Urban Living
Compact city living works when efficiency does not become compromise.
Urban residential buildings ask more of limited land. Plans, structure, lifts, parking, servicing and shared areas need close coordination so that efficiency protects usable homes instead of simply maximising the amount built.
Make each square metre useful
Columns, shafts, corridors, door swings and furniture layouts affect usable area. Early coordination helps prevent apartments that look efficient on a schedule but feel awkward in use.
Plan vertical movement for the real population
Lift numbers, stairs, waiting areas, fire strategy, deliveries and service movement should reflect how the building will be occupied. Vertical circulation is infrastructure, not only a lobby design exercise.
Give the building a good relationship with the street
Entrances, boundaries, planting, drop-off and ground-floor uses influence how the property meets its neighbourhood. A residential building should not need to turn its back on the city in order to feel secure.
Use shared space selectively
Roof terraces, lounges, gardens and other amenities should answer a real resident need and have a workable management plan. Useful shared space is more valuable than a long amenity list with weak day-to-day use.