is an architect, teacher and researcher in architecture and co-founder of a housing cooperative. She is the author of the book "Josef Wiedemann - Die Wirkung der Dinge". Together with others, she is developing new sustainable and collective forms of housing - in particular so-called nucleus living - and a new collective planning method named OP-OD.
Recent research projects: Nah am Nutzen 2, Nucleus living in existing buildings, Nucleus Demonstrator
Practice: www.almannai-fischer.de
The "nucleus living" concept aims to maximize the efficiency of residential construction by eliminating both unused and missing spaces, thereby achieving a high level of housing sufficiency. Given the latent, underutilized space reserves within existing housing stock, integrating nucleus living into these structures appears to be a logical solution. This paper examines four representative buildings from three distinct periods, presenting an overview of the types and scales of the necessary transformations in a schematic manner. Concurrently, three fundamental structural transformation strategies are introduced and implemented. These strategies adhere to the principle of minimizing structural intervention in the existing buildings. The common thread linking these strategies is the creation of corridors within the existing structures.
Nucleus living (Nukleuswohnen) is a new, flexible form of housing designed to allow flats to grow and shrink without the need for conversion. Invented and developed by some of the founders of Kooperative Großstadt eG in Munich as part of their programmatic work, it was first used in the young cooperative's first project, San Riemo.
This article was also published under the German title „Nukleuswohnen – Grundlagen, Erfahrungen, Ausblicke oder San Riemo und die Folgen”. For the German version see: Fischer, F., Wagner, Y., & Almannai, R. (2025). Nukleuswohnen: Grundlagen Erfahrungen Ausblicke oder San Riemo und die Folgen. In D. Bayer, J. Graf, B. Lenherr, B. Milla, & E. Stricker (Hrsg.), Wege zur Bauwende: Klima- und ressourcenschonend konstruieren (1. Auflage). Triest Verlag. This version was translated into English and graphically revised for wohnbau.site.