Waterside dwelling Functional and architectural conditions

Contemporary challenges related to rapid urbanization, migration, deepening inequalities and climate change inspire to contemplate the future of dwelling. The article aims to present particular solutions in housing that use advantages created by the relation to the water. The aquatic neighbourhoods become a field of experience for residential architecture, where traditional systems are enriched with new elements and solutions. Some of these solutions can be brought back to the system and improve the overall catalogue of answers for the development of traditional dwelling. The analysis discusses contemporary housing projects 1998–2005 and includes: the program overview, basic numerical parameters, accessibility details and relation to the context. Current water-related examples are accompanied by a reference to standard solutions developed in the modern era. All presented designs use traditional components of dwelling program, grouping day zone elements and separate them from private spaces. In basic parameters development is visible in bigger areas of living space. In terms of accessibility housing on or close to water gives new opportunities, as well as in relation to the context. The paper presents research on different types of dwelling located by the water, with particular emphasis on functional and architectural advantages, which may be used to improve contemporary housing models. The proposed guidelines can be used in further studies on housing typologies in aim to develop more open and flexible spatial layouts.