Project by Karim Baba & Sayer Al Sayer
Inspired by the resilience of Loisaida residents, in the face of housing instability, we are reminded of the ways people, confronting war, famine, and/or poverty, have historically adapted to and appropriated existing structures to meet their needs. This proposal exaggerates, enhances, and reimagines the spatial conditions that make the site unique while subverting architectural elements to invite imagination and play.
First, we introduce sectional variation into the existing tenements by creating a “canyon” linked by a continuous topography that spans the site. Second, within each unit, we propose a permanent plumbing core containing bathrooms and kitchens, leaving the placement of surrounding walls to inhabitants. Third, external walkways connect apartments and fire escapes, producing unconventional sectional relationships through subtle shifts in elevation. Finally, performance spaces, a multi-purpose court and a series of adaptable metal rails suggest a wide range of activities and endless forms of creativity.
