As part of a complex research project led by the Italian company noa*, CECUCO (Cultural and Community Center) is an ambitious design proposal with no fixed background-capable of adapting itself to anyone and any place. In the infinite design possibilities, the team is very clear about the direction they must take: design an architecture that does not care about what is happening inside, a space that allows users to "define" it through their actions and actions. 

In other words, the project demonstrates a flexible design that can respond to changes in the environment and adapt to different scales-from macro projects to street facilities. 'This cultural center can be located on a beach on a volcanic island, in a Scandinavian forest, in an abandoned area of ​​Detroit, or on the roof of a socialist house in Berlin. It is a building that can shape itself according to the form of the environment and climate requirements, while keeping the concept of sociality and interaction between the building and the people living in it intact," noa* revealed.

All renderings © omega rendering

The noa* team bases the geometry of CECUCO's proposal on a basic form: triangles are repeated in a modular fashion on the plane (inscribed in a 3x3 meter square) and on the facade (marked by a 3x1.5 meter square). The use of easy-to-assemble geometric figures allows the cultural center to expand or contract according to the needs of the environment. In addition, at the urban planning level, triangles can be combined into various shapes to produce different types of spaces, such as flat panels, courtyards or dotted villages. 

In addition, the use of triangular modules on the facade can open various configurations, just like on a chessboard: some elements can be moved, with certain rules and specific directions, and then controlled by the person experiencing the building.'The door can be moved, Unfold, open hinges, lower, raise, ajar... the same goes for windows. Intuitive and interesting buildings composed of movement and reverse movement have a wide range of possibilities, where action and reaction games between the community and the building give life to the most diverse scenes,” the construction team revealed.

When defining functional projects, noa* first investigated the needs of cultural centers and how to create highly inclusive buildings. One meets the needs of adults who have children gathering and playing, watching exhibitions, and teenagers who listen to concerts. More importantly, it is essential to outline the characteristics of meeting spaces open throughout the year and reflect the importance of the balance between the public and private households.

The solution to these surveys is clear: define different spaces that can meet multiple needs instead of specifying a fixed list of functions. Through 6 types of floor plans, the team managed to accommodate all possible activities of the center. For example, a small module contains an artist's studio, a newsstand, a storage room, a management office, a staircase and a dressing room. Medium-sized modules include toilets, library and bleachers, because not all modules represent covered spaces. As the size of the floor plan grew larger, the possibilities became greater-eventually a 115 square meter area designed for theaters and cinemas was formed.

In addition to super-functionality, noa* also hopes that the CECUCO prototype embodies solid and sustainable values ​​in all aspects of its design; this includes the choice of materials and construction techniques. Therefore, natural materials and exposed building systems that are easy to assemble and disassemble were chosen. Therefore, the standard design presents a facade composed of exposed wooden structures and clay brick walls—alternating with transparent parts—both of which are modulated based on triangular geometric shapes.

Since sustainability is the core of the design, the final material selected must be checked for site availability, thermal conductivity, energy consumption, and the existence of necessary know-how. Similarly, the team hopes to have a positive impact on the ecological footprint of the building by proposing green roofs and pergola, photovoltaic systems, rainwater harvesting systems, cross ventilation systems, and ponds and forest areas to adapt to the temperate microclimate.

Name: CECUCO (Cultural and Community Center)

Architecture proposal: noa* network architecture

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