Lifecycle Appartments > Bauhaus Awards 2008

A concept by Stefan de Beer and Jeanne Kneusse [Univ. Stuttgart, Creapole ESDI Paris, Sorbonne Arts Paris]

'Architect of your own life'In order to offer more life quality it seemed particularly important to us to design homes that accompany different periods of life. Those life periods are linked to basic needs as home and space, for example when starters get their first child, when kids grow to young adults or when old people need to move to their children in order to get supported in every day life… all these changes are followed by new living situations. People who can’t afford moving to bigger spaces, often have to share the little space and intimacy they have. But sharing small living space decreases to less life quality.

Our contribution to the Bauhaus contest is a mixture of freedom of choices (for the tenants), social accompanishment and living security in order to stimulate. Lego and Knex are famous for their creative effect on children. That’s how we started the concept of an adaptable home: Developing an all duty system that is changeable into (low cost) bigger or smaller spaces and adaptable to any life situation. Just as Lego simulates these endless possibilities to kids.

a possible evolution of a lifcycle appartment

standard wall panels each existing of even smaller standardized elements

sketch studies > diversity by multiplying

A limited number of standard wall elements with integrated funcionality > foldable benches, tables, beds and also closet space, kitchen elements, bookshelfs, lighting and a standard bathroom and toilet unit. Combine and there will be endless possibilities. Feed your wish list to the software program and it calculates exactly what you need and where you need it.



a lifecycle appartment in one of the stages of evolution

finding a balance between standardizing, basic luxury, materials, affordability and life quality.

an echo of the 'Bauhaus' villa by stacking the standard units > 7 growing homes in this layout.

facades in different materials

Old 1914 factory buildings on the left as integrated in the plan. They will partly be used as warehouse for the interchangeable modular building parts.

aerial shot of the estate with the 350 growing homes.