Tessa Bloembergen
Heritage & Architecture
The Collective Network - Connecting through shared space
What does connecting and sharing mean in our globalised and individualised world and how can we relate them to architecture? Collectivity and connection are the keywords in this design, that tries to enhance connection and create a feeling of community between its users. In an abandoned warehouse located in the North-East of Paris, a mix of functions is arranged in such a way that they and their users can both horizontally and vertically connect to each other. The history of the building lends itself for creating visual and physical relations on different levels. It also structures the plan; where the goods used to enter the building through the balconies is now space for collectivity. This way, the characteristics and former way of use are connected to the new functions. The plan brings contemporary (social) issues together and provides a strategy that shows how connecting can form the basis for transformation but above all a new approach to social architecture.