In the design process of this project, entitled "Mobilis in Mobili" the architecture firm Archimethod, the owners and the engineers worked hand-in-hand since the beginning to jointly define goals and strategy. An initial analysis of the requirements of the building, and of the environmental resources of the site, brought the team to quickly the focus on dynamic aspects.
Four peak moments were identified: January and July in relation to the demand of heat and cold, and Morning and Evening in relation to the demand of solar access and electricity. These dynamic requirements helped the team to match them with the data formats provided by UrbanMetrix and make gradual decisions on the position of buildings, on the shape of facades, and on the definition of components such as balconies, openings, overhangs, photovoltaic panels, and vegetation.
A strong characteristic of this project is that the envelope, traditionally conceived as a single membrane, was here turned into an inhabitable and permeable Transition Space linking the inner and the outer environments. This space, composed by the balconies and walkways and by an external flexible wooden grid, hosts the coexistence of people, vegetation, passive techniques, and active technologies. It modulates acceptance and protection, connecting dynamic human needs and the variation of natural resources.
