N u r G ü l g ö r
P o r t f o l i o
Volu-te Micro Living Unit
Year: 2020-2023
Type: Research Project (M.Arch)
Status: Constructed
Team: AAP (MEF University) & Alter8
Awards: 1. TUBITAK 1512
2. Arkitera Best Projects of The Year 2023 (Arkitera Mimarlık Yıllığı)
Volu-te is a result of Mef University graduate program, Alternative Architectural Practices (AAP). In the program, we developed methods for imagining and building new paths to discover small scale architecture and created a research book about “Small Scale Decent Change”. (Click for research book)
After this research, we designed the unit called “Volu-te” in this topic. Volu-te is a temporary living unit, specially designed for places like Istanbul, a city with an uncovered network of leftover voids. It is a vertical and fully prefabricated unit, which makes it easily fit in the leftover voids in the city and leave without a trace when necessary.
Also, we wanted to raise the question of whether or not a small scale living unit can propose an active network in a metropolis. Hence, unlike most of the contemporary examples, Volu-te is not a single unit, it comes with a propositions of a network system. With the idea of this small-scale living unit network, the efficiency of being small comes together with the power of being united.
The concrete shell is created by Fibrebeton sponsorship and other elements constructed by AAP members. In 2021, Volu-te received support from the TUBITAK Entrepreneurship Support program (1512), and we established Alter8. The project is on the list of best projects of the year 2023 in Turkey by Arkitera. Currently, the unit is located in the yard of Mef University and is being used by students. Please slides the pictures to get a glimpse of Volu-te's world.
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The interior is designed to meet the daily needs of humans such as cooking, cleaning, working, and sleeping. Each action is separated into different levels based on the user's daily routines. The unit proposes a compact living space for 1-2 people with levels instead of floors. There are no doors or walls in the interior area; instead, functions and privacy are organized by levels. The user experiences the space through a continuous spiral stair levels. We published the design parameters and details of Volu-te in the design book. (Click for design book)
Volu-te aims to implement minimal energy policies during hard times when the world is facing significant environmental challenges. We designed the living unit while considering the ecosystem, which includes living organisms and their surroundings as a whole, whether in a city or rural areas. Our priority was to minimize the footprint of the living unit and focus on maximizing the useful volume inside, allowing us to reduce the heat loss area through the fabric. In both settings, we strived to ensure the most effective use of the volume on the smallest floor area possible..
The living unit serves two different scenarios for both urban and rural areas. For urban areas, we have considered using the grid for water and electricity. However, for the off-grid option that could be implemented in rural areas, we have designed plug-in storage that includes a battery, a rainwater collection tank, and a black water storage system.
The vertical unit is designed in accordance with international transportation limits, which are 2.5 m x 6 m. The prefabricated concrete skin is transported in a horizontal position and then rotated on-site. It is light enough to be lifted and placed by a crane.
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Why Volu-te?
“In 1950, 30 percent of the global population used to live in the cities and this ratio exceeded 50 percent in 2010, which means 3.3 billion people became urbanite. By 2030, the urban population projected to reach 60 percent. Therefore there will be more than 5 billion people living in the cities.” Nüfus ve Toplum, Doç. Dr. Aslı Didem Danış Şenyüz
More than half of the global population is currently living in cities, and this ratio is increasing. As a result, rising population density creates megacities consisting of more than 10 million people, and new ones are added every year. However, megacities lack a basic foundation to supply this demand according to changing daily circumstances. Even though the requirement for a living unit is one of the most important basic human needs, it is challenging for urbanites to find suitable dwellings due to high ground rent values. Additionally, housing prices are not suitable for average-income citizens due to an imbalance between income and outcome in these megacities, forcing people to be tenants rather than owners. House sharing has become popular all over megacities as a solution to these issues.
Andres Jaque has coined the term "Rolling Society" to describe people who are frequently moving between cities, and a new semi-nomadic lifestyle is emerging that rejects the idea of being permanently settled in one place. This is due to the difficulty in finding affordable housing in cities, as well as a supply-demand imbalance caused by the existing housing market's failure to respond to changing and transforming demographic structures.
The semi-nomadic lifestyle is not only about finding a dwelling but also includes daily life habits in outdoor places like workspaces, transportation, and cafes. The concept of take-away reflects transience since people in the rolling society do not even have time to stop. On average, a working person spends around 9.5 hours at home per day, and 73% of this time is spent sleeping. This indicates that our living spaces are transforming into hotels, where no domestic activity takes place. This situation raises the question of how much space we actually need to live.
The organic urban texture results from the individual improvisations of urban users based on their construction and design practices. Istanbul is one of the cities where the organic urban texture is dominant and is in a constant state of change with the introduction of new construction laws every year. There are many unstable factors that affect the urban texture, creating "leftover spaces" that often do not engage with daily urban life in unplanned cities. However, in some cases, these spaces can create awareness and become a catalyst for active urban life unexpectedly. Rather than simply "dealing with" these leftover spaces, there is a powerful potential to think about them on a human scale and transform their function through small-scale interventions. In this context, we have listed the leftovers of Istanbul and offered potential stories with Volu-te.
