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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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FALL 2009
Northeastern University School of Architecture
ARCH G691 Graduate Degree Project Studio
LIVE/WORK
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
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
Introduction
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.
< 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
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
Defi nitionsDefi nitions
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.
Market Defi nition
Cu
sto
miz
atio
n
Bu
sin
ess
& P
ers
on
al n
ee
ds
Old
wa
reh
ou
se
Art
ists
Sto
refr
on
t
On
e m
ort
ga
ge
De
du
ct w
ork
fro
m t
axe
s
Aff
ord
ab
le
Exp
en
se r
ed
uct
ion
Eco
-fri
en
dly
at
low
co
st
Ce
ntr
ally
loca
ted
Am
en
itie
s
Do
wn
tow
n li
vin
g
Wa
lka
bili
ty
Sh
ort
er
com
mu
tes
Exp
ose
d b
rick
Hig
h c
eili
ng
s
Se
pa
rate
en
tra
nce
s
Ha
rdw
oo
d fl
oo
rs
Lay
ou
t fl e
xib
ility
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.
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.
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
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
chic
ago
st. p
aul
san
dieg
o
las
vega
s
new
yor
k ci
ty
fort
sm
ith
atla
nta
lynn
denv
er
fairm
ont
rale
igh
phoe
nix
clev
elan
d
% 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
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)
Live
Work
Typical Live/WorkL
ive
Wo
rkH
om
eG
rou
nd
Co
mm
un
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tud
io
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.
Liv
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Stu
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Ho
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Gro
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om
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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.
Liv
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Ho
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Stu
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Liv
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Stu
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S tudio LoftL
ive
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tud
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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.
Liv
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User/Access Patterns
Loft
Lower Level
Liv
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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
Liv
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Stu
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Separation through Time
7 am 12 pm
7 pm 12 am
Liv
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Stu
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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.
G
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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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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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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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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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User/Access Patterns
Ground Floor
Second Floor
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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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Separation
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Second Floor
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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.
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STUDIO LOFT
HOME OFFICE
GROUND FLR WORK SPACE
COMMUNITY
TYPICAL
FLEXIBLE
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FLEXIBLE
Work Time
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Balance of Live/Work
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Second Floor
Ground Floor
Second Floor
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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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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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G round Floor Workspace
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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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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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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
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24
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TYPICAL
FLEXIBLE
Work Time
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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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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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User/Access Patterns
(exhibit)
office/support
flex workspace
Ground Floor
Second Floor
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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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Separation
Ground Floor
Second Floor
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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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Balance of Live/Work
Ground Floor
Second Floor
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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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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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(exhibit)
office/support
flex workspace
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Second Floor
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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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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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New Ideas
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.
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
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
Comparison
618
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STUDIO LOFT
HOME OFFICE
GROUND FLR WORK SPACE
COMMUNITY
TYPICAL
FLEXIBLE
24
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24
12
24
12
618
618
24
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618
618
STUDIO LOFT
HOME OFFICE
GROUND FLR WORK SPACE
COMMUNITY
TYPICAL
FLEXIBLE
24
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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
Circulation Separation Balance of Live/Work
(sequence) (sequence)
Live/Work Team
Jesse Cabrera Rob Cayer Juliet Chuncode-r historicist zone-ster graphic guru
Nawaz Kamthewala
Kathryn Moore Ben Stracco Kaitlyn Wolk Matthew Littelldiagram diva logo-master circ. chick Prof. graphicizer
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.