The city block is a typically urban element that, historically, has appeared in different forms and designs, structurally shaping city planning guidelines. When observing urban fabrics in cities such as Barcelona, Paris and Copenhagen, one can see significant variation between block models. This defines their landscapes and dynamics in countless ways. Style and format alterations, volumetric changes in the relationship between full and empty spaces, and modifications in connections to the surroundings are some examples of typological particularities that differentiate them. Blocks, therefore, are often emblematic and representative not only of certain urban planning models developed throughout history but also of their cities.
One of the architectural elements that, in its dimensions and configurations, has an intimate connection with urban blocks is collective housing units. From their design features, these complexes often define the urban block in different ways, through distinct aspects, capable of creating several environments in urban space. Furthermore, they also allow for a broader reflection on the relationship between housing, landscape, society, and city dynamics.
Below, we have compiled a list of six different block examples, formed from various collective housing units in different locations and periods. They illustrate the dynamic nature of urban elements, which can be conceived in a variety of ways. They can constitute not only a space for flow and private use but also a significant connector between public and private spheres in the city, allowing for collective appropriation.
Parque Eduardo Guinle / Lucio Costa
Robin Hood Gardens / Alison e Peter Smithson
60 Dwellings Appartment Block For Fira 2000 / ONL Arquitectura
Caméo Moscow Villas / Architectural Bureau WALL
Ried B Monarch Apartments / HILDEBRAND + Ruprecht Architekten
Conjunto Cornes Espacio Residencial / Carbajo Barrios Arquitectos
