Izek Chng

Fractured Courtyard

Located within Preston, my Fracture Courtyard project aims to embrace openness, connection and adaptability. The fracture courtyard typology features separate buildings that face inwards and create a shared courtyard. While the space is not formally defined, it is suggested through thresholds and landscaping. This fractured composition facilitates light and movement to flow throughout the site, encouraging moments of spontaneous encounters whilst still maintaining privacy.

My design utilises CLT and glulam for the primary structure, providing a sense of warmth and comfort. In contrast, secondary structures are made of steel, which highlight modularity and adaptability. The steel façade framework features a system of spaced out Galvabond sheets, balancing privacy and permeability. The contrast of materials symbolise the project’s goals of stability and flexibility, highlighting the relationship between the determined and the undetermined.

At the urban scale, the project negotiates between individual and collective identities. The front balconies serve as circulation corridors and social thresholds, providing informal gathering spaces for residents and promotes a sense of shared ownership. In comparison, the semi-private rear balconies allow for moments of retreat and personal expression.

Within the units, flexibility is highlighted through the wide variety of layout choices. This enables the units to adapt to evolving resident needs. My approach aims to accommodate to a diverse range of users and periods. Ultimately, my project envisions social housing as an adaptable framework that serves the people, where individuality and community both thrive.