Søren Korsgaard's blog

This is the second scheme for the flexible concept I published earlier. The first proposal tried to investigate environmental sustainability through modern technologies and materials (high-tech solution), while this is made from bamboo ,local and recycled materials (low-tech).

Flexible living

Throughout a lifetime the needs of people is changing continuously. Starting out as single, and then becoming a couple, having kids… Through these phases the need for space keeps increasing, but later when the kids move out the need for space changes or decreases. Modern buildings should easily be able to meet these changes or even be reconfigured into completely different purposes.

This is exactly what SuperFlex System is! It’s not only a system for living, but can also serve as pavilion, for sports, flee markets, barn for the farmer, shop for the mechanic, you name it! Or it could serve as a commune for several friends or just one person. It comes in different sizes, just buy more roof components and living units according to your needs and economical performance, or sell those you don’t need any more. This secures that the material and energy that has been put into the building is used most efficient, and make less impact on the environment.

Architecturally the project is divided into three zones. The indoor, inside the living units, quite traditional, except that the units are mobile, can be pushed around, and combined in different ways. The semi outdoor covered space between and on top of the living units, and the outdoor space. The most interesting about the SuperFlex System is the Semi outdoor space. This is the place for much different kind of activities; only the imagination sets the limit. Just move the living units to one corner or outside if you want to have a big party, or play indoor basketball with your friends.

SuperFlex System consists of few and simple components with multiple solutions. The result is advantages for both manufacture and client. The manufacture gets a efficient cheap industrial mass production, and the client gets the opportunity to custom design their own home for the locale climate, building site and individual wishes, within the limits of system, always resulting in high quality, and less errors, meaning less costs.

The Living units
Ad as many you and your family, or friends need.
In case you need less indoor space, remove and sell those you don't need any more. The small space boxes that easy can be produced for different functions and insulated for different climates. You can choose from different wall elements in plyboo, translucent polycarbonate, and transparent glass sliding doors and windows.
The units can be locked together to create a larger inner space, or stand alone.

Roof structure
The roof structures geometry is inspired by Japanese origami techniques. With its repeating pattern it can easily be build as long as needed.
Every second frame has been rotated 30 degrees to divide the surface of the structure into triangles. By doing this the triangular planes stabilize the construction.
The surface clearly shows its modularity and separates the elements that makes it, and makes it perfect for industrial production.

Three types of boards, plyboo/bamboo- and transparent or translucent polycarbonate boards, and it’s possible to leave the structure partly open as well, or maybe even panels with solar cells or solar water heating systems.
This makes it easy to adapting each project to the specific site, climate and wishes of the client.

Flooring
The floor in the semi outdoor area is made of concrete, unless locale reusable/sustainable material is available, such as recycled bricks, or stone is available.

Location adaptation examples:
Hawaii and Pacific Islands, in the tropical and subtropical climate the roof is manly covered with plyboo panels to shade, only near the ground the panels is transparent or translucent polycarbonate boards. The gables can be left open.

Canada, Alaska and Northern Europe, the roof is manly covered with transparent or translucent panels, to efficiently use the free heat from the sun.

This project is made on a module system of 4.7 x 4.7 meter squared plan. It consists of a main building, a smaller toilet building and terras modules. All sides of the building are alike and can be opened by pushing the sliding doors to the sides, letting the residents decide wether the inner space should be closed, partly open or completely open to outside. As the sliding doors are pushed a side they serve as protection against the wind on the terras.

The sliding doors consists of two separate layers that can move independently, on the outside a layer of glass and on the inside a isolating wall with a black surface that absorb the light from the sun and turn it into heat, minimising the use of external energy on a cold day.

A later leading to the first floor in the main building containing just enough space for four people.

John Commoner has resently writtten about this project in his blog at: http://www.buildinggreentv.com/keywords/architects/859

The name for this project is SuperFlex System, the Idea is to use the power form the sun to supply the building, and from a sociological point of view, to make a building that is capable of adapting to the changing family structures we have today.

Many people live in the same house throughout their lives in a building that at some point is way too small and later way too big! And that's not sustainable in any way!

The plan consists of an outerskin/greenhouse covered in EFTE/foil-tec with solar cells witch keeps the climate inside the structure on a comfortable level. This is the semi outdoor space, where its possible to have green plants all year, but 1-2 months a year it's too cold to consider a inside space. Inside the structure living units can be added, as many as the residents need. The unit is made of a bamboo fiber material and painted with thermo chromic paint to make it able to accumulate or reflect solar heat... I have no idea if this will work but it's a great thought! ;D

The structure is expandable and can suit many types of inhabitants, such as singles, families, a group of friends, one guy with a big interest in whatever... something that takes a lot of space, ect. tennis and so on. Just buy more units or greenhouse sections, or sell them to someone who need the space, if you don’t!

 I also made a more low-tech bamboo version of this project recently, for a competition announced by a company on Hawaii, I think the name was Bambooliving... This project is the first of two bamboo schemes for the competition, where the second whent to the final and very soon is going to be a part of a travelling exhibition, which so far is going to Beijing, Guangzhou (China) and Kassel (Germany).

If you have any questions, please fell free to ask.