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Looking for a living space.
It is no secret, I am slowly seeking for a decent place to live.
Well designed.
One thing that makes the search more difficult is the fact that prices are leveling the sky at this moment (that is: for a single woman like me...)
But the main reason (as always): I just don't find my taste.
How come we are living (finally) in the 21th century, with all kind of new materials, new working conditions and new needs, and still architects are building like we're in the last century??
An example:
I sincerely believe we need to settle with less space to live in.
I don't have a problem with that: there are many single people (much more than in the last century I believe..) and it is a fact: we don't need large houses, it just means more cleaning...
On top of that all our devices get multifunctional: a tv will be able to show internet, we have portables to work on, which makes us move around and several places will merge into one.
One thing to consider: working at home will be a concept appearing more and more in the future, thus something that needs to be foreseen in the living spaces. Yet, it will mean portables rather than desktop computers.
I think we live in an era of bigger windows to catch more light.
One might oppose, but we have all the right materials to minimize the loss of energy caused by large windows.
Actually we have a lot of new technology to implement in new houses.
Architecture should be something that pushes the borders and takes advantage of green energy (because facing reality: oil will finish...)
Ok, so what does Ghent give of new buildings:
Not to mention the prices of these horrible projects...
You look at them and know that within years these buildings are so dated. The concept is in no way different from the concepts of 20 years ago. Yet our needs and ways of living have significantly changed.
The only interesting project found was this one:
A combination of workspace and living units with loft-a-like capacities.
Ghent has few of those sites, and it intrigues me: buzzing workspaces in the week, but in the evening peace and quiet for those who live there.
That's an interesting approach to me.
Big windows with almost no insight, enlarging the rather small housing units by pulling the outside inside.
Loads of green space that is shared, but not that much since indeed work and living gather on different time-spots.
It seems somehow modern living concepts haven't been integrated in Ghent as much as I would like to see it. Maybe the city should consider it more, in order to make it a city of the future, with a good combination of working and living.
Technorati Tags: design, housing, livingspaces
Posted on May 13, 2006
in Design, Limit of my knowledge
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Comments (3)
Comments
Couldn't agree with you more ;-)The same problems arise with new built houses though, they're all extremely pricey but will be out of date in a few years.
Do you also know where that new interesting project you were talking about, is located exactly in Ghent? Is it in the Ledeberg industrial area?
Posted by Joke | May 13, 2006 12:28 PMIt's near Dampoort Station: Dendermondsesteenweg 44. I'll go to have a look at there. Looks good. But what about the price?
Posted by dj4am | May 14, 2006 2:51 AMAnd maybe there's too much noice from traffic at the Dendermondsesteenweg?
Dendermondsesteenweg 44?! Dat is een gewoon rijhuis vlak bij me in de buurt... Komt dáár zo'n bouwproject?
Posted by des | May 19, 2006 12:25 AM