“How to design a densifying city without compromising spaciousness and coziness? How to combine design-for-all principles with diverse future lifestyles?”

Case Domi – Housing Reform 2018

The 2018 Housing Reform competition intends on solving the current housing challenges in three cities in Finland with innovative and viable designs. MUUAN’s competition entry titled ‘Domi’, which is located in the Jyväskylä’s borough of Kuokkala, presents a shift from separate technology-oriented innovations to a greater focus on the actual users. The design proposal aims to improve the everyday life of inhabitants now as well as to meet the needs of future generations in the living environment. ‘Domi’ is a feasible pilot quarter that strongly reconnects with the surroundings bringing about a positive impact to the local communities that extends beyond its borders. The elements that make the community thrive from their very location are further developed in an attempt to revitalise the identity of Kuokkala’s centre.

This comprehensive reform strategy includes five themes. The first theme is Kuokkala as the local context. The second theme is about analysing the diverse future lifestyles which create the parameters for housing design in this specific location. The third theme introduces the concept of the “cellular plan” which enables flexibility and creates resilience for future changes in the full lifecycle of the building. The fourth theme deals with service infrastructure which allows for services to be implemented in the quarter. The fifth theme defines a new ownership and consumption model which is based on sharing economy and access rights. The entry has been awarded at the Alvar Aalto Symposium in Jyväskylä on the 8th of August, 2018.