artist in the architect still has play, but great care and research will be required to fix a pleasing room on the masses. Once in production, innovation may be out for many years. There will be choices, as in automobiles, but the choice will be limited to those designed by a few manufacturers." (sgd. A.D.Chandler)