Introduction
Is it possible today to design a building that responds to human needs of constant re-adaptation and transformation of the residential space?
In the last 50 years, many alternatives and methods have been proposed by architects but still remains an issue with no clear unique solution.
Most of the answers to the issue are also associated to the word “open”, which is one of the starting points of this thesis and defines processes of design, thinking and building that integrate users.
Therefore, this research is particularly oriented to give a possible answer to the main question and offer an appropriate operative method.
The design approach pursued uses contemporary tools; it will try to connect together two realities: the real physical world made by the built environment and people; and the immaterial world, the so called “cyberspace”, the virtual world used every day through Internet.
The physical building presented in the end of the thesis will be designed through the use of open design tools extracted from a series of case studies analysed in the third chapter. Some relevant examples will support the website integrated to the project as well.
The open building has similar features to the model theorized by N. John Habraken, which has been largely applied in European countries and overseas in USA and Japan.1
The project will be combined with a digital platform able to connect future and current users to the design process and improve the interaction.
Hence, an open building that integrates real and virtual participation in the process should be able to give a functioning operative method for a high quality final product in terms of adaptability, appropriate for the contemporary society.