MEAN* (Middle East Architecture Network) has won the "Live-Work" design competition, organized by the USM, to expand work-live scenarios for young professionals for the future.

Called co-cross, the cross-shaped modular unit has been developed to provide professionals much more flexibility and freedom of working from home.

"co-cross" stands for the emerging desire in the collaborative cross-pollination of life and work. The design integrates the thinking behind novel theories in productivity and lifestyle," said MEAN*.

In this compact unit, the users are able to realize as many functions as they want, such as sleeping, working, living, storage and planting pods for the living area. 

Each side of the unit serves for a different function and purpose in which they can be arranged in a flexible way. The only thing that the user should do is to move around the unit that acts as a "living machine". 

MEAN* used different USM products to envision a modular unit shaped as a cross. Instead of rooms, the unit is separated with partitions. 

The co-cross unit investigates the geometric use of "voxels" (3D pixels) to achieve an added aesthetic ornamentation, which also serves the duality of lighting in the sleep area and seating-storage/ planting pods for the living area.

USM-Component diagram

USM-Cross diagram

MEAN*, founded by architect, entrepreneur and researcher Riyad Joucka, is known for its use of cutting edge computational design processes and digital fabrication tools to leverage the quality of architectural solutions.

The studio recently released its proposal for a desert pavilion, using a wavy 3D printed polymer mesh on the desert of Wadi Rum, south of Jordan. 

MEAN* released its proposal for Expo 2020 Boulevard Art Pavilion. The Deciduous pavilion in front of the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC), Dubai is another project of the studio. 

All images courtesy of MEAN*

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