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Apartment Complex: Notes

The document provides an overview of different types of apartment complexes and considerations for designing apartment units and complexes. It describes 8 types of apartment structures like narrow infill, row, shop top, courtyard (U-shaped and linear), perimeter, and tower (podium and freestanding). It also lists factors to consider like privacy, access to light/ventilation, parking, and unit size. Additional complex considerations include facade design, access, unit variety and fit. Unit design should allow for ventilation, traffic flow, acoustics, and visual privacy.

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249 views5 pages

Apartment Complex: Notes

The document provides an overview of different types of apartment complexes and considerations for designing apartment units and complexes. It describes 8 types of apartment structures like narrow infill, row, shop top, courtyard (U-shaped and linear), perimeter, and tower (podium and freestanding). It also lists factors to consider like privacy, access to light/ventilation, parking, and unit size. Additional complex considerations include facade design, access, unit variety and fit. Unit design should allow for ventilation, traffic flow, acoustics, and visual privacy.

Uploaded by

ƧΉЯӨПK ƧΉЯӨПK
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Apartment Complex

Notes

Directions: Complete the following notes during the lesson and class discussion.

Types of Apartments:

1. Narrow Infill Apartments


- Front of the building faces the street
- Urban environments
- Thin and long
- Prominent building entry
- Street frontage and rear portions can be different heights to allow for rooftop space. (ex.
The front can have 4 stories while the back can have 3 stories. The extra space can be
used for different amenities such as gardens and ventilations)
- Dual aspect apartments - More daylight and ventilation
- The front is the most important because it faces the street
- Usually done if there is not enough space to build another style

2. Row Apartments
- Very versatile and common
- Modular - have sections
- Usually have 2 to 3 units per entrance
- Non-habitable rooms face the side boundaries for privacy
- Dual aspect apartment
- Has the balconies which face the street and rear yard
- The ends of the apartments have exterior walls
- Has an exterior front and back, the rest are interior walls
- Good for privacy and ventilation
- Usually has 3 to 4 floors
- With smaller rooms, better to use a smaller room (1 Bed 1 Bath) instead of a bigger room (2
Bed 2 bath, etc.)

3. Shop Top Apartments


- Retail space on ground floor with residential units above
- Continuous street wall with extended rear setback slightly from sides
- Side setbacks provide small courtyard, privacy to residents, sunlight access
- Dual aspect apartments
- Is good for people who want to be in the middle of the action
- Very busy due to the retail below

4. Courtyard Apartments (U-Shaped)


- Orient either the short ends or the long frontage to the street
- Courtyard can be attractive streetview or private rear yard
- Balconies and windows help with surveillance of the central courtyard and side boundaries
- Multiple entry points break up buildings to help with surveillance, sunlights, and ventilation
- A bonus is the courtyard in the center
- Similar to a hotel

5. Courtyard Apartments (Linear)


- Centralised courtyard between two linear buildings
- Lower rear building height allows for sunlight to access to courtyard behind
- The back is generally shorter than the front
- Corridors and non-habitable rooms against outside ends to maintain privacy
- Like a row apartment
- Windows and balconies on long ends to allow for more resident privacy
- Combination of a row apartment and the U-shaped courtyard apartment
- The balconies are mainly on the front and back

6. Perimeter Apartments
- Always on a corner of a street
- The corner piece is very defined (more details, materials, colors, etc.)
- Has a space in the center to use for courtyards or communal areas
- Has a continuous street wall height for the area
- Usually taller (can be any size but are typically taller)

7. Tower Apartments (Podium)


- Apartments usually above a commercial space
- Apparent streetwall to stay consistent with surrounding buildings
- Repetitive floor layout with varied facades adding visual interest (etc. depth)
- Corner apartments are cross ventilated
- Podium can consist of commercial space or apartments
- Very common in NY
- The podium helps with the noise (acts like a barrier)
- The height of the podium is as tall as the surrounding buildings

8. Tower Apartments (Freestanding)


- Repetitive floor layout with varied facades adding visual interest
- Corner apartments are cross ventilated
- Multiple entry points on all street frontages for easy access
- Orientation in relation to street impacts daylight access and resident privacy
- Retail space can be at ground level facing street
- Try not to have habitable space on the corners

Building Considerations:

1. Privacy (visual, acoustics)


2. Access to daylight and ventilation
3. Location and Weather
4. Parking
5. Budgets
6. Space (should be a reasonable living size)
7. Plumbing
8. Door swing
9. Materials used
10. Fire Exits, Stairs

Complex Considerations:

1. Facade - Good composition, materials, textures, and color selections. The patterns and repetitions
of the facade, the proportions and articulation of the external walls and the detailed design of
facade elements are all important considerations. Facade design may include elements that are
proportional and arranged in patterns. You don’t want to design the exterior based on the interior;
the exterior should be planned out and look good.
2. Access - Need elevators and multiple stairwells at easy access. The total number of apartments
accessed off one circulation core should be eight or fewer. Designing common circulation spaces
can maximise opportunities for dual aspect apartments, including multiple core apartment
buildings. Vehicle access is important as well.
3. Variety of units - Variety provides housing choice and supports equitable housing access. Flexible
apartment configurations are provided to support diverse household types and stages of life.
Larger apartments on the corners where more building frontage is available.
4. Fit of units - consideration should be taken to how each neighbouring unit will fit together.
Creativity can be explored by staggering the exterior walls and on corner units. The units should fit
together like a puzzle to save space, time and money.

Unit Considerations:

1. Ventilation - Natural ventilation is the movement of sufficient volumes of fresh air through an
apartment to create a comfortable indoor environment. Achieved by apartments having more than
one aspect with direct exposure to winds (dual aspect apartments, cross through apartments and
corner apartments). Usually the smaller units don’t have cross ventilation.
2. Traffic Circulation - consider appropriate shapes and window designs to deliver daylight and
sunlight, natural ventilation, and acoustic and visual privacy. All living areas and bedrooms should
be located on the external face of the building (with habitable rooms having at least one window)
3. Acoustics - storage, circulation areas and non-habitable rooms should be located to buffer noise
from external sources. Rooms with similar noise requirements should be grouped together.
4. Visual Privacy - privacy should be considered when designing outdoor open spaces of the
apartment, including balconies, courtyards and terraces, which enhance the amenity and
indoor/outdoor lifestyle of residents. Windows should be placed so that the neighboring buildings
are facing non-habitable rooms. When designing balconies, plan out where it faces.

Any Other Information:

Diagram of cross ventilation

- The facade should be aesthetically pleasing


- Extra outdoor space can be used for gardens
- The layout should make sense
- Units should be designed in such a way that they all fit together well.
- Color schemes are very important, especially when designing the facade

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