PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL VS. COMMUNAL.
COMMUNAL
The communal spaces are the cornerstone of The Garten and the focus of this project, fostering a diverse and close-knit community. The Oak House, serving as the central hub, accommodates over half of the site’s communal areas, including the central kitchen, dining hall, nursery, and main entrance. The Garten is designed to promote resource-sharing among residents through dedicated spaces like the laundry room, gym, and co-working area. Circulation points such as staircases and corridors are thoughtfully designed with seating options for spontaneous interactions with neighbours.
PRIVATE RESIDENTIAL
The Garten consists of various flat typologies reflecting the diverse needs of its residents. Options range from studios to six-bedroom flats, the latter designed for shared living. A third of the apartments are part of a social housing scheme. At the same time, each flat typology has at least one wheelchair designed for wheelchair accessibility.
Each flat shares a common room with others in the same building, featuring a kitchen and dining area. Keeping the flat sizes small, offering shared flats and outsourcing resources like laundry machines, tools, etc, allows for a smaller environmental footprint.
GATE HOUSES
The gate houses, Heather and Sage, offer flexible accommodations for guests and shared resources. Residents can book rooms for visitors, while the ground floor provides storage for bikes, shared e-bikes and cargo bikes, as well as a bike repair station. The recycling centre and storage for children’s toys and gardening tools are also located here, emphasising sustainability and shared amenities.
