A precedent study undertaken in 2016 with Ambra Del Frate regarding the experimental, modular design of Carmel Place, in New York City.
The modular unit supercharged
Inspired by Joan Littlewood and Cedric Price, our investigation modified Carmel Place in an attempt to supercharge it by introducing a system of playful modules. The attachment system was designed for verisimilitude - outside of legal and monetary constraints - and to min-max the real building’s constraints/values.
The Module
Described by the New York Times as the city’s first “micro-apartments” [paywall], Carmel Place inherently embodies the values of hyper-capitalistic living in one of the most expensive housing markets in the world.
These tiny apartments were built in a factory and installed on site - the ultimate fordist production line. The lego condo, Our attachments were designed to allow apartment dwellers to rent back the amenities other, older and less expensive buildings took for granted in their designs, like balconies, additional sleeping spaces - as well as more ‘premium’ offerings for those of a more expensive persuasion, like the hot tub or the greenhouse.
