Dwelling and city

A developing urban landscape leaves spaces between buildings and spaces between private and public lands. Usually of an uncomfortable proportion, too narrow or too tall, these left over spaces are in a sense condemned. Not considered to be economically or socially useful they often become spaces for rubbish to collect and dark places at night, their potential only being released upon a buildings demolition or radical overhaul. However when these networks of lost spaces are identified within the broader context of the city they are shown to occupy considerable volume, and in locations that would otherwise be highly valued. The project we are developing maps these spaces and establishes them in a new light. They become opportunities for housing, shelters, meeting places, art, water storage, energy production and waste utilisation projects. Neglected and uncared for spaces can become meaningful and desirable places and in doing so reactivate deadened areas of the city. The case study presented uses the street and west facing five storey high concrete block wall of a car park for 12 houses only 1800mm wide (parking provided right to the front door). An analysis of the house as a vehicle for the consumption of products positions the approach within the environment, the western facade made from the plastic waste that is locally consumed provides the physical expression of that waste