The main question driving this project was how to redefine the notion of private and semi-private dwelling for residents through changes in circulation models and spatial organization of typical apartment structures all while complying with the constraints imposed by urban planning and architectural codes.

Due to the site’s slope, the broken skyline of the project, and the two-unit-per-floor layout, the building mass undergoes a break in section, disrupting the typical repetition of identical slabs. At the hinge point of this break, the middle zone between units is carved out toward the courtyard, creating the opportunity for a deep, semi-open void an alternative to the conventional central lightwell. In addition to increasing daylight penetration, this shaft generates a gradient of open and semi-open private spaces for the residential units.

By separating the two units vertically in section and eliminating the shared elevator core as a filter, the project attempts to move away from a shared-access model and instead assigns each unit an independent entrance zone. The adjacency of units to this shaft also enables flexible plan variations across different levels. Through the introduction of a spectrum of voids, the project aims to move away from the idea of façade as a flat skin and toward defining a porous boundary with the exterior. Regarding spatial organization, and in consideration of the site’s slope, pedestrian access is provided via a suspended bridge leading from the lowest street level to a lobby space on the first basement floor, which is connected by an independent staircase to both the ground floor and the second basement.

lobby from the ground floor to the first basement serves several purposes: granting independence to the entrance and enhancing privacy for the ground-floor unit’s front yard, creating a separate node for access to the shared spaces of the second basement, and to a large extent, compensating for the void area shortfall across the floors. What emerges from the project’s structure is a range of diverse residential configurations across different levels, with a significant portion of space dedicated to unbuilt or open areas: sunken courtyards in the lower levels, two private yards at the ground level, semi-open spaces in the middle floors, and a rooftop garden at the top. The separation of access routes, spatial variety, and the connection of each unit to different courtyard types despite existing constraints represents an attempt to approach the spatial and experiential qualities of what we call “home.”