The Concept
At the basis of this project, there are two main ideas that have guided the main decisions.
1. The desire to create a housing complex that integrates the advantages of an urban environment and a typically residential sector, i.e., the diversity of outdoor spaces and buildings, well-integrated green spaces, an important place for pedestrians and children, while avoiding the disadvantages of suburban-monotony and lack of identification of the housing.
2. The will to integrate with the land, which, although hypothetical, has very marked characteristics: varied slopes, sunlight, ventilation, access.
To concretize these ideas, we did not want to propose typical units, but rather, taking into account a simple constructive system, to study a certain number of dwellings which by their treatment and their establishment contribute to obtain the diversity and the richness of the unit. The project was therefore conceived as a "natural" development: a set of dwellings that could be developed in phases and be treated by different architects and builders, the coherence of the whole being ensured by the unity of materials and the importance given to secondary structures (garages, balconies, external stairs).
The model chosen in relation to the site
The site has 3 marked zones that have influenced the types of housing
- to the northwest: a steep slope
- to the south: a basin
- to the east: a large plateau without significant slope
THE SLOPES: high density row housing built at mid-level to adapt to the terrain and reduce excavations.
THE BASIN: near the basin, which is preserved as a community space for relaxation and games, terraced apartments that also take advantage of the fairly steep slope.
THE PLATEAU: 3 distinct types of dwellings: row houses of 3 or 4 rooms on two levels, a block of 13 small dwellings to the north, a variation of the half-level type adapted to the flat terrain.
It is important to note that these different types of units are not simply attached to each other, but are grouped together to form clusters with their own character. For example, the mid-level units are different depending on whether they are located in the center or at the end of a row.
Types of housing
Type A 3 and 4 bedroom houses
Located on flat land, they are designed with a T-shaped plan that allows for the creation of outdoor alcoves that are laid out as a patio. The overhang of the upper floor serves as a sunshade while providing a large terrace communicating with the master bedroom. The raising of the living room part by 60 cm, allows to have a basement of reasonable dimensions (15 m2) without too deep excavation. A variant of this type on one level is used as accommodation for the disabled (100 m2).
Type B
This is in fact a block of 1 to 2 bedroom dwellings on mid-levels, grouped together to obtain covered garages in the semi-basement. A system of exterior galleries allows for private accesses to be separated from each other, and limits the total number of staircases to 4 (for 13 units); these staircases are integrated with exterior sheds. Two community terraces serving the 10 units on the first floor, with the other 3 units on the first floor each having a private patio. Two of the units are reserved for the handicapped with a covered garage attached to the unit.
Type C
These are terrace apartments composed according to an L-shaped plan. Each part of the L is staggered to follow the level lines. Each unit contains two stacked apartments. The garages are located under a portion of the apartments on the first level. The apartments are L-shaped, with bedrooms, dining room, kitchen and entrance on the same level. The living room is located half a level lower, and the patio is located half a level lower still. The apartments superimposed on these are on two floors, one floor containing the living rooms, the other the bedrooms. Their terrace is located on the roof of the lower apartment. These units are offset by half a floor each time, thus following the slope of the land.
Type D
This type is a family of stacked units in rows, with or without mid-levels. Access to the apartments, which are located at ground level, is through a small private courtyard. The separating elements that delineate this courtyard could vary from house to house, depending on the occupants' choice from a sort of catalog of components.
Access to the upper level apartments is through a corridor that connects the street to the pedestrian alley. This corridor is covered but unheated; it could be sheltered from the wind during the winter. It is illuminated by its ends and by a skylight on the roof.
Circulation networks
The solution adopted for the circulation system takes into account the importance of the car in urban travel in a city such as Shawinigan and the related car-housing relationship, while trying to limit the pedestrian-car conflict to a minimum.
Main accesses: The number of main accesses was limited to two. This reduces interference with traffic on Road #1. The main circulation is a 6 m wide asphalt street. The various penetrations that correspond to the access to the different housing groups are treated as drivable sidewalks; they are paved over their entire width (6m). Snow accumulations are eliminated by blowing them into the wooded areas and open areas. On the other hand, some sections of these secondary roads are covered by light structures. The pedestrian circulation is composed of all the carriageways, as well as a network connecting all the external spaces including the basin and the nearby shopping center.
The structural system
It is essential, in a project of this importance, to take into account the context in which it will be implanted, that is to say the local resources as much from the point of view of workmanship and technique, as from the point of view of materials. This is why the proposed construction system uses mainly wood, except for the load-bearing party walls in masonry. The structure is a 2 "x 6" to 24" c/c clerestory frame, which allows for increased mineral wool thickness between the studs. The floor and roof structure consists of joists supported on the party walls and in the center on bearing walls or beams. The modulation of the dwellings gives frames of 2x4 m or 2x3.20 m. The superposition of joists above the walls or intermediate beams eliminates the loss of wood by sawing. The exterior cladding as well as the galleries, railings, carports and exterior stairs are made of stained wood.
Principle of energy conservation
The solutions studied for energy conservation take into account the climatic data of the land, and are architectural rather than strictly technical. At the level of the ground plan, we note the creation of a belt of taller buildings (3 -3 1/2 floors) on the north and northeast perimeter of the site in order to reduce the impact of cold winds, the arrangement of the buildings in relation to each other in order to allow all the dwellings to benefit from the winter sun. Also noteworthy is the use of existing groves and proposed plantings as climatic screens to protect against east winds.
As for the buildings themselves, the use of secondary structures (balconies, galleries, exterior staircases) that contribute to the creation of microclimates in summer by serving as sunshades, and in winter, as protection against the wind, should be highlighted. These structures are generally independent of the buildings in order to eliminate the thermal bridges created by the extension of the joists. As for the openings, doors and windows, they are limited in number and size to the north and northeast, and more generous to the south. In some cases, sliding insulating panels are used to reduce heat loss during the cold season. Access is through double doors and airlocks. Partial basements limit the total volume of air to be heated.
Technically, the heating system is an electric baseboard heating system, with mineral wool insulation meeting National Research Council standards for total R-value. The basement is insulated on the outside with rigid insulation. The combination of an adequate heating system with a good insulation, seems to us to be the guarantee of satisfactory energy performances as much in terms of simplicity of installation and maintenance, as in terms of the more or less unavoidable dependence of a given energy source.
In summary, the project presented does not aim at elaborating technical experimental solutions, which are often expensive and whose result risks to be denied by a maladapted architecture. It is essentially a question of demonstrating that the study of the buildings themselves, (their implantation, their volumetry, their orientation, their combination with the natural elements such as the ground and the vegetation) makes it possible to improve in a decisive way the energy performances.
(Unofficial automated translation)
This submission presented considerable difficulties for the jury, since they admired many of its qualities, but it failed to provide adequate data on density and mix calculations. To the best of the ability of the professional adviser and the jurors to establish accurate statistics, the submission failed to meet the density requirements, falling some 16 per cent short. The jury discussed the status of Submission 10 at considerable length. Its site planning was well regarded, balancing the needs of vehicular access with those of landscaped open space; its unit plans were both sensible and sensitive. Its architectural expression was regarded highly by ail the jurors. In view of these many virtues, the jury agreed that it would award a mention to the submission, notwithstanding its failure to demonstrate its compliance with the requirements of the competition.
(From jury comments)
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