Funen Block K | NL Architects

Funen Block K by NL Architects is part of a masterplan for 500 residences and a park, designed by frits van dongen of Cie. The units were designed back-to-back, with a slice cutting the block of 10 residences diagonally. This diagonal cut, a slight rotation from the orthogonal norm, exposes the building faces to two open spaces between the blocks, rather than two blind facades of adjacent blocks. Also it provides a public service in the form of a short cut. [If I can just point out the humour of this: the architects designed a new living block, all the way down to the obligatory dark alleyway] Within this cut the service elements such as stairs, technical facilities, and storage can be hidden from view, in the dark zone.  This keeps the facade open and ‘free’ to the light and the surrounding park.

Each dwelling is of the same volume, which is derived by dividing total building volume by 10. The result is 630 m³. Each volume, because of the rotation of the alley and the resulting geometry, is stretched and compressed in either length or height, yet remaining constant in volume. This means that some dwellings are two stories while some are the full 4. Unit size ranges from 140m³ to 180 m³.

Each unit has both access to the ground as well as access to the sky by way each unit’s unique cut away of the roof. The roof is… green.  You don’t need me to tell you that. But can I say, even better is the slope. This brilliant display of architectural showmanship is a result of the obligation of the block to have two stories built in alignment with a third which is 50% residential and 50% roof terrace/garden.