Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

Designer Volumetric at IKEA Prices

2006; Wiley; Volume: 76; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/ad.209

1554-2769

Ian Abley,

Urbanization and City Planning

Abstract Volumetric construction is too associated with ‘affordable’ housing for rent by registered social landlords, or ‘microflats’ for sale to underpaid ‘key workers’. Kisho Kurokawa's Nakagin Capsule Tower, in Tokyo, of 1972, is well known, but it was never intended as a main residence, and provided an extra room in the city. Architects interested in volumetric construction might well be designing gorgeous macroflats and spacious houses, developing the functionality of such buildings, while aiming to bring down costs through repetition. However, Ian Abley believes their efforts will continue to be frustrated by the need for site‐specific planning approvals, and the cost of developable land in restricted supply.