SOCIAL HOUSING
The project grew out of the belief that architecture can do more than just provide housing. Especially when design solutions consider social and political factors. Regular housing projects often focus only on giving people a place to live, but they don’t always make those places comfortable or connected. This can lead to neighborhoods where people feel isolated and the buildings all look the same. Therefore, three overarching guidelines were considered: social, environmental, and economic.
This approach focuses on meeting the current need for housing by suggesting new solutions that put architectural and landscape quality first. Some important design ideas include: making buildings taller to use ground space better and improve the landscape, making sure spaces are easy to access beyond the basics, blending the surroundings with the new housing, and using construction methods that are flexible and simple to do.
Guidelines
Roof
The roof features a central gutter designed to harvest rainwater, providing a portion of the building’s water supply. Additionally, a central slab was engineered to accommodate photovoltaic panels, effectively meeting the energy needs of the residents.
In contributing to the project’s economic viability, the use of structural blocks makes the project more cost-effective as expenses related to wooden forms, steel, and concrete are significantly reduced. Additionally, this construction system allows for faster project completion due to its modularity. Moreover, this characteristic minimizes the amount of waste produced on the construction site, further enhancing the project’s sustainability. In addition to structural masonry, a mixed system incorporating concrete pillars and beams was utilized on the ground floor.