Ines Le Cannellier
Bridge 4: Astoria Houses 2.0
Class of: 2023
Major: Interior Design BFA
Medium: Multiple media: rendering, graphic design, 3D modules
Faculty: Aviva Maya Shulem
Prompt: Bridge 4 was the culmination of all the research and observation we did about the neighborhood we were assigned. We had to identify a problem within this neighborhood and propose a design solution.
My design solution attempts to respond to affordable housing needs in Astoria while offering a new paradigm for modern city housing development. Astoria Houses 2.0, as it would be called, is a sustainable and affordable housing project adapted to its location. The design employs the traditional gabled roof structure – arguably the most recognizable form for a house – and decomposes it into cubes, tetrahedrons, and rectangular prisms. These modules are then arranged in various configurations to create unique and site-specific structures. Relying on prefabricated geometric shapes allows for a more streamlined construction process, thus reducing costs. The simplicity and modularity of the houses also create opportunities for customization, which is essential in a place that is known for its diverse architecture and the unique variations each type of infrastructure presents. My design indeed counters the stark straight-edged facades we have been used to seeing, and which have given gentrification its bad reputation.
