Pixelated Apartment Complex Maximizes Light and Green Space

<a href="http://techblips.dailyradar.com/story/singapore_s_stunning_digital_cloud_skyscraper/" target="_blank">Pixelated designs</a> are apparently in vogue now, and BIG adds to the typology with <a href="http://www.big.dk/projects/wall/" target="_blank">Taipei City Wall</a>, a community tower composed of stacked apartment blocks. <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/27/big-unveil-massive-mobius-strip-library-for-kazakhstan/" target="_blank">BIG</a> arranged the layout of the boxes in a way that maximizes the site area in order to provide more light for each residence and access to green space as well as recreational areas. The result is a residential complex with significant urban density that still retains many of the suburban qualities that some covet, like access to open space and lots of light.

Taipei City Wall is composed of a series of stacked boxes with gaps left in between to let in natural light and ventilation.

Green space is maximized on the terraces of the boxes, the roof as well as the ground level.

The 15-meter cubed boxes overlap just enough for an elevator shaft to rise up to the highest floor.

Five different programs are available in the larger terrace gaps for the community. Here is a green forest where you can enjoy a spectacular view of the city.

Here is a Japanese stone garden for relaxation and immersion.

Here is a wooden pool garden where you can go for a swim.

And there is also a playground for the kids and a rooftop terrace on the 25th floor.

The residential complex is designed by BIG for the Taiwan Land Development Corporation on an 82,000 sq meter site.

BIG set out to design a residential complex that still maintained a high urban density without loosing suburban qualities such as light, green space and a local neighborhood.

The number of open spaces and recreational areas will encourage the residents of the building to create a local community.

The pixelated building in total has 30 floors and five large gardens.

The five gardens each have a unique appearance to accommodate all the needs of a modern community.

BIG started the design process by envisioning a series of cubed residential complexes.

Then they stacked the cubes to create density.

Here is the site location in Taiwan.

Extruding one volume on the site generates space for a public park and recreational areas.

Stretching the volume adds shared recreational gardens and promotes daylight passing through the complex.

Pushing the building back into the site creates overlapping intersections, which hold the cores.

The volume is lowered in the housing part in order to break down the scale of the building. At the same time, the total amount of green freespace is increased by 114.2% on the site.

Leaving passages in the building footprint creates space for a continuous park area.