Participatory social housing. - Die Sargfabrik. The Vienna-based group of young architects have embarked on a project which seeks to overcome the architectural limitations of social housing, and at the same time succeed in incorporating the potential inhabitants in the design process. The project stands at the crossroads of two contrasting systems of logic: individualization and specification of each housing unit, and community orientation and collectivisation of the entire housing complex. The processes involved in this form of participatory architecture are both lengthy and complex, but the result pushes the boundaries of social housing and creates a new sense of collective identity. All the 39 apartments are different, meeting a wide variety of current lifestyles. The building thus presents an interweave of heterogeneous typologies, and the living areas are accompanied by many collective areas and facilites, including a library, multimedia room, laundry room offices (for working at home). All the areas of community interaction are located in the heart of the building, and form its nucleus. The final result is structured around a radical programmatic line of thought, and a process which is rare in this field of architectural design. ‚Our basic principles for this new situation is to support a social mix as a platform for communication A merger of living working and culture, Ways of unconventional dwelling`

Urban Drift 2001 / Panel 03

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