Residential Project 05 Special Topic: SOHO Architecture

Author: Hong Kong Kexun International Publishing Co., Ltd.
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-31
Features: Due to the reality of limited land and a large population in China, high-rise residential buildings with underground garages and small garden features have been rapidly constructed in cities in recent years. However, as living standards improve, the shortcomings of high-rise residential buildings—such as high population density, a sense of isolation from the ground—have become increasingly apparent. At this point, low-to-medium-rise buildings, with moderate scale and superior planning and design, have gradually gained consumer favor, becoming the new darling of the real estate market.
Currently, what we commonly refer to as low-to-medium-rise residential buildings is a colloquial term, not defined in the Residential Design Code. Low-to-medium-rise buildings actually refer to residential structures with 7 to 15 floors, each equipped with elevators (without the need for fire service elevators), representing a building model that falls between multi-story and high-rise structures. Their rise in popularity is no coincidence, as they possess inherent advantages:
Saving land is a clear advantage of low-to-medium-rise buildings compared to multi-story ones. The configuration of elevators allows them to offer the benefits of high-rise transportation. Their layouts are superior, with a building coefficient close to that of multi-story buildings, shallow depth, and excellent ventilation and lighting. The environment is elegant, with natural and artificial landscapes complementing each other. Low-to-medium-rise buildings combine the strengths of both multi-story and high-rise structures while leaving ample room for urban beautification. Therefore, industry professionals believe that as urban residential land becomes increasingly scarce and people's demand for high-quality living spaces rises, low-to-medium-rise elevator residences will have great potential in future real estate development.
Buyers of low-to-medium-rise buildings are mostly individuals who value a high quality of life. Therefore, to capture a larger market share, low-to-medium-rise buildings need to focus on details. For example: adopting a plate structure to avoid the irrationality of point-style layouts; improving elevator quality while considering barrier-free design, such as providing wheelchair ramps at outdoor entrances and making corresponding adjustments for the elderly indoors; enhancing environmental greening and fostering a humanistic atmosphere; innovating in floor plans, such as introducing staggered or skip-level designs within the area; leaving room for future living developments in residential design; and selecting advantageous locations, among others. In summary, through continuous improvement and enrichment, low-to-medium-rise buildings will undoubtedly have a broad future.
The Times of Properties is a newly launched series by Kexun Company, focusing on architectural design while also covering real estate trends. It aims to serve as a carrier and inheritor of architectural culture in the modern era, truly serving designers.