Over the years, architecture has given rise to a wide variety of typologies, many of which have since evolved. Residences are among those typologies that are most significant. Over the decades, residential architecture has consistently been the most common look. A man requires a roof to live under and seeks security, which he finds in his very own home. The term “residential architecture” has a clear definition. Residential architecture is the branch of architecture that encompasses the building of homes.

Simply said, residential architecture is the process of creating residential and non-commercial buildings and living areas. Apartment buildings, mansions, and everything in between are all examples of residential architecture. It might be contemporary or wistful. Rural or urban. Eccentric or basic. Anything! In a nutshell, residential architecture is about interpreting the homeowner’s demands and preferences into a physical manifestation of their ideal home.

The emergence of residential architecture 

Although the word “residence” didn’t exist until much later, the ancestors of the modern human race were living in caves during the early Stone and Ice Ages. They felt secure in those caverns. In those early caves, they could simply light their fires, keeping them warm and allowing them to prepare their food. The man found refuge and warmth in those caverns, which also kept them safe from the wild when they needed to rest or sleep. Those caves then became their homes. These were the very first residential models ever created by the human species.

What Is Residential Architecture? - Sheet1
Reconstruction of ancient human in the Lazaret Cave, France (Pay attention to the location of the hearth)_©De Lumley, M. A. . néandertalisation (pp. 664-p). CNRS éditions. (2018 Les restes humains fossiles de la grotte du Lazaret. Nice, Alpes-Maritimes, France. Des Homo erectus européens évolués en voie de)

Residential architecture in the Modern world

The world has changed since the end of World War II, and the construction and architecture industries saw a boom at that time. People began to take an interest in the architectural styles of the structures that were built in their cities, states, countries, or regions. Similar changes were made to residences in modern times.

Designing residences, from single-family homes to apartment buildings, is the emphasis of the architectural discipline known as “residential architecture.” Residential design presents several special issues, and qualified residential architects may be in high demand. Many of the world’s most well-known architects are known for their work on homes, including Frank Lloyd Wright, who was renowned for his creative, distinctive, and entirely original home designs, many of which are still highly prized decades after they were built.

What Is Residential Architecture? - Sheet2
Residential architecture-Falling waters by Frank Lloyd Wright_©Keystone State Photographer

The Process of designing residences

Fundamentally, residential architecture involves planning and constructing livable, secure dwellings. Current building rules, safety concerns, and functional considerations, including floor plans, outlet placement, and other issues, must be considered by residential architects. Each customer typically has a slightly different list of demands and criteria for a home, so they must be able to work with them to build homes that match those needs and expectations.

Designing aesthetically pleasing structures is another aspect of residential architecture. Passionate architects enjoy utilizing the natural landscape’s lines to create a home that blends in naturally, as well as utilizing globally-inspiring objects and shapes. Clients may also have special requirements, such as wanting a home that complements their existing art collection or one that harkens back to a certain period. A significant portion of this field is dedicated to building structures that feel like houses and satisfy the aesthetic preferences of the owners since people desire homes that they like being in. 

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Residential Drawings_©Courtesy of Civil+Structure media

The different typologies of Residential architecture

Numerous categories can be used to characterize residences. The types of homes only depend on the function and size of the building. Here are some examples of these categories, along with some case studies of modern residential architecture.

Individual houses or private dwellings: Ownership of individual homes or other private dwellings is often limited to members of a single family. If numerous families are residing there, the structure is referred to as a multiple-family private dwelling.

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Villa FG designed by depaolidefranceschibaldan architetti_©Karina Castro Fotografía

Apartments: A living space that is simply a portion of a bigger building is called an apartment. Where land is too prohibitively expensive for individuals to own separate houses, it is typically a collection of rooms on one level of a building in a city. A condominium also spelled “the condo,” is a home that is owned by a person. Housing cooperatives are an uncommon form of apartment ownership. Landlords are the people who hold rented properties and collect rent (or “rent money”) from the tenants (“tenants”).

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Vélizy Morane Saulnier Apartments designed by the architecture firm DREAM in France_©Cyrille Weiner

Hotels: An establishment that offers short-term, paid lodging is known as a hotel. A hotel room’s interior amenities might range from a small room with a low-quality mattress to a huge suite with bigger, better-quality beds, a dresser, a refrigerator and other kitchen appliances, upholstered chairs, a flat-screen television, and en-suite bathrooms. Small, less expensive hotels might just provide the most fundamental amenities and services to their guests.

A hotel offers almost the same luxuries as a home or a residence for temporary stays. The business use or commercial architectural categories can also include hotels. It resembles a home in some aspects, but the user does not own the hotel; instead, he pays for his short-term visits.

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Hotel Courtyard by Marriott Vilnius Center designed by Architectural Bureau G.Natkevicius & Partners, Vilnius, Lithuania_©L. Garbačauskas, N. Tukaj

Dormitories and Hostels: For a cheap, brief stay, guests can rent a bed in a hostel and share the use of a living room and occasionally a kitchen. Rooms might be single or mixed-sex, and bathrooms can be private or shared. A dormitory, on the other hand, is a building that is primarily intended to house large groups of people in sleeping and living quarters, such as boarding school pupils or high school, college, or university students. In some countries, it can also refer to a room with numerous beds that can fit people.

Stack By Step Red Zone Boarding House designed by Ismail Solehudin Architecture, Bogor, Indonesia_©Mario Wibowo
Residential architecture-Stack By Step Red Zone Boarding House designed by Ismail Solehudin Architecture, Bogor, Indonesia_©Mario Wibowo

The Future of Dwelling

The Line, Saudi Arabia: How the lifestyle of the human race is going to change in the coming years has yet again been seen in this concept of “The Line,” a mirror city that is going to be built in Saudi Arabia. The Line is a planned smart linear metropolis that is currently being built in Neom, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. It is intended to have no streets, cars, or carbon emissions. The city is a 170-kilometer (110-mile) long component of Saudi Vision 2030.

Saudi Arabia’s leaders envision The Line, a project that will change the northwest of the country, as a tall, narrow strip of a city more than 105 miles long, teeming with 9 million inhabitants, and powered completely by renewable energy.

In recently released architectural concepts, a futuristic walled metropolis with an open interior and a mirrored façade on both sides are shown reaching from the Red Sea to the east, over the desert, and into a mountain range.

The Line, Saudi Arabia (A vision)_©Courtesy of NEOM (https://www.neom.com/en-us/regions/theline)
The Line, Saudi Arabia (A vision)_©Courtesy of NEOM (https://www.neom.com/en-us/regions/theline)
The Line, Saudi Arabia (A vision)_©Courtesy of NEOM (https://www.npr.org/2022/07/26/1113670047/saudi-arabia-new-city-the-mirror-line-desert)
The Line, Saudi Arabia (A vision)_©Courtesy of NEOM (https://www.npr.org/2022/07/26/1113670047/saudi-arabia-new-city-the-mirror-line-desert)

The building’s blend of shade, sunlight, and ventilation, according to its designers, will ensure a comfortable atmosphere throughout the entire year.

One might gain an idea of how the future of housing may alter in the upcoming years by using the example of “The Line” from Saudi Arabia. The only species capable of rapid evolution is humans. The human race is awaiting a new future.

Online sources

What Is Residential Architecture?

31 May 2021

Available at:

https://www.mitchellwall.com/what-is-residential-architecture/ 

What is Residential Architecture?

By Mary McMahon

September 20, 2022

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Early humans placed hearth at optimal location in caves, for maximum benefit and minimum smoke exposure

by Tel-Aviv University

Available at: https://phys.org/news/2022-02-early-humans-hearth-optimal-caves.html 

Evolution of Housing in India

By Manasi Prabhu

Available at: https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/rtf-fresh-perspectives/a1537-evolution-of-housing-in-india/ 

Inside the 106-mile mirrored city concept in Saudi Arabia

 Hamish Kilburn 

Available at: https://hoteldesigns.net/2022/inside-the-106-mile-mirrored-city-concept-in-saudi-arabia/ 

Types of residential buildings and their site selection

Available at: https://theconstructor.org/building/types-site-selection-residential-building/5995/

Villa FG / depaolidefranceschibaldan architetti

Curated by Paula Pintos

Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/990084/villa-fg-depaolidefranceschibaldan-architetti?ad_source=search&ad_medium=projects_tab 

Stack By Step Red Zone Boarding House / Ismail Solehudin Architecture

Curated by Hana Abdel

Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/966003/stack-by-step-red-zone-boarding-house-ismail-solehudin-architecture?ad_source=search&ad_medium=projects_tab\ 

Author

An Architect/Designer who stands utmost to facilitate success and break the stereotypes that have been followed for a very long time in architecture. He believes every design must be conceived to add charm and enhance the surrounding's innate beauty with energy and resource efficiency as key driving factors.