Early sketches for my graduation studio, ‘Alone Together’, collectively depicting a possible antidote to urban loneliness: the rejection of solipsism. The form which social housing takes and its place in the contextual milieu of the city must be considered, as the existing towers at Waterloo detach residents from the public realm.

The referential line from the existing congregational church acts as the basis of the main pedestrian axis which draws people into the community. The legibility of the urban environment and architectural forms sculpted in such a way hope to rekindle isolated individuals’ willingness to participate in the community.

The courtyard spaces are conceived as communal generators for both the residents and its surrounding context. The communal activity is facilitated by the surrounding spaces which encourage the learning and sharing of cultures, linking the diverse yet disparate demographics of Waterloo. For example, the communal kitchen is a scene where people can share recipes and learn about each other’s cultures through this experience. The art studios support workshops ranging from calligraphy classes and gallery exhibitions for local artists. The communal gardens allow residents to share ways to grow your own produce and vegetables.

In the main communal space above ground, the stair is accentuated as a communal space. The staircase links multiple levels of community. The stair provides opportunities for a range of interaction, from quick conversational greetings to more activity-based. This layering allows individuals to indicate their desired level of interaction, retreating or engaging when desired but still occupying the same space.

Residents are able to maintain a visual connection with the public activity on the ground floor through openings in the building envelope that range from solar balconies of their private dwellings, nooks in the circulation corridor between dwellings and mediating communal rooms on each floor.