Introduction to Sustainable Design

Bsc2, I sem, 2022/23

Task 01
Group 20
Students: Miya Richir/ Ramesan Merwin / Hao-Hsiang Chang
SITE

- the complex is located in just outside the

bounds of the historic city center of mendrisio.

- highly convenient in terms of services

provided in a small city, between the
administration, commercial area and train
station

-Entry to the apartment is off a major arterial

road.

- The complex is offset from the main road 20m,

it does not have a public character such as
ground level shops

- the surrounding buildings are mainly

residential in typology with exception of the
large government building next to the complex
which houses a police station

- from the complex is visible the nearby

industrial zone of Mendrisio located on the
other side of the train tracks
BUILDING

- 1975
- the complex is divided into 2 blocks. Each block
houses 8 units, 4 floors, two units per floor.
- each block uses 1 staircase and one elevator as the
central core with units on either side

RESIDENTS

- In total there are 23 residents. Residents vary

in age, profession and lifestyle. Home to students,
working professionals, children and the elderly.
- two young couples
- students are an exception as one of the only flats
which is being rented out and not owned
- Caters to families with young children by having a
play area
- easily accesible to elderly through elevator, and
safety mainted by an automatically locked door
- Two units are utilized as commercial office spaces, 1
an engineer, 1 an architect
- most apartments get passed on between generations,
some families even owning more than two appartments
on different floors (e.g Landlord’s father participated
in the engineering process)
NATURE

- the building makes use of its large plot

creates greenspace that surrounds the blocks,
creating a seperation between other plots and
the street
-concrete bench and table laid out for
residents use
- herb garden maintained by gardeners every
other week
PRESENT SITUATION

OBJECTIVE: As a response
to the lack of access to
creative working space
in the city, our aim is
to convert the existing
residential flat into a
flexible programmatic
space for creative work,
residential or a mix of the
two involving a monthly
subscription model.

   
RENOVATION PROPOSAL

   
KITCHEN

The first step involves demolishing

the existing kitchen. As of now, the
kitchen is larger than needed. The
current occupants, students of the
accademia, spend most of their time on
campus and occasionally eat out or make
small meals. Anticipating that most
future occupants will be students, we
have decided to reduce the footprint
of the kitchen to an absolute minimum,
thus freeing valuable floor space.

Kitchen tiling is then rearranged into

a strip extending the hallway into a
larger public space where informal
meetings can be held
BATHROOM

There is a washroom that is currently acces-

sible through the rear hallway. We will close
this point and open it towards the living
space.
LIVING ROOM

With the kitchen reduced to a minimum, the living

room takes a significant portion of the total floor
area of the flat. As an open space with little to
no clearly defined programmatic function the space
becomes completely flexible to the uses of the
occupants. This could be purely residential, purely
office or a mix between the two.
BEDROOM

The largest bedroom is

converted into a private office,
which can be used both for a
director’s office, a printing
room and a more formal meeting
space
Thus we are left with two
equally sized and rentable
bedrooms, with their own
bathroom, seperate from the
working area
NEW SITUATION: SCENARIO 2: Full office

   
NEW SITUATION: SCENARIO 3: residential and co working

   
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 While the renovation is a major undertaking, the proposed changes

have a viable financial outlook. Although a considerable initial
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FUNDING
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projecting the return on investment, surprisingly, the unlevered
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ESTIMATED PRESENT ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Power consumption Hours of use per day

APPLIANCE Amount kwh per day kwh per month kwh per year annual price in chf
(w) (h)
dishwasher 1 1600 0 0 0 0 0
laptop 3 80 6 1.44 43.2 525.6 141.912
fridge 1 100 24 2.4 72 876 236.52
oven 1 2300 1 2.3 69 839.5 226.665
boiler 1 1500 0.1 0.15 4.5 54.75 14.7825
stovetop 1 1500 2 3 90 1095 295.65
heaters (seasonal) 8 1000 3 24 720 8760 2365.2
Lightbulbs 12 60 6 4.32 129.6 1576.8 425.736
Neons 4 20 6 0.48 14.4 175.2 47.304
TOTAL 8160 48.1 37.61 1128.3 13727.65 3706.4655

ESTIMATED NEW ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Power consumption Hours of use per day

APPLIANCE Amount kwh per day kwh per month kwh per year annual price in chf
(w) (h)
laptop 6 80 6 2.88 86.4 1051.2 283.824
printer 1 35 1 0.035 1.05 12.775 3.44925
plotter 1 35 1 0.035 1.05 12.775 3.44925
minifridge 1 85 24 2.04 61.2 744.6 201.042
microwave 1 1000 0.5 0.5 182.5 49.275
boiler 1 1500 0.1 0.15 15 54.75 14.7825
stovetop 1 1500 1 1.5 45 547.5 147.825
heaters (seasonal) 8 1000 3 24 720 8760 2365.2
Lightbulbs 12 60 6 4.32 129.6 1576.8 425.736
Neons 2 20 6 0.24 7.2 87.6 23.652
TOTAL 5315 48.6 35.46 1059.3 12942.9 3494.583
FLOORING DETAILS

Floor tiles should be moved to the hall, there-

fore it is necessary to study the current floor-
ing area between the kitchen and entrance hall.

In an attempt to save renovating costs, they

are swapped out witht the existing parquet
1
2 4

1- laminated panels
2- sand
3- peat panels
4- sleepers
5- concrete
6- plaster
6
PIPE DETAILING