Condo-munity: A model for compact and smart neighborhood

Abstract

Urbanization has some pros and cons; some advancement has changed the community towards better settlements, but the issues cannot be ignored as well. The urban sprawl has created so many issues from commuting (transit system) to neighborhood issues. The vertical expansion of cities is the advancement to cater urban sprawl, and this will lead to vertical living. For that the idea of condominiums will help in providing the facilities like the housing schemes with different sizes of unit which could be customized according to requirement and will be fit in a standing grid structure. The idea of Tetris can be seen used in so many communities and even in urban planning of cities as it allows various modules to fit in with the other in order to create connections between various activities and programs to increase the functionality of the space while enhance the experience and spatial quality. The idea of modular design help to achieve the desired design withing the structural integrity of the high-rise building. The modules can be connected by pathways which will create some spaces “a courtyard” bringing back the sense of communal living and neighborhood concept of “eyes on the street” in order to merge the new design with old identity of neighborhood. The building with an option to add modules later will present a prototype of purchasing a modules size like investing a land/plot on ground will be like purchasing it on a vertical building and having option to build on the frame or saving it as an investment. The module is providing the same level of flexibility which a normal plot has in any housing scheme or a society having garden and terraces along with the plot size according to client’s requirement. the stacking of various modules will allow the privacy too this will be a good step to bring back the communal living in a vertical community.