BalConUnity

Year

Febuary- April, 2022

Project Explanation

The project is the development of Hilltown Court, a Multistorey residential building situated on Hilltown Terrace, Dundee. It is made up of 15 floors reaching a height of 42.60m and has 3 sister buildings next to it which have all been punctuating Dundee’s skyline since 1966. Dundee was once known for its many multistorey flats, with 44 Multis dominating the city. Hilltown Court is one of only 11 remaining today.

Research into the quirks of multi storey living in the 1970s and the rise and fall of Dundee explains the neglect of these buildings from the council and the residents. This neglect is still prominant in Hilltown court today.

Looking at case studies such as the Favelas and Grenfell Tower in London helped define what a community was and what makes them so important. These unique close knit communities displayed the dependance on neighbours, in the case of Grenfell, the support after losing loved ones, and in the Favelas the help shared throughout the community with something as simple as everyday tasks.

Every window has a story and through the redevelopment of Hilltown court these stories will be connected to allow the community to have the correct space and facilities to thrive. The project’s purpose is to disrupt the unsocially cubic, repetitive structure and interior of the classic Multistorey building, creating a newspace where these known communities that live within the ‘villages in the sky’ can be strengthened and a brighter atmosphere positively breaches into the suffocating corridors, like sunlight bursting through a cloud.

“BalConUnity” has alternating balconies on each side which creates a Tetris style effect, extending the space from the inside communal area. As you walk in the large entrance there is seating framing the doorway for people to converse with their neighbours who are entering and exiting the building. Each floor has its own communal area for people to come together to share a story over a cup of tea made in the shared kitchen. Individual seating walls are the perfect place for people to have a private moment to themselves, whilst still being integrated with the community. Neighbours can catch up whilst doing their laundry engrossed in interesting shadow patterns on the walls from the geometric corridor panels. There are coworking tables with desk dividers which can be removed to allow the opportunity for work spaces to be extended for group working. They are situated next to a large window spanning across the whole wall of the space to bring light in for a more calming work zone. These large open windows are also used on the balcony maximising natural light entrance to create an overall bright and friendly atmosphere, bringing the outside in and allowing vast views of the whole of Dundee. Neighbours can gather on the outside garden balconies which are bursting with greenery to add more life to the building. When people want their own space to relax flats have been designed with an open plan kitchen living rooms to bring this open atmosphere into every aspect of the building.