WINNER OF A 2016 CANADIAN ARCHITECT AWARD OF MERIT
Collective spaces include a semi-enclosed washing and drying area. The development is wrapped
by a brick screen to give it a uniform urban presence.
Described as ?an urban co-habitation prototype,? C House is a co-housing concept that responds to the lifestyle needs of a wide spectrum of household types, from retired empty nesters to students sharing a space, to young families.
Configuration options
Occupying a basement level and three above-ground storeys on a site in Winnipeg, the three-dimensional jigsaw of living spaces is distributed around a core of infrastructural needs, including circulation and washrooms. On either side of the core are living areas, which can be configured for various uses, as well as shared collective spaces: a communal dining space on the first level, a second-floor laundry and rest area, and a roof deck. The split-level distribution of spaces around the core, coupled with the alternating front/back orientation of the side-by-side units, allows for a balance of privacy and social interaction between the tenants. Section
At the street edge, a set of steps invites passersby to pause, sit or converse, while simultaneously demarcating a transition between public and more private space. A planted slope in front of the building, together with wide stairways inside, encourages social encounters between tenants. The carport at the back of C House is conceived like a boathouse, with transparent doors and ...