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FALL 2009 Northeastern University School of Architecture ARCH G691 Graduate Degree Project Studio LIVE/WORK

Live/Work

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This publication has been prepared as part of a five week graduate thesis studio assignment in the Northeastern University School of Architecture for the Fall 2009 Architecture G691 course. Other publications in this series include urban retail, office, and parking garage typologies, all produced by graduate students in the Northeastern University architecture program.

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Page 1: Live/Work

FALL 2009

Northeastern University School of Architecture

ARCH G691 Graduate Degree Project Studio

LIVE/WORK

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FALL 2009

LIVE/WORKNortheastern University School of ArchitectureARCH G691 Graduate Degree Project Studio

JESSE CABRERA

ROB CAYER

JULIET CHUN

NAWAZ KAMTHEWALA

KATHRYN MOORE

BEN-JOSEF STRACCO

KAITLYN WOLK

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Table of Contents

A. Introduction History 6

B. Definitions Market 10

Regulatory Code 12

C. Typical Live/Work

S tudio Loft 20

H ome Office 32

G round Floor Workspace 44

C ommunity 56

D. New Ideas IDEO 70

Flex House 72

E. Comparison Matrix 74

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Introduction

Page 7: Live/Work

What defines Live/Work?

Live/work spaces are appearing at an

alarming rate throughout the country. Type these

words into any internet search engine, and a

plethora of interesting and innovating projects will

appear. But while many live/work projects have

appeared throughout history, what defines these

spaces as live/work today?

Our study is divided into three basic

parts: definitions, an analysis of the sub-types, and

the future of live/work.

In the first section, we survey the various

definitions of live/work, both in the market place

and in the state and city building and zoning codes.

Aspects like the required ratio of live/work, the type

of work permitted, and what goods are sold in the

unit, indicate the differences of live/work projects

from those that are purely residential or purely

commercial.

In the second section, we categorize all

the examples we have identified into sub-types. In

our research, we discovered that live/work is not a

single building or unit type. Instead, it is a loosely

connected series of strategies combining live and

work needs.

Because there is no defined type, we

separate each live/work project into four scales:

Studio/loft

Home office

Ground floor workspace

Community

Examining design approaches also

furthers the difference between live/work projects

from solely residential or commercial programs.

How the work space is utilized, the location of the

work space in relationship to the living space, and

what the boundary is between those two spaces is

different for each project according to their scale.

Because of this, we analyze each unit

through a series of diagrams focusing on certain

design aspects of each space. The methods we

chose for analysis are:

User access patterns

Separation

Balance of live/work

Furthermore, we study any additional

features that are unique for each design as well as

precedents to show the distinction of each unit.

In our third section, we look to the future

of live/work. We analyze projects that reflect this

new direction such as IDEO and the Flex House.

This pattern book is not a how-to, but a

survey that illustrates everything that is called live/

work, cataloging all of the significant strategies that

have been used. This book is aimed to further

define live/work. It is intended for designers or

anyone else interested in wanting to understand

the code and market definitions along with different

design issues associated with a live/work project.

Page 8: Live/Work

< 1950 1960 1970

The history of Live/Work has a long and com-

plicated time line. The origins of Live/Work, if we

want to get technical, can be traced back to the

days of the cavemen. However, the fi rst real homo-

erectus application of Live/Work can be seen in the

Colonial Farmhouse of the 18th and 19th

Centuries. Specifi cally looking at the farmhouses

of Maine, these farmhouses had the living quarters

and the barn connected. With the harsh winters in

Main, this connection between the work and live

aspects of the farm gives hint to the concept of

Live/Work. However; for the purpose of this brief

historical overview, the time frame from the 1950’s

to the Present and Beyond will be used as it shows

the major progression of the concept of Live work.

The 1950’s saw the fi rst popular work of a

Live/Work type in a doctors offi ce integrated into a

house. Designed by Le Corbusier, the Curutchet

House starts to explore two different functions for

the same person in one structure. The owner of

the house has his doctoral practice imbedded into

his home. This allows for an easier lifestyle and no

commute to work.

The 1960’s saw the growth of the ‘Yuppie”

type of community and the boom of artists. In

search for a workspace, artists looked for the most

economic way to conduct their work. They found

usefulness in old shipping containers and railroad

head cars that were abandoned after WWII. These

shipping containers allowed artists a space to do

work, and sleep if necessary. At the same time, art-

ists found use in abandoned warehouses that were

used for weapon and aircraft storage production.

These large warehouses allowed for large working

spaces for multiple people artists at one time, cre-

ating a form of community.

Due to governmental pressures and sanctions

in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, the artist com-

munity was forced to leave their habitats in search

for new living and working arrangements. As they

moved into the downtown area, they realized the

potential of living in a space that contained

Curuchet House Containers / Warehouses SoHo Soma

History

SoHo Soma

Page 9: Live/Work

1980 1990 2000 >

both space for their work, and for their sleeping

quarters all wrapped up into one. This drive and the

realization that these spaces would be affordable

and practical led to the creation of Live/Work dis-

tricts, most notably SOHO in New York.

The new found affordability for artists in

the downtown area of major cities in the 1970’s,

accompanied by the business boom, led to the idea

of the Sprawling City in the 1980’s. For those who

could afford it at the time, they left the congestion of

the city to the suburbs where they established resi-

dences. It was shortly realized that by sprawling to

the outskirts of the city that it started to cause an

issue with transportation towards downtown, and

not to mention the cost of commuting. People

started to live and work from home with the advent

of technology such as the fax machine and later on

the computer.

The 1980’s also saw the start of sanctions

being put on the concept of Live/Work, which

started the eviction of some artists from their loft

spaces. Developers at the time started to take

notice the popularity of the Live/Work concept, and

started to retrofi t old mills to keep up with the new

sanctions. These mill conversions were designed

around the needs of the artists, with a place for liv-

ing functions and a place for them to do their work,

all at an affordable price.

With the popularity of these new innovative spaces

design specifi cally for the artists, the advent of the

fi rst ground -up constructed Live/Work building

came to fruition in 1987.

The 1990’s brought the concept of com-

munity back into perspective. Not only has Live/

Work boomed in the past decade, but it has now

spread to the rest of the culture to people asides

from artists. Communities are built up in a setting

that consists of big complexes that have living units

and a large shared studio space. Communities are

also built up like the old SOHO district, with retail

and offi ces on the ground fl oor and living space for

the owner on the upper fl oors. With the growing

use of technology, the instability of the economy,

and the cost of commuting further rationalizes the

positive concepts for Live/Work

As the new century rolls around, we look

towards the future of Live/Work. We have seen the

boom in popularity with this typology, and have

adjusted to its growing needs. It has been proven

that for many people, Live/Work has been a suc-

cessful lifestyle. With this knowledge, we look to

the fl exibility of the space. We can see houses be

built with moveable partitions to adjust to specifi c

functions, or extended stay hotel rooms that adapt

as a fl exible offi ce or live space. From what was

once nonexistent, to a narrow defi nition, to a now

broad defi nition; we look towards the future of Live/

Work.

built with moveable partitions to adjust to specifi c built with moveable partitions to adjust to specifi c built with moveable partitions to adjust to specifi c built with moveable partitions to adjust to specifi c

SoHo Soma Sprawling City / Mill Conversions Community Housing / Flex SpacesSoHo Soma

Page 10: Live/Work

Defi nitionsDefi nitions

Page 11: Live/Work

The market defi nition focuses on how realtors

defi ne a live/work space. Words highlighted in the

diagrams are terms that continued to re-appear fre-

quently. As opposed to the regulatory defi nitions,

the market defi nition illustrates the benefi ts of live/

work in a way that appeals to the public.

The International Building Code defi nes live/

work in a quantitative way. It describes how the

space should be built, designed, and what factors

need to be taken into account in order for a project

to be designated as live/work.

The zoning code differs in each city. After

researching various districts in different regions of

the country, we focused on three main factors of

each zoning code: the amount of work space

required, whether signage is permitted, and

whether parking is required. These three distin-

guishing factors reveals how the city considers live/

work and whether it is trying to keep certain areas

more residential or commercial.

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Market Defi nition

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Reoccurring Themes Financial Benefi ts Materials/Features Lifestyle Benefi ts

Since live work is still a relatively new concept

the defi nitions imposed by the real estate market

are extremely infl uential. The diagrams here attempt

to graphically evaluate common words and phrases

appearing in the market descriptions. It is possible

to conclude from these graphics that certain fea-

tures are more attractive than others when consid-

ering design decisions and spatial layouts within live

work units.

Page 13: Live/Work

The reoccurring defi nitions of Live/Work units

create a better understanding of the types of activ-

ities the units would foster. These words incite

imagery in terms of a further defi nition of the Live/

Work type, as shown in the diagram.

Page 14: Live/Work

Zoning Codes

Today, cities are seeing a growth in the

number of live/work units. For some, this has

been seen as a natural growth with the rising costs

of rents and the loss of jobs. For others, this has

been a coerced growth, using live/work units to

de-densify certain parts of the city or drawing

artists into areas, bringing with them the vibrancy

and life that usually follows them.

Many cities are defi ning live/work units

in their zoning codes, allowing for land use

regulation and a further interpretation of the

building code. Using a survey approach, we

researched a variety of cities throughout the

United States and their zoning codes. Through

this study, we found six reoccurring factors that

cities are using to defi ne live/work.

The bar graph on the next page

describes whether that city gave a minimum or

maximum amount of square footage on the live or

work portion of the unit. This is a way for cities to

control what people are calling live/work units. For

instance, with these minimums and maximums,

one cannot take a commercial unit, add a bed, and

call it live/work. Others also cannot simply put a

computer in their residential unit an call that live/

work.

The diagram on the next page shows various cities and which of those six factors they

chose to focus on in their zoning code. Cities in gray indicate areas which had no live/work

defi nition stated in their zoning code.

The zoning code oftentimes states whether

signage is permitted or not. If signage is

permitted there are limitations as to the

amount of signage allowed and how it can

be presented - whether it must lay fl at or

whether it can project off the facade.

SIGN

The barcode indicates cities that regulate

what/how goods are sold in that space.

Some codes maintain that only items

produced in the that unit can be sold there,

while others allow a multitude of goods to

be sold there.

SIGN

Many cities specify a location of work within

the unit. Many areas say that the work

space must be on the ground fl oor if the

live/work unit is multiple stories. However,

other codes simply state where the work

space cannot be, such as the garage for

the city of Chicago

SIGN

Some codes state that a limited amount of

non-residents are allowed to work in the

work area or that a limited amount of

customers or clients are allowed to occupy

the space at one time.

SIGN

Sometimes supplemental parking is

required in addition to what the zoning code

is already asking for in that specifi ed zone.

This can create issues for those trying to

create live/work units in already dense

areas.

SIGN

Many cities regulate what types of business

can occupy the work area in the live/work

unit. This symbol indicates what cities have

limited what type of work is permitted such

as an artist studio/loft and/or retail.

SIGN

Page 15: Live/Work

SIGN

SIGN

SIGN

SIGN

SIGN

SIGN

SIGN

SIGN

SIGN

SIGN

SIGN

SIGN

san diego, ca

cleveland, oh

fairmont, wv

new york

chicago, il

milwaukee, wi

st. paul, mn

boston, ma

west palm beach, fl

fort smith, ak

el paso, tx

% of max live

25%

50%

75%

100%

% of max work

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% of min live % of min work

atlanta, ga

denver, co

las vegas, nv

oklahoma city, ok

phoenix, az

san francisco, ca

seattle, wa

portland, orlynn, ma

los angeles, ca

boise, id

albuquerque, nm

kansas, city, mo

austin, tx

dallas, tx

houston, tx

new orleans, la

washington dc

raleigh, nc

louisville, ky

tampa, fl

philadelphia, pa

minneapolis, mnbismarck, nd

detroit, mi

Page 16: Live/Work

419.1 General. A live/work unit is a dwelling unit

or sleeping unit in which a signifi cant portion of the

space includes a non-residential use that is oper-

ated by the tenant and shall comply with sections

419.1 through 419.8

Exception: Dwelling or sleeping units that

include an offi ce that is less than 10 percent of the

area of the dwelling unit shall not be classifi ed as a

live/work unit.

419.1.1 Limitations. The following shall apply to

all live/work areas:

1. The live/work unit is permitted to be a maxi-

mum of 3,000 square feet (279 m2);

2. The nonresidential area is permitted to be a

maximum of 50 percent of the area of each live/

work unit;

3. The nonresidential area function shall be lim-

ited to the fi rst or main fl oor only of the live/work

unit; and

4. A maximum of fi ve nonresidential workers or

employees are allowed to occupy the nonresiden-

tial area at any one time.

419.2 Occupancies. Live/work units shall be clas-

sifi ed as a Group R-2 occupancy. Separation

requirements found in Sections 420 and 508 shall

not apply within the live/work unit where the

live/work unit is in compliance with Section 419.

High-hazard and storage occupancies shall not be

permitted in a live/work unit. The aggregate area

of storage in the nonresidential portion of the live/

work unit shall be limited to 10 percent of the

space dedicated to nonresidential activities.

419.3 Means of Egress. Except as modifi ed by

this section, the provisions for Group R-2 occu-

pancies in Chapter 10 shall apply to the entire live/

work unit.

419.3.1 Egress Capacity. The egress capacity for

each element of the live/work unit shall be based

on the occupant load for the function served in

accordance with Table 1004.1.1.

419.3.2 Sliding Doors. Where doors in a means

of egress are of the horizontal-sliding type, the

force to slide the door to its fully open position

shall not exceed 50 pounds (220 N) with a perpen-

dicular force against the door of 50 pounds (220

N).

419.3.3 Spiral Stairways. Spiral stairways that

conform to the requirements of Section 1009.9

shall be permitted.

419.3.4 Locks. Egress doors shall be permitted to

be locked in accordance with Exception 4 of

Section 1008.1.9.3.

419.4 Vertical Openings. Floor openings between

fl oor levels of a live/work unit are permitted without

enclosure.

419.5 Fire Protection. The live/work unit shall be

provided with a monitored fi re alarm system where

required by Section 907.2.9 and an automatic

sprinkler system in accordance with Section

903.2.8.

419.6 Structural. Floor loading for the areas

within a live/work unit shall be designed to con-

form to Table 1607.1 based on the function within

the space.

419.7 Accessibility. Accessibility shall be

designed in accordance with Chapter 11.

419.8 Ventilation. The applicable requirements of

the International Mechanical Code shall apply to

each area within the live/work unit for the function

within that space.

International Building Code(As of 2009)

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Live

Work

Page 18: Live/Work

Typical Live/WorkL

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In attempt to categorize live work we sepa-

rated the projects into four scales. These four

scales represent the most common occurrences

of live work;

Studio loft

Home offi ce

Ground fl oor workspace

Community

In the following section we take a closer look

at the different aspects of the space and design of

live work, which are unique to the type. In addition

to the analysis of the traditional live work unit we

have included precedents with unique or unusual

conditions. It is our hope that through these com-

prehensive analyses we paint a clearer picture of

how these strategies connect to combine live work

needs into a singular space.

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User/Access Patterns

Separation

Balance of Live & Work

Additional Features

Precedents

Methods of Analysis

These diagrams describe how the user enters the live/work space. It also differentiates how someone who

works in the space travels through the unit as opposed to someone who lives there.

As the scale becomes larger the separation between live and work becomes more defi ned. For certain

projects, the separation may simply be a piece of furniture while others can be doors, walls, and fl oors. In

small scales, the live and work spaces may not be separated by any physical object, but is instead sepa-

rated by time. These issues are diagramed to show how different projects execute different methods of

separating live and work.

The ratios of live/work are studied through a series of diagrams that visually show the amount of live space

in relationship to the amount of workspace. The larger the scale, the easier it is see this ratio. However, if

the scale is small, like an artist studio/loft, the balance of live/work becomes harder to diagram because

the same space is used for live and work.

Each project has a set of characteristics that are unique to that scale. These diagrams delve into those dis-

tinct qualities to further understand how that unit works.

Because there is no distinct building or unit live/work type, precedents are shown to further illustrate the

range of designs that can be considered a studio/loft, home offi ce, ground fl oor workspace, and

community.

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Liv

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S tudio LoftL

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The studio/loft is the smallest of the live/work

sub-types. This space can be extremely simple

with one room containing all of the programs:

sleeping, eating, cooking, working, and relaxing or

slightly more complex with a lofted space contain-

ing the sleeping area. Whatever the case is, the

one signifi cant characteristic of the studio/loft is

that there is no structural separation of the live/

work areas. It is up to the user to defi ne these

spaces and to separate them according to the

needs of the user. This creates a number of inter-

esting ways to separate live and work whether it is

a piece of furniture or something that is not tangi-

ble, like time.

The most common user for these studio/loft

spaces is the artist. Because of the high number

of artists in cities who utilize these spaces, cities

have started to defi ne artists’ live/work studios in

their zoning codes, specifying required ratios of

live/work, ceiling heights, ventilation requirements,

and other characteristics specifi c to an artists’

needs. Cities have also started employing incen-

tives for artists to move into these spaces and for

developers to build these studio/lofts in certain

areas of town. As a result, artist studio/lofts have

been growing at alarming rates. But because the

space is so compact, it is important to understand

the design logic behind these units and the issues

that may arise from such a small space.

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User/Access Patterns

Loft

Lower Level

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Seeing that the studio loft type has an ambi-

guity between the boundaries of live and work, the

access depends on the time of the day. In the typ-

ical situation, the living quarters are located in a

loft above the kitchen area. Because of this sepa-

ration between the work regions, access to the liv-

ing zone is obtained via the stairs. In order for the

user to access the work quarters he has to walk

down his lofted stairs. The fi rst level of the entire

studio is dedicated to both living and working situ-

ations, with no strict separation. There is an

ambiguous differentiation between what exactly is

work and what is live. Therefore the access

between the two depends on the furniture and not

so much on walking down hallways or entering

through doors. In this type it is hard to remove

oneself from work, for live and work are severely

intertwined. These studio loft units are typically

not individual units but are in a mirrored situation

in a larger building. Therefore access to each stu-

dio loft is separate and private. There does not

have to be any neighborhood camaraderie, as the

tenants of the building never work together as they

do in the community situation, work and live both

occur in their single studio loft units.

The studio loft unit type has an ambiguous

differentiation between the live and work. However,

the threshold between the two is created by the cir-

culation of the stairs.

Threshold

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Separation through Time

7 am 12 pm

7 pm 12 am

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The separation within a studio loft unit is as

fl exible as the provided space. These multipur-

pose spaces are used for various activities; they

in turn determine the separation between the liv-

ing and working spaces. In the morning, when the

kitchen and eating area is used, the separation

becomes the table and boundary it creates

between the living and work space. However,

when the open space is used for working, the

kitchen and bathroom become amenities to sup-

port the work zone. The threshold then becomes

the stair and upper level, creating a boundary to

the sleeping area, which is the only live space at

the time. As the day ends and the multi-use

space becomes a living area, the work space is

minimized to only the equipment, which creates

the separation. When the user is sleeping, the

fl oor is then the separation, as the lower level is

signifi ed as the work space. This constant evolu-

tion of space is separated by various elements,

whether a table or a fl oor, creating the threshold

between live and work.

In the studio we are highlighting the typical

hours that one would work in dark green, and the

uncommon hours in light green. There is no physi-

cal boundary between live and work, therefore one

can work at any hour during the day. This is why

there is no white space in this diagram. The

emphasis of this diagram shows that the work

hours always occur and are more sporadic during

the day.

618

618

24

12

618

618

STUDIO LOFT

HOME OFFICE

GROUND FLR WORK SPACE

COMMUNITY

TYPICAL

FLEXIBLE

24

12

24

12

24

12

TYPICAL

FLEXIBLE

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Work Time

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Balance of Live/Work

7 am 12 pm

7 pm 12 am

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The balance in a studio / loft unit is measured

differently from the rest of our types. The bound-

aries are often undefi ned and converge with one

another. An estimated ratio of work space to live

space would be 1:2. The lower level consists of all

the amenities and services for the studio unit.

These are a separated bathroom and a small

kitchen open to the rest of the apartment. There is

also a need for a large storage closet typically

tucked under the stairs up to the loft. The remain-

ing living space on the lower level is left open.

The space is furnished with whatever furniture or

apparatuses meet the occupants needs as an art-

ist. Depending on the artist, studios usually house

a small dinning table, comfortable chair and work

desk. In the open space both live and work merge

together to create a convenient fl exible area to

work and relax. The upper loft level typically holds

a bed and is primarily used as an area of repose.

Studio / loft units are built to hold as many as two

occupants but hold one more conveniently.

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The Studio/Loft typology of Live/Work

has a lot of unique features. However, there are

some things that should be taken into consider-

ation when thinking about designing a Studio /Loft

unit. These items, although deemed as important

elements, have not been discussed through the

general typology.

As seen through the typical Studio/Loft

unit, these units are usually always seen in a ware-

house or complex style. As a result, careful con-

sideration should be taken for each unit type. With

the wide variety of renters from writer, musicians,

dancers, artists, etc, each person has a need to

customize their space to their specifi c needs. In

the case of the writer, it is essential for their unit to

be quiet. This means that their unit should most

likely not be located near a musicians unit. Or in

the case of the dancer, a special type of fl oor

should be considered for dancing purposes.

With the wide variety of user types,

developers should often consider elements to

really individualize each unit. The usage of sound

proofi ng between units can help mitigate the issue

between different types of artists. In addition, it is

good to individualize each unit with respect to

lighting and ventilation. Depending on the type of

activity in each unit should determine how much

ventilation or lighting is needed. Often times art-

ists will need a stronger ventilation system than

writers, or musicians will need more light than writ-

ers. In any case, the ability to have control over

light and ventilation usage in a per unit setting is a

good way to make each unit type fl exible for differ-

ent artists.

Storage is one of the biggest complaints

amongst artist in live/work units today. The

International Building Code calls for no more than

10% of unit area to be storage. Developers and

architects should try to utilize the full potential of

the 10%. Artists of all types can utilize storage,

and is a welcomed addition into their units.

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Loft

Lower Level

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Page 32: Live/Work

This tiny 240 square foot live/work studio

houses all of its program in one tiny room. In order

to make the space work, Lila built a custom desk

to fi t in the corner, so as not to take up too much

room.

The other piece of furniture that is

needed for adaptability is the sofa bed. During the

day, it is used as couch and at night, it is reconfi g-

ured to become her bed. The sofa bed shows the

temporal separation that occurs in this live/work

studio. It is the time of day that transforms the that

piece of furniture from daytime couch use to night-

time bed use.

PrecedentsLila Studio

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Page 33: Live/Work

Located in a 1935 heritage condomin-

ium, this newly renovated space combined two

600 square foot apartments into one large, highly

fl exible unit. This live/work space would accom-

modate the ever-evolving life, work, social, and

seasonal changes.

To achieve this fl exibility, the apartment

is designed with rolling storage cabinets, each

holding a specifi c set of items: coats, fi les, refriger-

ator, and television. These cabinets can be moved

to create intimate spaces within the loft, or moved

to the side for a loft-like open space. Other fl exi-

ble furniture include the rolling desk, which can

become an extension of the kitchen counter for

entertainment or a work space, depending on the

needs of that time.

PrecedentsApartment 4D, Ottawa, Ontario

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Page 34: Live/Work

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Page 35: Live/Work

The home offi ce is the classic live/work

space. One of the advantages to having this,

aside from the fact that one can work from home,

is that unlike the studio/loft, the home offi ce is

actually separated from the rest of the home.

Although sometimes the space can be small, peo-

ple who do not need many non-resident users to

utilize the offi ce can fi nd this space to be the per-

fect size. Oftentimes, there is no separate

entrance into the workspace and the kitchen and

bathroom is shared between the live and work

functions. But, because the resident is also the

worker, this is usually not a problem.

For many years, people have been using

extra bedrooms and converting them into offi ces.

Once just a room, it has now evolved into a num-

ber of interesting design spaces. Now, designers

and architects are beginning to designate certain

areas of the house with the specifi c use as an

offi ce type. This has caused the threshold

between live and work to also evolve. Before, the

door between the offi ce and the rest of the home

was the only separation between live and work.

However, today, numerous designs have led to

innovating ways for users to cross that threshold.

In certain projects, that separation is a glass

bridge or even an outdoor patio. Whatever the

case may be, the home offi ce is progressing from

simply a room with a desk and computer to new

and creative directions.

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Page 36: Live/Work

User/Access Patterns

Ground Floor

Second Floor

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Page 37: Live/Work

The home offi ce is a unique type as there is

only one means of access, the interior door.

When the user is in the home, they simply walk

into the home offi ce for access. This room is simi-

lar to a spare bedroom as it has a door separating

it from the rest of the house. This door is the only

means of access into the home offi ce. The door

also doubles as the separation of the home offi ce

from the remainder of the home. The home offi ce

does not have it’s own kitchen area or bathrooms,

for it is simply an extra room in the house and uses

all the amenities of the home. This also allows for

fl exibility as the home offi ce can be used in the

future for a spare bedroom or living area, it is not

under strict guidelines on what makes a home

offi ce a specifi c work zone.

The work space in the home offi ce unit type

uses the elements of the stair and corridor to cre-

ate a threshold when accessed from the living

area. However, the secondary circulation, when

living amenities are used, blur the boundary of this

threshold.

Threshold

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Page 38: Live/Work

Separation

Ground Floor

Second Floor

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Page 39: Live/Work

The separation of space is important in all

live/work units, especially in a condition such as

the home offi ce. The only division of space comes

from partition walls and the small fl oor area above

the offi ce unit, as most home offi ces are found on

the ground fl oor. In the case of some new homes,

which are designed for live/work, there is a sepa-

rate entrance into the offi ce from the exterior in

addition to the main entry, but this is unusual. The

hallway from the offi ce to the main space is con-

sidered part of the separation as it creates a buffer

zone between strictly live functions and the work

functions of the offi ce. Not only do the walls and

physical elements create separation but time is

also a boundary for the space. The home offi ce is

used during regular business hours but consider-

ing its close proximity to living elements its very

likely that the space is used before or after the

standard nine to fi ve work day. Since the design of

a home offi ce is so standardized almost any room

in a house can be transformed, thus reducing the

number or unique features the area can possess.

In a new unit accessories like customizable stor-

age will thicken the separation increasing the

acoustic qualities of the boundaries.

White is introduced in the home offi ce illus-

trating when it is unlikely that one would work.

The dark green emphasizes when work normally

occurs and the light green emphasizes when it

could be used, but not as typical as the dark

green. The light green at noon also shows the typ-

ical lunch break a worker would take.

618

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STUDIO LOFT

HOME OFFICE

GROUND FLR WORK SPACE

COMMUNITY

TYPICAL

FLEXIBLE

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TYPICAL

FLEXIBLE

Work Time

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Page 40: Live/Work

Balance of Live/Work

Ground Floor

Second Floor

Ground Floor

Second Floor

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Page 41: Live/Work

In a home offi ce the radio of work to live is

dramatically smaller than many of the other types.

Depending on the size of the residential unit the

ratio may vary. Using our typical condition the ratio

of work space to live space would read 1:8. The

home offi ce is often just one room in a larger multi

bedroom residential unit. Typically the only occu-

pants allowed to work in a home offi ce have to be

a resident of the unit the home offi ce resides. Our

condition shows the home offi ce on the lower level

accessible to the living area, bathroom and other

common amenities of the house hold. It is not

uncommon to see these offi ces on the second

level adjacent to the bedrooms. One of the bene-

fi ts of having a home offi ce is convenience. Many

young families incorporate these into the design of

there households in order to spend more time with

the family. It allows for more fl exible hours and it

eliminates routine work related transportation

costs.

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The Home Offi ce typology of Live/Work

has a lot of the same characteristics that any typi-

cal home has. However, what distinguishes the

regular home from a home that contains a Home

Offi ce is the balance between the usage of home

functions throughout the day. For instance, the

home will function as a living mechanism by night,

and as an offi ce by day. This becomes more prev-

alent when more than one person works at the

Home Offi ce.

With this in mind, there are a few con-

cepts that should be taken into consideration when

designing for a Home Offi ce. The fi rst one is the

size of the space. In most occasions, the Home

Offi ce is designed as a single room for a single

user. The room is often such a size that can pos-

sibly be converted later into an additional bed-

room, if the inhabitants decide to sell their home.

If the home owner decides to expand the offi ce

beyond the single individual, there should be a

consideration of enlarging the room, or possible

joining multiple rooms depending on the offi ce

usage.

The Home Offi ce in most cases is

designed with the idea of a business in mind. This

usually limits the activities to not necessarily art-

ists, but more business orientated developments

such as architecture fi rms, engineering fi rms,

accounting, etc. Due to the more business orien-

tated development, there becomes less of a need

for a separation between ventilation and lighting.

In most cases, the lighting and ventilation systems

are ties into the system that carries the load for the

rest of the house. This can said as well for sound-

proofi ng. When the working activity takes place

within the house, the living aspects tend to cease

to exist. The exception to this concept can be

when the work involves some sought of music, or

if family members spend most of their day in the

house during working hours.

The last thing that should be taken into

consideration is storage. In a business setting,

the idea of a storage closet is crucial. The loca-

tion of this closet should be located within the

workspace of the Home Offi ce and should be

somehow separated from the rest of the house. In

a home that has kids, it is pertinent to keep this

room under observation as it will most likely have

items in which could be of interest to the kids, and

pose as a potential danger.

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Page 43: Live/Work

Ground Floor

Second Floor

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This new reinterpretation of a Pittsburgh

row house was built between two 19th century

town homes as a live/work unit for architects. The

design incorporates an open fl oor plan along with

a two-story skylight volume that connects both

fl oors visually.

The fi rst fl oor contains the kitchen and

living spaces, while the second level contains the

workspace. Both of these areas are connected by

a glass bridge, which visually and materially sepa-

rates the most public space with the most private

space. This architectural element uses the mate-

rial to make users aware of the difference in mate-

riality when walking along the fl oor, which is wood

in the offi ce and glass on the bridge.

Ground Floor

Second Floor

Roof Terrace

PrecedentsProject, Pittsburgh

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Christopher Hays and Allison Ewing

designed a two-part live/work structure that com-

bines and separates the live/work spaces.

The overall design connects the building

with the landscape and incorporates the ideas of

sustainability, Japanese architecture and modern

design.

The living areas are contained on the fi rst fl oor

and the bedrooms are on the second. Their work

area, an architecture offi ce is also on the fi rst

fl oor. The separation between live and work is an

exterior space, which is bridged together by the

raised porch space and enclosed by cypress lou-

vered doors.

This example of the home offi ce is differ-

ent from the typical because of the separate

entrance into the space.

Ground Floor

Second Floor

PrecedentsMa House, Charlottesville

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Page 46: Live/Work

G round Floor Workspace

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Page 47: Live/Work

The Ground Floor Workspace type of

Live/Work has by far been the biggest growing

trend in our country today. With the poor econ-

omy and the rising gas prices, it has become

more economically applicable to travel as little

as possible to work. For those who own their

own offi ce or retail business, the concept of

“Zero-Commute Housing” has caught the atten-

tion of many people.

What has helped the ability of “Zero-

Commute Housing” is the concept of urban

sprawl. In an attempted to live the busy down-

town cities to fi nd more affordable cheap hous-

ing, people started moving to the suburbs, and

decided to commute farther to work. As we all

know, time and money is essential in a poor

economy. So the most effi cient way to alleviate

this problem is to bring work closer to the home.

Now there are self suffi cient cities that consists of

multiple Live/Work typologies, especially that of

the Ground Floor workspace.

The Ground Floor Workspace typology

allows for the owner of the store or offi ce to live

directly above his workspace. This concept was

fi rst come to fruition in the SOHO district of New

York back in the 1970’s, specifi cally built and

used by the “yuppie” generation. Nowadays, it

has expanded to all types of people, and just not

‘yuppies”.

The design of the Ground Floor

Workspace is relatively basic and self explana-

tory. With the fi rst fl oor being dedicated to either

offi ce or retail, there are typically two or three

fl oors of live space, depending on the size of the

development and the family. In this case, a two

fl oor confi guration is ideal for up to a three per-

son family. The second fl oor of the building con-

sists of an open fl oor plan for more public

encounters. It contains a full kitchen, dining

area, half bathroom and living space. There is

also an associated deck overlooking the back of

the row house.

The third fl oor encompasses the more

private functions of the house. It consists of two

bedrooms with their own private bathroom and

walk-in closets. All these functions are con-

nected by a small hallway.

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Ground Floor

Second Floor

Third Floor

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There are many different types of

access patterns for Ground Floor Workspace. In

most cases, a Ground Floor Workspace Live/

Work unit is set up in a row house condition.

Typically, there are two separate entrances, one

for direct access to the workspace on the ground

fl oor, and another entrance that specifi cally gains

access to the living unit above. However, there is

a door that connects the ground fl oor workspace

to the stairs leading to the living unit. This allows

for the owner access to his offi ce / store without

having to go outside. This also allows for a bit of

fl exibility. If in the future the owner wants to rent

out either the ground fl oor workspace, or the

living unit above, the interior door can be locked

and blocked off, and each unit type can still have

a dedicated entrance.

With the fi rst fl oor being dedicated to

either offi ce or retail, there are typically two or

three fl oors of live space, depending on the size

of the development and the family. To maximize

the fl oor plan space, a stair located along the

party wall works best. Not only does the stair

increase a noise buffer between adjacent units,

but also helps to create a effi cient link to the

exterior as well as the workspace below.

For design guidelines having to do with

accessibility of a living unit, please refer to the

International Building Code as well as city Zoning

Laws.

a door that connects the ground fl oor workspace a door that connects the ground fl oor workspace

The ground fl oor workspace is accessible by

a progression through the threshold created by the

elements of the stairs and corridor, and fi nally pro-

ceeding through the entry to the work area.

Threshold

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Page 50: Live/Work

Ground Floor

Second Floor

Third Floor

SeparationLiv

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Page 51: Live/Work

In Live/Work units, the boundary of the

space is the biggest distinction for what is live

and what is work. In the case of the Ground

Floor Workspace confi guration, there is one

major boundary to be considered; the fl oor. With

the fi rst fl oor solely dedicated to a workspace,

and the two above fl oors to a live space, the fl oor

(whether made of wood or steel) is seen as the

sound, smoke, and fi re barrier between the two

different functions.

What also distinguishes this Live/Work

type is the separation by a stair and a wall on the

fi rst fl oor. The stair acts as a separator, or con-

nector, to that of the workspace and live space. It

is the only object that penetrates the fl oor barrier.

At the same time, an additional separation is

seen by a wall on the fi rst fl oor from the work-

space to the stair vestibule. As stated on the pre-

vious page, not only does this allow for a private

separation from one type to another, but the wall

also acts as a defi ning moment on the ground

fl oor of the exact boundary of the workspace.

Asides from the fl oor element and wall

element as discussed, there is no further separa-

tion needed between the workspace and lives

pace (as diagramed below).

For design guidelines having to do with

fi re separation of a living unit, please refer to the

International Building Code as well as city Zoning

Laws.

Because the ground fl oor workspace has typ-

ical business hours the white space increases and

the light green decreases. The dark green shows

the normal business hours leaving an hour leeway

if one comes early or leaves late from work. The

lunch hour is removed as light green because a

store/offi ce would need to be open all hours of a

typical workday.

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STUDIO LOFT

HOME OFFICE

GROUND FLR WORK SPACE

COMMUNITY

TYPICAL

FLEXIBLE

24

12

24

12

24

12

TYPICAL

FLEXIBLE

Work Time

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Ground Floor

Second Floor

Third Floor

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Page 53: Live/Work

In order to design an effi cient Live/Work

unit, the ratio of work to live space must be greatly

considered. For the most part, this ratio is differ-

ent in all cities according to each individual zoning

law. For the case of this ground fl oor workspace

typology, the ratio will be roughly 1:3, that is the

lives pace will be approximately double that of the

workspace

The International Building Code states

that a Live/Work space is allowed to have a maxi-

mum of 50% and a minimum of 10% size area for

a work space. Obviously in order to maximize effi -

ciency of a retail or offi ce space the 50% limit will

be pushed to the maximum. However, when

designing a complex of Live/Work units, they will

be in some sought of row house design. With the

need to stack elements (as seen in the plans

below), the possibility of reaching the 50% is a

hard task. Not to mention that the ground fl oor

workspace has to be handicap accessible as well,

which eliminates the idea of being able to extend

the offi ce or retail space to a second fl oor.

It is important to keep in mind that when

choosing the size of space, that the type of space

you want to create will have a driving factor. Sizes

of furniture, display cases, handicap accessibility

will all have a hand on how big your space will

need to be.

For design guidelines having to do with

workspace to live space fl oor area ration, please

refer to the International Building Code as well as

city Zoning Laws.

law. For the case of this ground fl oor workspace

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The Ground Floor Workspace typology

of Live/Work has certain unique features that sep-

arates it from all the other types. Asides from the

typical derived in this typology, there are some

things that should be considered when designing

this type.

Often design as part of a complex, this

Live/Work type utilizes a party-wall condition

between units. This condition often acts as a fi re

separation, as well as acoustic separation

between units. The fi re separation is required by

code, but the acoustic separation is optional, but is

often applied depending on the type of working

conditions in adjacent units. If adjacent units con-

sists of solely offi ce space, then acoustic separa-

tion might not be necessary. However, if there is

retail adjacent to an offi ce, then this concept

should be applied.

In keeping in mind the idea of separation

of Live/Work within a unit via a stair, electric, venti-

lation, and HVAC components are often separated

between the live and work portions of the unit.

Due to the physical fl oor separation between live

and work, the separation of these elements acts

as a cost saving measure. The separation is also

utilized because often the type and need of light-

ing, ventilation, and other HVAC components differ

from those needed in the living unit.

With the Ground Floor Workspace utiliz-

ing the different typologies of retail and offi ce

space, accessibility becomes a key issue. In

opening the fi rst fl oor up to customers or cowork-

ers, the fi rst fl oor by code has to be accessible.

Although the Ground Floor Workspace has to be

accessible, there is no requirement for the entire

unit to be accessible. This typology is usually

designed for a small family, different from the

other Live/Work types which usually caters to a

specifi c individual.

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Ground Floor

Second Floor

Third Floor

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This live/work space sits between two existing

exterior walls and uses its wooden fl oors to sepa-

rate the program. The fi rst fl oor contains an archi-

tecture offi ce, the second is has the dining area,

the third is for the living space, and the fourth fl oor

has the sleeping area.

The facade uses colored lights to show

the differences in the program for each fl oor to the

public, inciting interest among the residents.

Ground Floor

Second Floor

Third Floor

Fourth Floor

Roof Terrace

PrecedentsProject, Antwerpen

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For chefs Robert and Molly Krause,

cooking at home as a whole new meaning to it.

Buying an existing stone house in Kansas, the

Krauses renovated the house and added new

structures around it. The existing building houses

their living spaces, while the new addition contains

a two-level apartment for Molly’s mother and a

glass pavilion for their restaurant.

The use of glass and steel for the addi-

tions contrasted against the original limestone

home, which strengthened the presence of the

older house.

The program of this live/work space

required a special-use permit and shows the wide

range of programs that can be in a live/work

space.

Ground Floor

Second Floor

PrecedentsHome Cooking, East Lawrence

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Community Live/Work spaces are the best

solution for people who dislike the seclusion of

typical Live/Work studio lofts. In the Community

Live/Work space residents can benefi t from a pri-

vate living space but still have the community feel

when they are in the shared work space with other

residents. This is a good option for people who

want to decrease their commute to work but still

enjoy a separation of their live space and work

space. The communal work space is usually

located centrally on a lower fl oor with living spaces

located on the fl oors above. The work space stays

open during normal business hours and generally

open to the public. In the past these community

live/work spaces have been occupied primarily by

artists. They have used their work spaces to invite

the public into exhibitions displaying artist work.

These communal work spaces offer a good envi-

ronment for residents to collaborate with other res-

idents to complete projects together. These

spaces are often very open and have loose bound-

aries between individual work spaces. This open-

ness is done to promote the collaboration between

the residents.

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Page 60: Live/Work

User/Access Patterns

(exhibit)

office/support

flex workspace

Ground Floor

Second Floor

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Page 61: Live/Work

There are two main different types of access

patterns in the community type; the more private

interior stairwells and the direct exterior entrance.

In these community buildings the fi rst fl oor is com-

posed as an open work with units of apartments

on the levels above. These units above are

strictly live units as work does not take place here.

Work always happens on the fi rst level in the com-

munity space. When one is in their respected unit

of residence and wants to access their working

space they have to exit their unit and walk down

the interior hallway to the interior stairs and fi nally

to the fi rst level of the building. The workspace on

this level is opened during certain hours, encour-

aging the residents of the building to form a work-

ing community together. If one wants to work after

the hours of the community space are open, they

have to use their key to get into the space. The

other entry is accessed via an exterior door.

However, the people living in the building are the

people using the workspace so the interior stair-

wells is the most common means of access. This

is also more convenient for the user, so he/she

does not have to go outside to access the work-

space. While working there is easy access to rest-

rooms and a small kitchen area, which is also

located on the same level. This provides for a bet-

ter work environment, as the worker does not have

to exit the fl oor and enter their individual living

units for these amenities.

Within the Community type, the circulation

from the living unit to the workspace is a progres-

sion through a number of elements that create a

threshold. This threshold between live and work is

created by the elements of the corridor, stair, entry

of workspace and the navigation through the com-

munal space toward the personal work space.

Threshold

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Page 62: Live/Work

Separation

Ground Floor

Second Floor

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Page 63: Live/Work

In a community live/work situation the sepa-

ration of space is very different from that of the

other types presented here. The units of live and

work are not enclosed in the same space therefore

any means of circulation between the live unit and

work space creates a boundary. In most cases this

consists of hallways, staircases, building cores,

and the fl oor slab. In a few rare cases the live units

are contained in a different building but still within

close proximity, usually a fi ve to fi fteen minute

walk away. In a community where separate build-

ings house different functions the streets, alley-

ways, and building exteriors create additional

boundaries of space. Generally in a situation

where work spaces are all together and live

spaces well separated extra characteristics are

integrated into the design. These include acoustic

barriers, thicker fl oor slabs, higher ceilings, sup-

plemental ventilation, extra storage, and separate

electrical services. All of these features are bene-

fi ts of being able to physically separate the spaces

to a higher degree than any other type previously

mentioned. They also diversify the types of work

that can be done within the building and the addi-

tional features add market appeal to the units.

The community workspace has typical work-

space hours which it would be open therefore this

entire time is dark green in the diagram. The white

illustrates nighttime, when the space is locked.

The light green spaces disappear, as there are no

in-between work hours; the community workspace

is either open or closed.

618

618

24

12

618

618

STUDIO LOFT

HOME OFFICE

GROUND FLR WORK SPACE

COMMUNITY

TYPICAL

FLEXIBLE

24

12

24

12

24

12TYPICAL

FLEXIBLE

Work Time

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Page 64: Live/Work

Balance of Live/Work

Ground Floor

Second Floor

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Page 65: Live/Work

The scale of the community live work unit is

signifi cantly larger than the rest of the types. The

community Live / work units are organized similar

to the ground fl oor work units. There are two fl oors

of live units above and a communal work fl oor

located on ground level or in the basement. The

ratio is skewed because in some cases people liv-

ing in the vicinity of the live work building are

allowed to use the work space as well. Another

difference are the units above, they are often sin-

gle story studio units housing one to two occu-

pants. These factors may change the ratio to read

closer to 1:1. Meaning every occupant of the

building has a small live space above and a large

shared space to work on the lower level. In some

cases the lower work level is parceled out into

individual work areas. Methods of division include

marked tape on the ground, curtains on tracks and

movable solid partitions. On a busy day the lower

work level can become a lively space encouraging

creativity, community interaction and collaboration

between residents. In some cases there are spe-

cial amenities offered such as cocktail bars, gal-

lery spaces, and lounge areas.

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Page 66: Live/Work

The Community typology of Live/Work

has the interesting concept between an entire sep-

aration between live and work. As seen in the typ-

ical and precedents, the community typology has

the distinction of having to travel a greater dis-

tance between the living unit to the workspace,

whether it being having to travel through the exte-

rior conditions, or having to travel through a build-

ing complex. Like the Studio/Loft, the community

is often arranged in a warehouse or complex envi-

ronment. Due to multiple people of different art-

ists types coming together into an individual large

“community” space, there are some additional

things to consider.

In a community space, many people

come together and utilize a specifi c area of an

open fl oor plan. This open fl oor plan arrangement

is in most cases divided by moveable partitions,

that can be arranged depending on the size of

space needed for each artists. It is not uncommon

to see a grouping of certain artists types in partic-

ular areas, such as the musicians inhabiting a cor-

ner of the open fl oor plan, and artists

encompassing the opposite corner of the room.

Due to the open fl oor plan arrangement, this type

of setup is not necessarily ideal for writers.

Since artists are allowed to move into

the community space freely, some type of security

measures should be taken to make sure each per-

sons stuff is not damaged or stolen. This issue

can be alleviated with the institution of security

cameras, swipe card access, or the typical secu-

rity guard that can be on duty 24 hours a day. Of

course there are benefi ts and disadvantages to

each, but it is up to the discretion of the developer,

architect, or building supervisor to institute these

measures.

The lighting and HVAC components of a

community space differs most dramatically from

the other typologies. With a large open space, as

well as increased ceiling heights, the need of an

extensive HVAC system in correlation to multiple

lighting types become prevalent. In putting multi-

ple artists types in a large open space, the entire

space has to be considered in terms of the com-

munity and not the individual artists. The devel-

oper, architect, and building manager has to tackle

this issue as it arises based on its occupants.

Often times the large space ends up being divided

into artists type rooms to control lighting and

HVAC components more accurately based on

need.

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Page 67: Live/Work

(exhibit)

office/support

flex workspace

Ground Floor

Second Floor

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Page 68: Live/Work

The Falcon Art Community is depicted

more along the lines of the Live/Work Typical for

Community. The building itself consists of four-

stories total, with three stories above ground being

living units, and the basement solely dedicated to

space for artists. The artists spaces in the base-

ment are divided into individual units for privacy.

The fact that the live space is separated from the

work space in a single complex is what makes this

a Community.

This Precedent is slightly different from

the typical in the way of the Community layout.

The Typical relates the workspace as an more

open community interactive element, as opposed

to the Falcon Art Community which is designed for

more privacy of works paces.

PrecedentsFalcon Art Community, Portland

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Page 69: Live/Work

PARKING

PARKING

GATE

103 104

117

116 115

125

110

101

Hunters Point Shipyard was designed as

a community living area for artists. The site is

organized within a compound that entails buildings

that are designated for living, with a community

building for the creation of artists work. The layout

of buildings and the separation of activities creates

a sense of community. With its location in San

Francisco, the fact of having to move from one

building to another by experiencing the outdoor

elements does not play as much of a factor as if it

was located in a colder climate.

This precedent provides an example that

a Community Live/Work development does not

necessarily have to be housed within the same

complex. With taking into consideration location,

it is feasible to create a Community that is

detached from different program pieces.

PrecedentsHunter’s Point Shipyard, San Francisco

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Page 70: Live/Work

New Ideas

Page 71: Live/Work

As with most architectural types there are

always a few designers trying to push the bound-

aries. In this section, titled New Ideas, we are

exploring two new directions that hold potential for

live/work. Both ideas are bases on different mar-

ket demands that have become very infl uential.

The fi rst concept is that of a temporary live/work

hotel suite. The working professional traveling for

business is a user group, which has been almost

entirely ignored. This concept takes their needs

into consideration and explores the extents of

hotel room design. The second building discussed

in this section takes the idea of adaptability and

stretches it to the limits. It allows for three different

scenarios: live, live/work, and work. As the sus-

tainable lifestyle becomes more and more appar-

ent in home design, more cases of highly

adaptable building types such as the Flex House

will increase tremendously. These featured proj-

ects are just the starting point and only hint at the

potential concealed in the live/work framework,

only time will tell where the boundaries lie within

this type.

Page 72: Live/Work

The concept behind IDEO’s project for

a Marriott Townhouse Suite might be the next big

thing for those business people always on the go.

This concept takes into consideration the need

for a mobile offi ce. These suites are designed as

a live/work space, with more emphasis on the

work aspect. The room, designed to be part of a

hotel and for extended stay usage, has the mini-

mum necessities for living in an extended stay

environment, with also providing for an offi ce

style workspace.

This concept of the mobile, extended

stay live/work unit type has started becoming

popular all over the world. Also known as

“PODS” in other areas, this concept helps to alle-

viate business travel issues as our society today

becomes more mobile and always on the go.

IDEO Marriott Towneplace Suites

Page 73: Live/Work
Page 74: Live/Work

Appropriately named the “Flex House”,

this conceptual living environment expands on

the idea of adaptability. The Flex House is

designed to incorporate moveable partitions that

can create space. With the service core located

to one side of the house, the rest of the fl oor area

can be manipulated based on the user. The

owner could option the house to be entirely work,

removing all the partitions, or the owner can elect

to transform the space into live/work, or just live

depending on the insertion of partitions.

The exterior of the building was also

designed to be fl exible. A trellis like structure

surrounds the building. At certain points, the

owner can option to open parts of the trellis or

keep them closed depending on the needs of the

occupant. In most cases, if the building is dedi-

cated to an offi ce then parts of the trellis will be

open. If it is dedicated to live, then privacy will be

sought after.

Flex House

Page 75: Live/Work
Page 76: Live/Work

Comparison

618

618

24

12

618

618

STUDIO LOFT

HOME OFFICE

GROUND FLR WORK SPACE

COMMUNITY

TYPICAL

FLEXIBLE

24

12

24

12

24

12

618

618

24

12

618

618

STUDIO LOFT

HOME OFFICE

GROUND FLR WORK SPACE

COMMUNITY

TYPICAL

FLEXIBLE

24

12

24

12

24

12

618

618

24

12

618

618

STUDIO LOFT

HOME OFFICE

GROUND FLR WORK SPACE

COMMUNITY

TYPICAL

FLEXIBLE

24

12

24

12

24

12

618

618

24

12

618

618

STUDIO LOFT

HOME OFFICE

GROUND FLR WORK SPACE

COMMUNITY

TYPICAL

FLEXIBLE

24

12

24

12

24

12

The concept of Separation is a crucial element

when describing Live/Work units. As seen in the

typical of the book, separation of live and work is

in most cases designated by a wall or fl oor sepa-

ration. The one exception to this rule is the

Studio/Loft which defi nes separation by furniture,

rather than a more solid separation of a wall or

ceiling.

In looking at the Balance of Live/Work, there

becomes a noticeable distinction between each

typical. The community Live/Work for instance

has an overwhelming amount of work space com-

pared to the size of the individual unit. However,

the entire balance of Live/Work as derived by the

code take into consideration the building as a

whole, with all units taken into consideration with

respect to the one open workspace. The rest of

the typical Live/Work units have the majority of

their space as live. The work portion is usually

imbedded into the living with the exception of the

Ground Floor Workspace, whose purpose is to be

relatively separate from the living space due to

the option of retail activities.

Overall, each Live/Work typology takes into con-

sideration the same concepts, but tweaks them

slightly to make their typologies unique. The

matrix to the right helps give the reader an overall

understanding of the major differences of typolo-

gies presented in this book with respect to the

major concepts of User/Access Patters,

Separation, and Balance of Live/Work.

In looking at the typical presented in this

book, it is important to discover the major differ-

ences between each Live/Work typology. In a

broad sense, many factors play into the unique

development of each type such as codes, devel-

opers and architects initiatives, type of users, and

site location. This pattern book not only strives to

take these ideas into consideration, but also tries

to draw upon conclusions made through research

to derive at each typical Live/Work unit in respect

to User/Access Patterns, Separation, and

Balance of Live/Work.

User/Access Patterns are different for every-

one. The different Live/Work typicals prove how

different set ups are able to adjust to different

modes of living. For instance, the Studio/Loft unit

meshes the live and work together, providing the

user with a short distance of travel between live

in work. This distance becomes further as you

go from the Home Offi ce typical, to the Ground

Floor Workspace typical, and eventually the

Community typical which has the longest dis-

tance of travel. The concept of User/Access

Patterns is usually dependent upon the prefer-

ence of the user. Some people appreciate the

integration of Live/Work, whereas others try to

separate their living and working activities as

much as possible while keeping the distance

within the realm of Live/Work.

Studio Loft

Home Offi ce

Ground FloorWorkspace

Community

Work Time Threshold

Page 77: Live/Work

Circulation Separation Balance of Live/Work

(sequence) (sequence)

Page 78: Live/Work

Live/Work Team

Jesse Cabrera Rob Cayer Juliet Chuncode-r historicist zone-ster graphic guru

Nawaz Kamthewala

Page 79: Live/Work

Kathryn Moore Ben Stracco Kaitlyn Wolk Matthew Littelldiagram diva logo-master circ. chick Prof. graphicizer

Page 80: Live/Work
Page 81: Live/Work
Page 82: Live/Work

LIVE/WORK

ARCH G691 GRADUATE DEGREE

PROJECT STUDIO

FALL 2009

This publication has been prepared as

part of a five week graduate thesis studio

assignment in the Northeastern University

School of Architecture for the Fall 2009

Architecture G691 course. Other publications

in this series include urban retail, office, and

parking garage typologies, all produced

by graduate students in the Northeastern

University architecture program.