ROME COLLECTIVE LIVING COMPETITION
After doing our research for this competition about affordable collective housing, my group came up with a flexible design that is meant to take advantage of the unused space over the Tiber River. Large columns would support what is a essentially a large bridge connecting the neighborhood on either side of the river. It contains a modular apartment building, but it is not any ordinary apartment building. On the upper floors there are standard 2, 3 and 4 bedroom units, however a large portion of the programmed space is meant to be communal spaces, such as workspaces, libraries, gyms, lounges, daycares, and so on. The spaces are large and adaptable to the needs of those inhabiting these buildings. The first level is completely devoted to small retail and restaurant spaces on the "street" that is created between the building's mass. The rest of the bridge is a park with several acres of walking paths, trees, and areas for children to play. The site we chose as an example has an empty lot next to the river which has been repurposed into a piazza for socializing and holding markets.