Toolkit 13.
Renewal of Ground Space
Objectives
In our case studies, Gonghe Community and Jinsong Community, the ground floors were originally designed as apartments. However, these apartments are considered unsuitable to live in because they cannot meet some sectors in the current residential standards, such as sunlight access hours and minimum internal area. Simultaneously, the issue of insufficient public and communal spaces in these old residential areas has emerged due to the increase in the new demands of the residents. For example, the increase in private vehicles leads to parking violations and the reduction of outdoor spaces, and a more diversified living style results in more demands for supporting facilities.
This toolkit is for the renewal and reconstruction of the ground floor (and part of the lower floors), which cannot meet the current building codes. It aims to:
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increase private internal areas, such as living room and bedrooms, to improve the living quality
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provide more communal space, neighborhood facilities, and functional rooms to residents
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provide car parking space, and regulate parking violations
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increase the green spaces and gathering spaces to encourage social interaction in the community.
Option 1. Private Living Space
Without affecting the existing greenery and traffic of the site and ensuring the minimum building separation of 6m, the habitable rooms of the ground floor can be appropriately expanded with a maximum depth of 3m. If there is a conflict in the expansion of two apartments or buildings, the expansion to the North (South for the northern hemisphere) and East has priority due to the expansion in these orientations can lead to a greater improvement.
Option 2. Communal Space and Neighborhood Facilities
Compared with expanding ground floor apartments that just can benefit a small number of residents, adapting those non-compliant apartments to communal spaces or neighborhood facilities can improve the quality of the whole community greater.
The selection of new function blocks can according to:
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requirements in local standards and laws
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a survey that at least covers more than 70% of residents in the community.
Option 3. Car Parking
In developing countries such as China, the consumption of private cars is still growing. These residential areas designed decades ago often do not have enough parking lots. One solution is that part of the ground floor, which is substandard to be the living space, can be adapted for car parking to satisfy this new demand. The double row type is recommended to reduce the pathway of the vehicle.
Option 4. Green Space/Gathering Space
In the residential area with a high density such as the Gonghe community, there is a lack of green space and gathering space. The ground floor can be adapted to an open floor to increase green space by planting vegetation, or it can provide shaded gathering space on hot or rainy days.
The vegetation should be:
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native plants
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non-toxic/harmless plants
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beneficial to biodiversity.
Application of Toolkit 13.
This toolkit is examined in the following projects.
