Hellebo Housing Renovation

INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION NORDIC BUILT CHALLENGE, DENMARK
HELLEBO HOUSING RENOVATION

TEAM
HousingLab prof. arch. Alessandra De Cesaris (team leader) arch. Claudia Bisceglia, arch. Alessia Guerrieri, Giorgia Datti, Aurora Diaco, Erika Maresca, with Margherita Gavazzi and arch. Bernardo Grilli di Cortona

The basic goal of the project is the sustainable economic, social and environmental regeneration of the Hellebo housing estate, in an innovating and eco-efficient way.

To reach this goal we propose 6 different actions:

1 REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION The study of the shadows inside the courtyard (at 12.00 a.m.) during summer and winter solstices (21 June, 21 December) as  well as vernal and autumnal equinoxes (21 March, 21 September) showed that the area during the cold months is completely in shade. These considerations have led to the new design of outdoor areas.
Windows are differentiated according to the orientation: north facades have a few number of small windows in order to reduce winter heat loss; the south facades have several large windows that provide passive solar gain. The double-story penthouses will allow to heat in a passive way the living room on the lower floor.
Rooms inside the houses are positioned according to orientation, especially on the top floor: for example, in blocks 2 and 4 the work spaces are located in the north side to work as thermal buffer zones, while common areas are facing south, such as in blocks 1 and 3 where the common spaces and largest terraces are on the south side.
On the south rooftops and on the new south inclined facades of blocks 2 and 4, photovoltaic panels will be installed in order to provide electricity for the common areas.

2 ADOPTING THE SuRE-FIT STRATEGY
The SuRE-FIT strategy (Sustainable Roof Extension for High Rise Social Housing in Europe www.sure-fit.eu) is based on the addiction of a self bearing structure sustaining a structural platform on top. In this way it will be possible:
-to enlarge existing apartments (new rooms and/or balconies);
-to improve the energy performance of existing building by adding external insulating panels (cellular glass insulation system – FOAMGLASS);
-to add new apartments on the roof;
-to generate new financial resources by adding dwelling units to existing building;
-to improve the building quality exterior as well as interior.
- to place technological infrastructures such as water and sewage pipelines, telephone, internet and electric cables.

3 ADOPTING A MODULAR PREFABRICATED SYSTEM for Bathroom- Kitchen- Wardrobe- Office Space
To renovate blocks 2 and 4 apartments we propose a system of prefabricated modular modules for Bathroom, Kitchen, Wardrobe and Office Space (wired and cabled area)
Modules vary in both type and size and are able to generate various options to satisfy a variety of needs. They can be assembled and set up in a very short time.
We propose to use these prefabricated modules for the new apartments on the roofs of the four blocks, moreover it will be possible, in the future, make use of them to refurbish kitchen and bathroom of blocks 1 and 3.

4. ADDING NEW FLATS FOR NEW USERS
To encourage the social mixitè we propose to add some different kind of flats for ‘new users’ such as co- housing for students (penthouses of block 1-3), co-housing for elder people (penthouses of block 2-4 and 1-3). They are located on the roof and they are conceived as an aggregation of minimal units – that guarantee a more private dimension - clustered around common spaces (Kitchen dining rooms living rooms and terraces. Moreover on the roof of blocks 2-4 are located some flexible work-spaces with an independent entrance that can be linked together co-housing.
New flat’s pitched roof are oriented to make the best use of the sun.

5 RE-FORMULATING ENTRANCES
To make a better use of the courtyard and of the basement floor - actually locked and scarcely accessible - we decide to concentrate all main entrances inside the court at the basement level. In every block new flights of stair – extension of the existing one- and new lifts will connected the basement floor as well as penthouses on the roofs.
In this way every flats will be easily accessible to disabled people.
In addition some new cellars and new spaces for separate collection of rubbish, bikes, pushchairs, etc. will be located in the SuRE-FIT grid while some new collective spaces such as studios, work spaces, recreation rooms, gym, laundry, etc… will be situated in the basement floor in a very close contact with the courtyard.

6 REMODELLING THE GROUND OF THE COURTYARD
The open space of the courtyard has been re-measured in order to define some more protected and diversified spaces for different kinds of outdoor activities.
We design some sheltered gardens (+1.60 metre elevated) facing west and south while the majority of parking spaces have been located outside the courtyard.
The sheltered thematic gardens are conceived as little spaces dedicated to children, teenagers and elders while the left part of the courtyard will host a football and a basket ground and more spontaneous vegetation.

Pubblicato in:
A. De Cesaris D. Mandolesi, Rigenerare le aree periferiche. Ricerche e progetti per la città contemporanea, Quodlibet, 2015.