Artem Zurabyan
© Artem Zurabyan, 2022
ISBN 978-5-0059-4451-1
Created with Ridero smart publishing system
Table of contents
(English Translation)
1. INTRODUCTION
A large part of the population of many countries in the world needs comfortable housing, but not everyone in the cities can afford individual houses and large apartments in luxury multistory frame buildings, so the main capital housing are multistory large-panel buildings. They are built mostly on relatively cheap plots of land or on plots provided practically for free. In these conditions, the cost of the construction of the building significantly affects the cost of apartments, so the task of construction is to reduce the cost of mass houses, which would make housing available to a wider range of people. These requirements are met by multistory large-panel and volumetric block construction. Despite the considerable success of such construction, housing is still an expensive basic necessity.
In many countries there are at best about twenty-five square meters of living space per capita, while in European countries and the United States of America it is about forty five to sixty five square meters. Thus the housing stock should be doubled in order to achieve an acceptable level. At the same time, given the climatic conditions, the cost of land and structures, to abandon multistory building is unlikely. And if so, on the contrary, high-rise construction is moving to high-rise construction. This trend has been observed recently in many countries. Thus, the task of significantly reducing the cost of construction of high-rise buildings remains relevant.
For centuries it has been customary for all houses to be built in Cartesian coordinate system. The main methods of mass construction such as large-panel, volumetric-block and frame construction are based on Cartesian coordinates. At the same time, frame construction is considered to be more expensive.
It has always been assumed that Cartesian coordinates allow creating the most inexpensive method of construction of capital housing. But is this true? It turns out that for high-rise housing is not quite so. It is possible to create a different system of industrial high-rise housing construction where the cost of housing will be significantly lower compared to even the most inexpensive panel or volumetric block houses. It can be achieved if to refuse from Cartesian coordinates and to assume that it is possible to create non-linear laws of building structure formation which will be even more economical. We call this system «Lotus». It changes our idea of affordable mass housing, and creates new forms of living space.
Architectural solutions for this change is described in more detail in the book, published on the platforms of LitRes and Kobo with the title «Unusual „Lotus“ apartments – an alternative to panel construction. Part 1. Architecture.»
This book attempts to show more fully that the functional activity of residents is independent of the system from the coordinates of the enclosing structures of residential modules. Architectural aspects of this approach are expanded. A comparison of apartments in «Lotus» houses and apartments in large-panel buildings at the same cost is given. Analyzed the planning possibilities and various solutions of the facades of the «Lotus» system. For many of these technical solutions patents have been obtained.
2. PRINCIPLE OF INDEPENDENCE
2.1 Cartesian coordinate system and independence principle
Since time immemorial, people have tried to create enclosing structures to create an enclosed comfortable environment, to protect against weather changes of rain, cold or heat and to protect against external threats. Enclosed spaces were formed by various technological methods, depending on their form, sometimes changing over time, and often replicated even for centuries. The enclosing structures are almost always vertical walls and horizontal slabs. It is often cited that the forms of such space created must be cells capable of uniting with each other or, on the contrary, of dividing within themselves, in accordance with the forms of equipment and with the various functions of man.
The unification of cells took place not only in the plane of plots of land, but also vertically, which led to the creation of multistory structures known already in Ancient Rome. However, it is natural that the replication of the upper floors is almost always possible only simultaneously with the lower floors. Massively such structures were used for housing, but there were also public buildings. Replication of artificial structures led to the creation of settlements and then cities, mainly consisting of a set of residential cells for the family and public facilities.
The form of spatial cells was conditioned by two circumstances. The first is the need to multiply and divide the space into planes with common enclosing structures for adjacent cells. To achieve uniformity, enclosures must be rectilinear in plan. The second is the technological methods of construction. In most countries, it is a mullion-beam system, easily implemented with the availability of forest materials. Even if the vertical building envelopes are not made of wood, in the early stages of mass construction in most cases were made of wood slabs. All this in the most standardized form is most easily created in the Cartesian system of coordinates.
But this was not always the case. If plots of land are not limited in area, such as steppe areas, and there is no forest in the required quantity, then the need for an external indissoluble division of space is absent. Other forms of spatial cells emerge, such as freestanding yurts. However, this type of cells is still dying out, yielding to the technology of rectilinear forms of enclosing structures, as the functions become more complex and not only enclosing structures are required, but also the saturation of cells with new technologies. In this regard, there is a need even in these areas to compactly integrate cells and structures assembled from them. There remains a predominantly Cartesian system, which allows to divide and replicate the indissoluble space.
Along with the mass construction of residential spatial forms, public ones became increasingly important and their importance increased, so settlements and cities look like a combination of such structures. Most often they consist of independent sections of residential and public buildings, so they are exempt from the functions of division and replication between them. As a consequence, Cartesian coordinate systems for public buildings are no longer necessary. They can be replicated within the building plots and upwards, and the division within them can be more arbitrary. All this created and creates a variety of forms in the architecture of public buildings.
The development of public facilities and mass housing is a complex process that has led to modern architecture and the conventional gradation of such facilities in cities into two groups. The first includes mostly public buildings of cities sometimes and industrial use, and the second is the mass housing. A favorite area of most famous architects is the first group. It is most often limited by the characteristics of the building sites and is less burdened by technological requirements. Moreover, the vast majority of such sites are based on a significant construction budget. In many cases, that budget is overridden as well, because the unfinished facility is even more unprofitable. This tidbit of architecture allows the creation of incredible architectural masterpieces that glorify the creators. Often behind the architects are statesmen trying to perpetuate their time in power.
Such facilities are necessary and pay for themselves indirectly by attracting the flow of tourists, which can be many millions. Skyscrapers that amaze everyone with their height and unusual designs and facades create an attractive emotional environment, which often pays for itself in this way, despite the considerable expense involved. Such buildings can be compared to sculptures, admiring the craftsmanship of the authors and presenting mainly only artistic value. Naturally, in some cases, such iconic structures also pay for themselves by renting space and selling it.
The second group is predominantly high-rise residential buildings, but among them some also have the functions of public buildings. This is a more complex group, because it includes high-rise buildings and skyscrapers. In addition, it is divided into classes, such as luxury housing, business class, comfort class and economy class.