Beyond Generic
Designing for Meaningful Experiences
K. Stražinska (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
Jorge Mejia Hernandez – Mentor (TU Delft - Situated Architecture)
F.J. Speksnijder – Mentor (TU Delft - Teachers of Practice / AE+T)
K.M. Havik – Mentor (TU Delft - Situated Architecture)
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Abstract
Set in the heart of Tallinn, this project addresses the challenges of spatial uniformity and the disconnection between public and private realms at the urban scale. It proposes a new framework for mixed-use development that reimagines housing as a dynamic, layered system that moves beyond the generic. At the base of the project lies a transparent urban hall: a column-free space formed by a waffle structure. This area acts as a public living room for the city, offering openness and a sense of collective ownership. It accommodates community functions, small-scale commerce, and flexible programs that invite constant reactivation by the surrounding neighborhood. Above, a green landscape - the “petri dish” - serves not only as a shared space for recreation and reflection but also as a spatial and social mediator. Rising from this platform are tree-like structural cores that support cantilevered housing units while preserving the ground level for shared use. The varied massing and fragmented volumes prevent the formation of monolithic blocks, allowing light, air, and people to flow between spaces.