tiago barros: on edge

‘on edge’ by tiago barros all images courtesy tiago barros

architect tiago barros is one of the five winners of the total housing 01: apartments competition in new york.

‘on edge’ project envisions to question the concept of boundary between the interior and the exterior of an apartment unit. a new element – a diving board/chaise-longue is introduced and becomes the center piece of the space. this element comes as a continuation of the floor plate, extending beyond the limits of the building. it is carefully place in between the confined and the open spaces. the thin line that divides these two spaces becomes a new space – an edgy space – a new thickened boundary. the way it is setup allows the three spaces – open, edgy and confined – to be linked and to be experienced in a new radical way.

imagine being on top of a diving board with no pool underneath or to be lying on a chaise-longue cantilevering out the building. how would you feel?

view into the apartment from the exterior

the competition asked architects and designers to develop concepts based on the typologies of apartments. new york is resurgent after years of suburban supremacy, but new technologies and socio-economic shifts have made traditional models for urban housing obsolete. total housing 01: apartments is the first in a series of competitions, looking for residential projects that address the incongruity between outmoded ideas of domestic space and contemporary urban lifestyles.

an exhibition showcasing the five winning entries, elected from nearly 400 submissions are currently on show at the storefront for art and architecture in new york until january 22nd, 2011.