Fruzsi Karig — Life in the Making
Life in the Making — A tower grown from a forest, built by its people. By Fruzsi Karig.
Location
‘Aggregate Island’, South of the Olympic Park in Stratford
Objective
This self-built timber residential tower aims to inspire an alternative way of urban living, providing autonomy to those seeking a say in their environments.
Motivation
The increasing density required from urban residential developments is creating high-quantity, low-quality living conditions. With home ownership decreasing, those with lower incomes currently lack a substantial say in how their environment is shaped.
Strategy
The project begins with planting a forest. The wood provides the housing’s primary construction material, while the construction process initiates community-building among residents. By providing a large workshop, a generous series of inhabitable levels, and a wide range of communal spaces, the building comes to life – transforming alongside its inhabitants and forming a regenerative lifecycle.
Impact
The combination of high rise timber construction and elements of self-built design is a first of its kind worldwide. This model of residential design aims to inspire far reaching development of sustainable architectural and societal practices.



Further Work
Design Think Tank — Emerging Tools – LEA Farm
Critical Practice — Making Connections
Design History — Shaping a City
Contact details