Habitat

By Amanda Ivarsøy Kovács

Habitat
“The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism”

The project Habitat is facing many of the issues in our society when it comes to sustainability due to climate, economy and social relations. In the course of life, we spend most of our time indoors. How architecture and objects are designed influences the way we live and how we feel. In a constantly changing world, many factors will change and challenge the way we live.

Habitat creates a pulsing living environment that allows for change as needs change, the architecture becomes a “room lab” that can be explored and changed repeatedly. The chosen user group is found by the phases in life when growth and degrowth can be crucial to the architecture and objects, from establishment phase to new generation.

In order for a home to function as a room lab, one must make it possible. By keeping the bearing structure of a building, and opening up remaining areas, one can create a more open floor plan which has greater possibility of adaptation as needed. Wet zones remain in specific areas.

The house becomes a shell with an open floor plan, the floor plan can then be filled with walls and modules which is adapted to needs over time. The walls and the modules relate to existing architecture, however can be customized as needs change.

50m2

From two to three - Parents and baby share a room - From a two-bedroom to a three-bedroom - The child gets a bigger room - The child moves out - Bedroom and office - Larger living room - smaller bedroom

75m2

From two to three - Parents and baby share rooms - From two-room to three-room - From three-room to four-room - First child moves out - bigger room for the smallest child - The children have moved out

The walls and modules comes in different materials and colors.

Amanda Ivarsøy Kovács (NO)

Amanda Ivarsøy Kovács is an interior architect and designer that strives to understand the relations between objects, humans and nature. She has a sustainable approach to her profession as a designer, she explores solutions that will last, can be repaired, recycled and reused through time. Her inspiration often starts from challenges in society on a smaller and bigger scale. She holds her bachelor’s degree in interior architecture and design from both Oslo National Academy of the Arts (KHIO) and University of Bergen (UIB), she also has a background in art from The Art School in Bergen (KIB).