Community Cloud – Artistic Living and Shared Creativity
Concept Overview
The name Community Cloud is inspired by Google Cloud, software that helps people share information in time, transmit data, and communicate on the network. Our Community Cloud follows a similar concept: I want to provide a space for artists to exchange information, share creativity, communicate and research ideas, and share work facilities. At the same time, I also want to stimulate the surrounding residents’ interest in art by providing spaces for artistic exchange and entertainment for residents living on the site and nearby. Through this, the community integrates art into everyone’s daily life and becomes the art center of Preston.

 

Zoning Strategy

Our community has 84 houses that can accommodate 200 residents. I design the site into six artist zones: Painter Zone, Musician Zone, Architect Zone, Photographer Zone, Handcraftman Zone, Designer Zone, including fashion designers, graphic designers and others. Each zone has a park with different functions that reflect the identity of the artists. For example, the Painter Park includes easels for outdoor painting; the Musician Park includes a stage for performances; and the Photographer Park has projectors and display boards for regularly showing photography and videography.

 

Community Facilities
The main function of the community is residential. The site provides four types of units for residents to choose from. There is also an outdoor market and several sharing studios. The three key public buildings include an exhibition hall for showing the artworks of artists, a gym, and a library for residents. Overall, the aim is to provide suitable and affordable residences for artists who have no money to rent houses or studios, creating a utopia where they can live, work, exhibit and sell their art—making their lives better and better.

 

Unit Typologies
These two unit types are located above the platform and therefore have balconies that offer better views. The platform itself is an outdoor shared space for residents:

Single House with Studio: The first typology is a single house with studio, 5 by 6 meters, suitable for independent artists who like quiet. In the shown example, the occupant is a writer, and the studio is designed inside the bedroom to make it easier for the writer to work. 

Couple House with Studio: The next typology is a couple house with studio, 6 by 10 meters. It has two bedrooms and an open studio connected with the living room, providing more sunlight for working.

 

These two larger typologies are designed for poor artists. I maximized the use of space while ensuring spatial quality, designing the houses as lofts. They are located on the ground level, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the outside stores, allowing artists to sell their artwork right after finishing it in the studios:

Shared Studio with Two Bedrooms: This typology has a ground floor living and kitchen area (6 by 6 meters), and a first floor studio, bedrooms and bathroom (5 by 6 meters).

Shared Studio House with Six Bedrooms: The last typology is a shared studio house with six bedrooms. The ground floor (12 by 10 meters) contains the studio, kitchen and living room. Above it (10 by 10 meters) are six bedrooms and two bathrooms.