Poolology of Housing

In architecture, nothing is ever truly new; everything has been tried before. And nowhere is this more evident than in the architecture of housing. Each proffered solution to a specific architectural problem is actually an amalgam of predecessors’ ideas and new approaches, which itself contributes in turn to a great global “pool” for succeeding concepts. For twenty years, this philosophy has driven the activities of Zurich-based cooperative Pool Architekten, with a special focus on the research and design of residential buildings.

Poolology of Housing is an up-close look at the collective’s body of work and a potential font of inspiration for others interest in letting this philosophy guide the creation of innovative architecture. At the core of the book are two hundred floor plans, designed by members of the collective and students during Pool Architekten’s tenure from 2013 to 2016 at Technische Universität Berlin. Direct comparison of these floor plans demonstrates the incredible scope an architect has for residential buildings despite the many constraints imposed by external factors. Richly illustrated with both built and unrealized projects by Pool Architekten, as well as of model replicas of iconic historic interiors, Poolology of Housing reflects a novel social culture of housing design.

Founded in 1998, Pool Architekten is a Zurich-based architecture cooperative working predominantly in the fields of housing and school buildings.