It is the year 2778, exponential population growth has continued at a 1.3% rate to the point that there is 1m2 of space for each human on the planet. What if each person is allotted one square metre of dry land for themselves? How could architecture respond to this problem?
Project 1m2 takes this preposterous notion and seeks to create a functioning dwelling within a tiny, 1m2 footprint. A speculative house for a possible future.
Taking cues from theoretical works of architecture and science fiction, most notably the work of Superstudio’s ‘Continuous Monument’ in the 60s, and ‘The grid’ from Tron, we lay a 1m2 grid across the entire Globe, and allocate one square to each person.
The grid imposes a wilful and dystopian scenario for the future, but also one which allows for an architecture of individuality and self expression. How will the occupant use their towering structures as a means to live, co-ordinate and express themselves in?
You have 1m2, what will you do with it?
This project focuses on building one house for this future: a tower house perched on the Columbia wharf roof built in steel, clad in discarded speculative media and found elements.
At the top, a translucent water tank, encircled by an LED screen displaying data and messages from this future, as well as current increasing figures relating to population growth and land usage.
Rather than engaging in the common tropes of unitised, modular, dystopian high density living, we see the tower as an exploration into a personal and creative architecture which just happens to be set within the boundaries of a stringent and inhuman scenario.