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)