Micro Studio Complex

THE SITE

the project is located in the miles neighborhood of tucson, arizona. this neighborhood consists of single-family houses, an elementary school, and businesses along broadway blvd, all built between 1930 and 1950.

the site itself is directly north of cherry field, home to both local high school baseball teams and a pecos league team, the tucson saguaros.

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THE PROPOSAL

the proposal derives its angle from the YIMBY views on the site - cherry field to the SW and the santa catalina mountains to the NE. the project consists of 12 micro studio units divided into two buildings to the east and a community building to the west. the community building is divided into 3 levels:

- the first is for residents, with laundry, office space, mailboxes, administration, and bike parking.
- the second is for the neighborhood, with a kitchen, dining space, and community rooms.
- the third level is the roof, and utilizes its excellent view of the baseball stadium to host events for the whole community like tailgates.

on the first floor the neighboring buildings to the NW are connected to the project through a xeriscape garden. below the second floor overhang of the community building is a garden maintained by the residents for food crops or flower beds.

first floor plan

second floor plan

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section cut through micro studio units

THE MICRO STUDIO UNIT

the project contains 12 micro studios, each ~300 square feet in size. this is divided into two primary sections along with a bathroom. due to the limited floor space, the vertical space has been optimized to maximize storage space without diminishing utility. the units feature a linear design, with all circulation taking place along a single axis.

the micro studios are arranged so that each living room faces the internal courtyard and each bedroom faces a desirable view, either the baseball fields or the santa catalina mountains. there are no east or west-facing windows, and overhanging roofs to the south provide constant shade from the intense arizona sun.

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DIAGRAMS

co-housing works best when residents are in control of their living spaces. therefore, the project is designed to be adaptable around the residents’ needs. these two sets of diagrams show the use of sliding/folding doors and roller shades to create public, interactive space or private, intimate space in the community rooms (first diagram set) and in each micro studio unit (second set).

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THE ROOFS

the roofs of the buildings are designed to overhang to provide shade to the south facades during the summer but allow controlled light in the winter.

this design is especially important for the garden located below the overhang of the community building. the overhang protects the garden from the piercing summer sun but accommodates the much milder winter sun. this design allows the garden to function year-round.

THE WESTERN FACADE

in response to the intensity of the arizona late afternoon sun, the western facade is shielded. small slits above eye level are designed to let in light without shining in the eyes of the inhabitants.

this facade design also responds to another NIMBY factor on the site - exceptionally bright porch lights on the apartment building immediately to the west. the slit design minimizes these porch lights' intrusiveness.