COCOON by LxR Design from philippines
designer's own words:
Serving as a capsule for a family’s development, the COCOON is a homogeneous framing system which unifies major and minor structural components. Using durable composite materials, it allows for a sustainable housing system as modules can be used and reused countless times to create different housing set-ups, hence manifesting each family’s progress and individuality in a way typical socialized row houses cannot. Interior and exterior components (such as stairs, partitions, and utilities) can be simple "plug-ins" anchored to the main structure. This solution to dense socialized housing developments anticipates personal and economic progress of its dwellers, and responds by allowing easy modification of spatial programs and façades. This gives dwellers an opportunity to express their character and growth from a personal to a communal level, creating a community that reflects its people. Ultimately, this gives blighted communities a chance to elevate their status in society. The COCOON, therefore, literally anticipates and sees through each family’s socio-economic “metamorphosis.” (Please visit https://www.dropbox.com/s/2sdxwmyxvys64fy/COCOON.flv?dl=0 as an error occurs each time we upload it to the Video URL box.)
This proposal aims to create “metamorphic” units that grow and progress with the dwellers and their community.
Façade is subtracted from core units of typical housing developments to provide variety in the community, creating identifiable communities.
Interior components are subtracted from core units to accommodate different spatial needs of each family. Then, structural components are unified to adapt to each family’s growth, thus creating the COCOON.
The Cocoon system is delivered as core houses with basic components such as foundation, framing system, basic utilities, and envelope.
Users can expand and reconfigure their spaces relative to their growth through plug-in components that can easily be attached to or detached from the Cocoon’s basic structure. This recreates dwelling places with a sense of belongingness and warmth of home.
Limitless options and easy configuration of the façade of each dwelling unit expresses the gradual development of houses and improved condition of the community – asserting its role in the society.