Diploma 2015. "_This is the stuff that dreams are made of" by Felicia Niño & Einar Johnsen

an experiment on collective living, Stockholm, Sweden

u_topic

Collective housing is a form of housing that imbeds something additional compared to the private residence; a collective experience for those who seek a more communal way of living. To experience a sense of belonging in everyday life by having a community around, and acquire a confidence in life that is important for both adults and children. In addition residents will experience that the everyday chores are facilitated, using common facilities/areas, and the living costs decrease. Such habitats have come in many different shapes, all tainted by their current zeitgeist and ideology. In a world where individualism is highly rated, which is reflected in our built environment, we are searching for new models for building design, that will enable alternative ways of living. An ample sharing of spaces and activities alters the framework of life and opens up to the formation of new and different kinds of relationships, possibly with a stronger sense of responsibility for and solidarity with each other.

_introduction

Our diploma project is an experiment on the topic collective living.

General changes in society require new solutions as to how to organize and define spaces with the objective to facilitate our daily life. Throughout human history our predominant ways of living have been collective. As a matter of fact it is relatively recently that modern society has adopted the individualistic concept of independent living as a norm. Over the last few years there seems to be an increasing interest in collective living. In spite of this, however, the construction of collective housing is scarce.

The benefits of a more cooperative living are many: both on the social, economical and environmental levels. The choice of country is Sweden due to its strong tradition and history of collective living. We have selected an existing building which we will transform according to our vision of a collective home.
The building is located in Midsommarkransen, just southwest of the city centre of Stockholm and has served as a telecommunication station since the first part was built in the 30´s.

This work is an architectural response to a specific site and our work can be perceived as a vision of a more socially interactive way of living. A project in which sharing spaces, knowledge and dreams with others constitute the very foundation of collective and individual growth as we see it.

_we have have a dream

Life is an ongoing process of changes and we aim for a proposal that will be able to live through these changes and preserve

all its qualities as a collective living space. That is, homes that enrich collective thinking, encourage joint responsibility and strengthen the ties between people. Homes that also provide every person with the opportunity to contribute to something greater, something that implicates several generations.

Homes that guide our individual thoughts towards an all-encompassing we-mentality. A form of dwelling which opens up for a radically new way of living, in true community, this is our dream for today’s society.

IMG 1: Exhibition

Stockholm / Midsommarkransen / Situation