E.C.C.S. Steel Housing / Square L-type system | J.H. van den Broek, J.B. Bakema

The Netherlands | 1967 | hard form

Description

Van den Broek's and Bakema's Square L-Type system was developed as a response to an international competition, tendered by the European Community for Coal and Steel for a housing group executed with industrialized building elements. Their solution combines prefabricated systems with a repetitive module that can deployed both initially and then over time in a number of configurations.

The competition entry shows an urban block ranging in height from one storey to sixteen storeys. The entire project is a multiple of a basic module of 6,30 by 6,30 metres, which can be stacked vertically and added onto horizontally. The basic module can either be self-sufficient, i.e. it can be a single room apartment, or can be combined with other modules to fulfil the needs for larger apartments. Any number of modules can be used to form a detached house; they can form terraced houses; or can be stacked for use in more urban environments.

The primary construction of repetitive modules enables the system to adapt to different urban planning situations. It is then filled in with a secondary system that consists of floor and ceiling panels, a series of differently sized wall and window elements (both internal as well as external) prefabricated bathroom pods, cupboards and kitchen units.

References

Bakema, J. B., Thoughts about architecture, London: Academy Editions, 1981.
Deilmann, H., J. C. Kirschenmann, and H. Pfeiffer, Wohnungsbau. The Dwelling. L'habitat. 3rd edn, Stuttgart: Karl Krämer Verlag, 1973.