High-Density Flexible Housing A New Format for Living in Auckland’s Office Towers

Abstract

This thesis looks into the repurposing of multistory office buildings as housing. Its purpose is to propose one solution to Auckland’s current housing shortage. This thesis pulls together three key ideas: Firstly the theory of Flexible Housing as a method of understanding the building as a series of interchanging layers at different levels of flexibility. Secondly, collective housing as a facilitator of engagement to enable a finer grain solution for its occupants. Lastly, small moments of architectural intervention that activate alternative space usage. The office tower typology is inherently designed to allow flexibility. As a result, the existing building stock of Auckland could be used as a way to address the shortage of inner city housing. The speculative design project is based on the building at 67 Customs Street East, originally built in1978 for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand. Since the bank vacated in 2000 this building has struggled to secure commercial tenants like many other B grade office towers in Auckland’s CBD. There is a lack of discussion around high density living and the opportunities for this in the inner city that are not being addressed by building up the city’s fringes. With Auckland’s vision to become the world’s most liveable city, it is imperative that the inner city becomes a vibrant and desirable place to live, work and play. Through the use of flexible techniques coupled with collective buy-in from the occupants, a much stronger, more connected urban community can be achieved. This approach can also become a long term housing solution for its occupants, who will benefit socially, economically and environmentally. Through the development of this thesis it has become clear that in order to remain relevant for the future, flexibility in housing is essential to address the inevitable changes in the family cycle. Flexibility must be considered from the structural framework right down to the services, public access routes, housing units and internal interventions. This as a whole will ensure that the housing units remain usable and adaptive into the future. The project has been demonstrated through three hypothetical clients at three seven year intervals to test its adaptive qualities as the family make-up evolves. The fact that housing typologies are continuously being exposed to the changing demands of the family cycle creates the opportunity to find an inner city housing solution that includes the occupants in a more engaging.way.