House of Hallways
Co-dividual Housing
Advisor: Brian DeLuna
USC, 2024 Fall
The hybrid term co-dividual is a recently invented descriptor in architecture that represents the conflation of the collective and the individual – a transformative act which re-formulates the terms of housing’s identity. While there are many examples of co-housing/co-living/co-working modelsthroughout the history of architecture, the predominant model of housing across the globe is much more biased toward the individual as a dwelling space which is generally distinct from work; and most critically, one that is determined by market forces which prioritize economic and constructive efficiencies and optimizations while downplaying a sense of community, personal ownership and collective sharing.
Model Photograph
Minimal Dwelling is conceived as a sanctuary for three essential modes of living: work, rest, and sleep. Each activity is carefully considered within the space, with custom-designed furniture that harmoniously follows the curvature of the walls, allowing every piece to fit seamlessly into its surroundings. The design blurs the line between architecture and furniture, transforming the interior into an integrated, holistic experience.
Perverse Functionalism
The project draws inspiration from Athanasius Kircher’s Musurgia Universalis, a 17th century work that explores hybrid forms blending embrasures with listening cones. This concept of “Perverse Functionalism”—where forms evolve not out of necessity but to enhance aesthetic and experiential qualities—guides the design of the hallways.
At the core of the project are two elongated bars representing public and undetermined
spaces. One of these bars tilts to create an orthogonal relationship with the site’s grid,
generating an overlapping zone that fosters communal interaction. Diagonal displacement of minimal dwelling units, or private pods, reinforces the spatial hierarchy, with pathways connecting them, forming the project’s defining motif—the hallways.
Minimal Dwelling Prototype
Functional Flexibility of “Hallways”
Hallways are reimagined as programmatically fluid zones, with each level adapting to different uses: living spaces on the ground floor, workspaces on the second, and communal dining and kitchen areas on the third. However, the spatial programs remain intentionally undefined, allowing residents to shape the functionality of these transitional areas over time.
