mahnoor·fatima

The Perch

Aerial render at golden hour of a terraced timber building, its stacked floor plates stepping outward and planted with trees and shrubs along every balcony, set in woodland with a city skyline behind.

A generative mixed-use building system for adaptable urban living.

The Perch is a generative building typology that prioritizes adaptability and long-term flexibility over fixed layouts. Built on a stable 6m by 6m structural grid, the system allows internal partitions, programs, and circulation to shift and reconfigure without compromising structural integrity.

Core Principle

Rather than treating buildings as static objects, The Perch frames architecture as a reconfigurable system capable of responding to changing spatial, social, and environmental demands over time. The framework provides durability and order, while internal elements adapt in response to light, use, occupancy, and programmatic change.

Drawing set for the building. Above, three plans labelled ground floor, residential floor and all floors, each a rounded polygon punctured by circular atria. Below, a longitudinal section and a horizontal section showing the stacked terraces in fine hatching.
Ground floor, a residential floor, all floors overlaid, and the two sections.

Form, Modules, and Aggregation

Form Finding

Three-part diagram: sun vectors drawn as yellow lines striking a cluster of black spheres, plus a set of voids on the floor plate, equalling the combined massing of overlapping black spheres.
Sun points plus voids, resolved into the massing.

The massing strategy emerged from site-driven parameters:

  • Attractor points and terrain informed overall volume
  • Inner gardens and atriums were carved to introduce daylight and ventilation
  • Floor plates were scaled and tapered to the slope
  • Sun-path analysis guided the carving of solar-oriented voids, using a sun vector mine strategy

Void size and distribution varied by program, with residential floors receiving larger openings to maximize daylight and allow modular aggregation.

Modular Units

A matrix of numbered module types drawn as axonometric line diagrams inside circles, arranged in rows for living, social, retail and work modules, with circulation and technical modules down the right and the division module and structural grid integration diagrams on the left.
The kit of parts: living, social, retail and work modules, with circulation and technical types alongside.
What this diagram says

The matrix is organised into living modules, social modules, retail modules and work modules across the rows, with circulation modules and technical modules grouped down the right edge. The left column shows division modules at 3m by 3m and structural grid integration at 6m by 6m.

Weekly model data was pulled straight out of the team’s shared model:

  • Automated Python scripts extracted data from weekly Speckle model uploads
  • Attribute flattening and targeted searches enabled reliable component-level data access
  • Data was parsed into CSVs and processed using preset algorithms
  • Metrics were calculated as absolute values and normalized scores, on a 0 to 1 scale
  • 92 models processed through the pipeline

Circulation Logic

A nine-part diagram in fine red line, stepping down through three stages: the outline of the floor plates, then the voids isolated as loose rings, then the vertical cores drawn as dotted red columns dropping through the stack.
Plates, then voids, then the cores that fall through them.

Horizontal circulation radiates from voids, forming continuous loops that link gathering spaces, corridors, and units. Vertical circulation is generated through parametric analysis of floor overlaps, producing:

  • Full-height cores for egress and services
  • Localized cores for residential or non-residential zones

This dual strategy balances efficiency, privacy, and programmatic hierarchy.

Modular Aggregation Algorithm

A custom Python-based aggregation algorithm was developed to overcome the limitations of existing Grasshopper tools. The system:

  • Prioritized corridor-adjacent placements
  • Tested multiple orientations per unit
  • Enforced rules for entry alignment, daylight access, and non-overlap
  • Placed larger modules first to optimize spatial efficiency

This iterative process generated diverse yet coherent layouts across floors.

Animated massing study, a loose cluster of pale blue, lilac and cream cubes assembling and reassembling into different arrangements.
The algorithm running, one arrangement after another.

Structural and Environmental Intelligence

Structural system

The primary structural framework is a mass timber grid, integrating:

  • CLT floor slabs
  • Glulam beams
  • Modular partitions contributing to lateral resistance

A hybrid system combines mass timber with concrete and steel:

  • Concrete cores provide lateral stability and house circulation
  • A reinforced concrete foundation anchors the structure
  • Lightweight modular partitions enable reconfiguration

This approach balances low carbon impact with structural robustness.

Construction drawing set. On the left a legend of modular division wall profiles, in the middle an exploded axonometric of a structural bay, and on the right a large gold axonometric of a whole floor plate with numbered callouts to the timber and steel components.
The mass timber assembly, component by component.
What this diagram says

The numbered callouts are glulam and steel beams, glulam and steel columns, CLT suspended floors, CLT modular division walls, facade cladding in glazing or solid panel, concrete foundation, and concrete staircase cores.

Structural optimization

Structural performance was evaluated using Karamba, testing dead, live, wind, and gravity loads. A 9m by 9m grid emerged as an optimal balance, reducing displacement to 64 cm.

Multi-objective optimization with Opossum balanced:

  • Cross-section utilization
  • Deformation control
  • Carbon footprint

Targeting 80% structural utilization ensured efficiency while preserving flexibility for future adaptation.

Animated structural analysis on a black ground, the building's frame drawn as a white wireframe mesh deflecting under load.
The frame under load in Karamba.

Facade strategy

Facade openings respond directly to internal aggregation. Canopies and voids are carved based on programmatic needs, creating variation across floors and establishing a clear relationship between internal function and external expression.

Circularity and energy analysis

The project extends beyond form into circular construction strategies. Modular CLT units were evaluated as interchangeable components within a shared kit of parts. Comparative scenarios assessed:

  • Embodied energy
  • Greenhouse gas emissions
  • Water usage
  • Recyclability

Reused and adapted modules consistently reduced environmental impact compared to new construction, while maintaining programmatic flexibility.

Circularity study. On the left, small axonometric diagrams showing modules being combined, subtracted and recombined. On the right, a set of horizontal red bar charts comparing scenarios for producing, dismantling, reusing and recycling assemblies.
Reuse scenarios compared against building new.

Outcomes and Evaluation

The Perch demonstrates how computational design, modular systems, and structural optimization can produce buildings that are adaptable, sustainable, and resilient over time. By treating space as a configurable resource rather than a fixed outcome, the project offers a scalable framework for mixed-use urban development.

The Perch is not a single building, but a system for many possible buildings, designed to change without being rebuilt.

Project developed in collaboration with Seda Soylu and Scott Lebow for IAAC. You can read the original article on the IAAC blog.