Tipo de autoría: Arquitecto

arquitecto

Sa Pobla Social Housing, Mallorca, Spain

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Sa Pobla Social Housing, Mallorca, Spain

Mismatches Functional adequacy Vulnerable groups
Urban Design Modelos De Ciudad Quality Liveability Equity
Promotion and production Public promotion

Main objectives of the project

Sa Pobla, a small agricultural town in northern Mallorca, faces a severe shortage of affordable housing due to the island's tourism-driven speculation. In response, IBAVI commissioned Ripoll Tizón Estudio de Arquitectura to develop a social housing project that draws from local climate, character, and lifestyle. The design respects street alignment, uses modular aggregation for varied spatial configurations, and centers around an interior courtyard that enhances community interaction. This project integrates seamlessly with traditional building scales and the landscape, addressing housing needs while maintaining quality and standardization.

Date

  • 2013: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Promotor: IBAVI
  • Architect: Ripoll Tizón Estudio de Arquitectura

Location

Continent: Europe
Country/Region: Spain

Description

Sa Pobla is a small town in northern Mallorca, Spain, with a population of nearly 13,000. The municipality encompasses a fertile plain dedicated to irrigated agriculture and the albufera, a scenic and ecologically valuable area where two streams converge. Agriculture has long been the primary industry. However, Mallorca faces a significant shortage of affordable housing due to the speculative nature of its tourism industry. This shortage extends to towns like Sa Pobla that are not tourist hotspots. Consequently, residents who earn low wages from agriculture are burdened by high housing costs driven by the island's speculative pressures. In response, IBAVI, the public promoter of social housing on the island, commissioned a housing project in Sa Pobla. The competition was won by the local firm Ripoll Tizón Estudio de Arquitectura.

The social housing proposal in Sa Pobla draws from local elements such as climate, local character, and lifestyle, taking inspiration from features observed throughout the town: courtyards, filters, light, plots, the small scale of buildings, and the unique character and arrangement of each dwelling.

The project aims to emphasize the nuances and intimate scale of domestic life. It respects street alignment and acknowledges the depth of the site. The complex extends between the site’s boundaries, interacting with the party walls that define it, sometimes removing them and sometimes highlighting them, all while enveloping an interior courtyard that organizes circulation and public spaces.

Housing units are based on a single or double-height living/dining/kitchen module, to which smaller modules for bedrooms, bathrooms, and storage are added. This modular aggregation allows for various spatial configurations with the same program elements or different surfaces depending on the number of modules. This approach enables each unit to be part of a cohesive whole, offering a varied landscape rich in nuances and well-adapted to its physical conditions, without sacrificing the quality, rigor, and standardization necessary for social housing development.

The project is notable for how it adapts to the scale of traditional buildings, integrates into the landscape, and arranges the units around a courtyard that serves as a communal square.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Tetris Apartments, Ljubljana

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Tetris Apartments, Ljubljana

Mismatches Location Diversity
Urban Design Quality Liveability
Promotion and production Public promotion

Main objectives of the project

The Tetris building in Slovenia features a façade resembling the Tetris game and is oriented at a 30-degree angle to reduce noise from a nearby highway. The building’s design includes flexible floor plans, with only the outer walls being structural, allowing for adaptable living spaces.

Date

  • 2005: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: OFIS Architects

Location

Continent: Europe
Country/Region: Ljubljana, Slovenia

Description

After the collapse of Yugoslavia, Slovenia underwent significant economic transformations, which also affected its housing policies. The pressures of global markets and speculative practices further exacerbated the housing situation, prompting Slovenia to develop comprehensive housing strategies. A key component of this effort has been the restoration and development of public housing stocks, exemplified by the Tetris building.

The Tetris building earned its name due to the appearance of its elevations, which many people likened to the iconic shapes of the Tetris game. The design of the façade is straightforward, reflecting the organization of the floor plans. Given its location adjacent to a busy highway, the building’s apartments and balconies are oriented at a 30-degree angle towards the quieter, south-facing side. This strategic orientation minimizes noise and enhances the living experience.

Future plans include the construction of two additional blocks on the longitudinal sides of the Tetris building, which means there will be no direct windows facing east or west. Each apartment features a view of its own balcony, and in some cases, a glazed loggia, fostering a sense of privacy and preventing direct views between opposite apartments.

The apartments in the Tetris building vary in size, ranging from 30 square meters studio flats to 70 square meters three-room apartments. Larger apartments are located on the front façades, offering better views and corner orientations. These apartments are constructed with economical yet high-quality materials, such as oak wood floors, granite-tiled bathrooms, and large windows equipped with external metal blinds.

The building’s structural concept emphasizes flexibility in floor plans. Only the walls that separate the apartment shells from the rest of the building are structural, while all other internal walls are non-structural. This allows for adaptable living spaces that can be modified according to residents' needs.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Social Housing in Elmas, Sardinia

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Social Housing in Elmas, Sardinia

Mismatches Location
Urban Design Liveability
Promotion and production Public promotion

Main objectives of the project

2+1 Officina Architettura has completed an innovative social housing project in Elmas, Sardinia. The building, with its simplified design and economical materials, has a white façade with mustard shutters and uses balconies and brise soleil for solar management. The north-south orientation and access through an inner courtyard promote energy efficiency and social integration, adapting to the local climate and environment.

Date

  • 2010: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: 2+1 Officina Architettura

Location

Continent: Europe
Country/Region: Italy

Description

Sardinia, like many islands, faces significant challenges in housing due to speculative pressures and limited space. For this reason, social housing must be enhanced and fostered, taking into consideration the needs of its people, the climate and the integration of the building in the environment. Addressing these issues, 2+1 Officina Architettura recently completed a housing project in Elmas, a small town in southern Sardinia. The new housing structure, strictly aligned along the street, stands out with its white color, acting as a canvas for the mustard-yellow shutters. These shutters, in two different sizes, create a vibrant play of open and closed spaces. Access to the various housing units is through an inner courtyard, where the more articulated southeast facade features a continuous covered balcony connecting the mesh-covered exterior staircase with different units. The facade's openings and color palette echo the street's appearance.

Certain elements, such as the 1.5-meter cantilevering balcony and the exterior staircases, are uniquely shaped to meet program requirements. The designers' expertise strips away redundant layers, emphasizing the core values of these elements. This innovative design by 2+1 challenges a market-driven approach to building practices.

The building's north-south orientation influences the layout of interior spaces, with sleeping areas placed to the north and living areas to the south. Summer solar radiation is controlled through a walkway balcony and brise soleil screen, optimized to respond to seasonal solar variations. On the north side, full shutter panels provide additional protection from cold winds.

Economic resource optimization is achieved through a simplified building geometry, careful selection of construction materials, and the use of readily available local technologies. Materials like Abet laminate Meg offer high weather resistance and reduced construction costs.

Each housing unit is accessed via an internal courtyard, served by external stairs and walkway balconies. This design enhances social security in the peripheral context of the building's location and promotes cohabitation and social integration.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Tete en l'air, Paris

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Tete en l'air, Paris

Mismatches Diversity Climate change
Urban Design Environments Quality Liveability Inclusion
Promotion and production Public promotion Innovation Materials Technology Industrialisation

Main objectives of the project

Innovatively merging historical preservation with modern eco-friendly construction, the project in north Paris features a revitalized historic building and a new wooden structure with a playful facade of plug-in boxes. A south-facing garden enhances community connection, while the use of sustainable wood significantly lowers the carbon footprint and construction costs. This project exemplifies how thoughtful design can create high-quality, socially inclusive housing.

Date

  • 2013: Construction
  • 2007: Ganador

Stakeholders

  • Constructor: SIEMP
  • Architect: KOZ Architectes

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Paris
Country/Region: France, Paris

Description

The project is situated in an old working-class neighborhood in the north of Paris on a deep and narrow plot. The preexisting building in the plot were in very poor condition. However, the brief required preserving the building on the street to retain its picturesque charm. There was a sense that the area had a rich and vibrant social life, which inspired the studio to maintain the original structure. Thus, the building serves as an example of how to create a disruptive social housing project while preserving the spirit of the previous construction.

The first goal was to create a generous garden, open to the south. This garden lies along the natural path of the inhabitants and acts as an intermediate space between the street and the privacy of their homes. All the apartment living rooms open onto this garden, connecting residents to this small piece of urban nature and fostering a sense of community. The existing building on the street side was completely renovated to meet modern living standards. It also gained a double-height porch to provide views of the garden from the street and to allow access during the construction of the new building along the garden.

The new section of the building is constructed entirely of wood, reflecting the studio's strong belief in the material's unmatched ecological and aesthetic benefits. From the ground to the roof, new solutions were devised to address structural, acoustic, and fire safety issues. This high-tech use of a low-tech material significantly surpasses current environmental standards. Despite the strict discipline required for wood construction, the playful arrangement of the plug-in wood boxes on the facade disrupts the rational order, giving the building a spontaneous character. The random positioning of the boxes makes each apartment layout unique and versatile, suitable for uses beyond bedrooms, such as home offices or gym rooms. Small courtyards at the rear provide private gardens on the ground floor and bring natural light into all the bathrooms, adding extra comfort and a home-like quality of life.

The distinctive wooden cladding further breaks up the perception of the building's volume, giving it a quiet tone and highlighting the tactile quality of the rough natural wood. This helps blend the architecture with the garden, which features an undulating wooden path and terrace, delicate trees, and a meadow of wildflowers. The garden becomes an open-air room, welcoming the small community of residents. Ultimately, the project demonstrates that social housing can promote small-scale, sensitive utopias of well-being and pride.

In conclusion, the project highlights the significant ecological and economic advantages of using wood for social housing construction. The choice of wood not only offers unparalleled environmental benefits by utilizing a renewable resource but also enhances the aesthetic and structural quality of the buildings. This sustainable approach significantly reduces the overall carbon footprint and meets stringent environmental standards. Additionally, wood construction proves to be cost-effective, allowing for innovative design solutions that promote a sense of community and well-being among residents. The project exemplifies how sustainable and affordable materials can be used to create high-quality, socially inclusive housing, setting a precedent for future developments in the sector. Moreover, it is done with a disruptive design, unusual in social housing projects.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Le Lorrain, Molenbeek-St-Jean, Belgium

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Le Lorrain, Molenbeek-St-Jean, Belgium

Mismatches Location Diversity
Urban Design Environments Quality Liveability
Promotion and production Public promotion Innovation Materials

Main objectives of the project

The renovation of the former Brumétal scrap metal dealership by MDW Architecture in Brussels transformed it into a social housing complex featuring a four-flat building and three maisonettes. Using industrial materials to honor its past, the project opens up the plot, creating a wide communal space and promoting a sense of community. The design includes various housing types arranged around a central courtyard, with private gardens and recessed entrances. Elevated maisonettes and strategic layout changes maximize light exposure, blending contemporary architecture with the site's industrial heritage.

Date

  • 2011: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: MDW

Location

Continent: Europe
Country/Region: Belgium, Brussels

Description

This project involves renovating the former Brumétal scrap metal dealership into a social housing complex, consisting of a four-flat building connected by a large communal open space to three maisonettes at the rear. Belgian practice MDW Architecture has transformed the site in Brussels using industrial materials that reference its past. The project, part of the "Maritime" district contract, opens up the previously built-up plot, allowing the street to "breathe" through a wide opening. This contemporary architectural and urban intervention aims to rejuvenate the neighborhood while preserving its industrial heritage.

The design reflects a modern approach, considering both the spirit of the place and program requirements. It includes various housing typologies: simplex, duplex, and triplex units ranging from two to four bedrooms, organized into one apartment building and three terrace houses at the rear. The focus is on architectural and environmental quality. Homes are arranged around a central courtyard with communal meeting and play areas. Each house also features a private garden and a recessed entrance to create a buffer between the front door and public space.

Given the site's enclosure by high party walls, the interior was cleared, and the maisonettes were elevated to maximize light exposure and sunlight access. These decisions also facilitated the inclusion of a garage at street level and minimized the need for extensive site depollution. On the street front, the apartments were raised and set back, creating a visual sequence between the road and the complex. Lowering the eastern party wall reduced the oppressive feeling of the interior and allowed more light to penetrate the plot.

The social housing project offers a top-tier design and a disruptive architecture setting, while maintaining the landscape and history of the plot and the sense of community.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Marina del Prat Vermell, Barcelona

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Marina del Prat Vermell, Barcelona

Mismatches Location Diversity
Urban Design Quality Liveability Inclusion
Promotion and production Public promotion

Main objectives of the project

In the Marina del Prat Vermell (Barcelona), a project stands as a model for future social housing developments, addressing both the immediate housing shortage and long-term sustainability goals. By providing high-quality, affordable housing, it plays a key role in alleviating the housing crisis in Barcelona and sets a benchmark for similar projects worldwide.

Date

  • 2023: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: Coll-Leclerc Arquitectos
  • Architect: MIAS

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Barcelona
Country/Region: Barcelona, Spain

Description

La Marina del Prat Vermell, an old textile colony area established in Barcelona in the mid-nineteenth century, lies south of Montjuic mountain, near the sea. The neighborhood's name, "Marina del Prat Vermell," or the Red Meadow Marina, originates from the practice of dyeing and drying fabrics on the meadows. Now, this neighborhood represents the last public land development opportunities in the densely built city of Barcelona. Consequently, La Marina has become a strategic location for the city’s government to construct social housing units, such as the 72 units designed by MIAS Architects and Coll-Leclerc Arquitectos.

The plot, shaped like a triangle formed by the streets Ulldecona, Cal Cisó, and Pontils, influenced the architectural response. The design maintains the integrity of the triangular shape in its overall organization, without compromising the clarity and rationality of the orthogonal interior distribution of the dwellings. The three vertices of the plot are preserved as three closed corners, avoiding chamfers or simplifications.

To accommodate numerous social housing units, each with two rooms and optimal ventilation, solar exposure, typology, and views, the triangle is divided with two patios and two passages oriented from north to south, creating five volumes. The eastern and western corners house unique dwellings. Instead of using a layout with an interior triangular block courtyard, which would be too small and lead to an excess of north-facing dwellings, the proposal includes blocks of four corner dwellings, ensuring the two hours of solar exposure required by regulations between 10 am and 2 pm.

The perception of the complex varies depending on the viewpoint: from the eastern and western corners, it appears as a single unit block with gaps, while from the southern façade, five volumes are visible, allowing sunlight to penetrate through the passages at midday. This design avoids a continuous 92-meter façade and provides a smooth but intricate volume. The block's materialization or dematerialization changes based on the observer's position.

In summary, the building achieves a balance between being compact and porous. It is compact due to the triangle's geometry influencing its volumetrics, and porous due to the rationalized division into equivalent blocks. Each floor accommodates twelve residences, all featuring a corner layout, granting every unit dual orientation, ventilation, and complete solar exposure.

The material selection aims to minimize the building's carbon footprint by using lighter components and avoiding excavation in contaminated industrial soils. The facades feature alternating vertical strips of glass and ribbed GRC (fiber-reinforced concrete), red-colored and 17 mm thick, evoking the folds of fabrics drying on the meadow. Transported and positioned with their 120 mm metal frames, they are insulated on the inner face to ensure low thermal transmittance of 0.24 W/m2 K. The open corners have wide terraces that follow the envelope's geometry, protected by Gradhermetic louvers. The reinforced concrete structure uses a Bubble-Deck system, reducing the weight of the floor slabs by 35% and allowing the creation of cantilevers to adapt to the unique site geometry. The Bubble-Deck, composed of cylindrical bodies of recycled PVC, reduces weight and carbon footprint.

The project's shape factor, with openings designed to maximize solar gain in winter and provide shading and cross ventilation in summer on all floors, results in low total energy consumption of 8.76 kWh/m2 per year, achieving an A Rating and meeting Passivhaus standards with very low heating and cooling demands.

Ecoenergies' subway biomass network frees up the roof for the installation of a shared solar photovoltaic plant, consisting of 89 modules producing 37.8kWp, covering 51% of consumption. Vegetation is incorporated on the remaining roofs, and flowerbeds with red flowering species are planted along the access passages to promote biodiversity and mitigate the heat island effect. Additionally, bike racks are installed in these passages to encourage alternative mobility.

The importance of social housing in Barcelona cannot be overstated, especially in a city facing a deep housing crisis. With skyrocketing rents and limited space for new developments, many residents struggle to find affordable and adequate living conditions. In this context, the La Marina del Prat Vermell project emerges as a crucial intervention.

This project not only addresses the urgent need for affordable housing but does so with a forward-thinking design that enhances the quality of life for its residents. By integrating optimal conditions for ventilation, solar exposure, and dual orientation, the development ensures that each unit benefits from natural light and airflow, which are essential for healthy living environments. The use of sustainable materials and energy-efficient systems further underscores the project's commitment to environmental responsibility, reducing its carbon footprint and operational energy consumption.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

De Jakoba, Amsterdam

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De Jakoba, Amsterdam

Mismatches Location Functional adequacy Diversity
Urban Design Environments Quality Liveability
Promotion and production Public promotion

Main objectives of the project

De Jakoba revitalizes Amsterdam-Noord's Overhoeks neighborhood with its innovative design, addressing the city's housing crisis. The building's inward-curving structure and wavy balconies create a unique appearance, providing 135 studio apartments, each with a distinct layout. Constructed with prefabricated light green concrete elements, the building offers reduced construction costs and faster occupancy. The elegant design features polished concrete details and warm silver-gold accents, enhancing the architectural clarity and contributing to the area's dynamic urban fabric.

Date

  • 2022: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: Studioninedots

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Amsterdam
Country/Region: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Description

Amsterdam, like many major cities, is grappling with a significant housing shortage, driven by a burgeoning population and limited space for new developments. This crisis has placed immense pressure on the city's housing market, making innovative and efficient housing solutions more crucial than ever. Amsterdam-Noord, a district known for its vibrant culture and rapid development, has become a focal point for such solutions. Among the notable projects in this area is De Jakoba Social Housing building, which injects new energy into the Overhoeks neighborhood.

Within the formal urban plan for the Overhoeks area, characterized by its un-Amsterdam, campus-like setting, De Jakoba offers a unique interpretation of the established guidelines. The urban plan mandated setbacks for buildings to minimize their perceived volume from street level. Taking advantage of this condition, the architects bent the entire volume of De Jakoba inwards, allowing the structure to stagger and curve upwards gradually, not just at the top floors but along its entire height and length. This design results in four distinct facades and wavy balconies, giving the building a recognizable appearance within its surroundings.

The building's sculptural shape ensures that each of the 135 studio apartments has a unique layout. At the heart of De Jakoba is the narrowest section, featuring an entrance passage that connects the communal garden to the street. As the building curves inward, it embraces the garden, creating a sense of shelter. The open communal garden and multifunctional spaces on the ground floor along Docklandsweg add vibrancy to the street level.

The entrance was designed to create a strong sense of arrival. Extending like a glass void over the full height of the building, the entrance offers expansive views of the collective garden and the new urban district along the IJ from all floors. The use of prefabricated facade elements allowed De Jakoba to be constructed in a very short time frame, significantly reducing construction costs and enabling residents to move into their homes much sooner.

The architecture's clarity is emphasized through the use of a single material: light green concrete. The play of lines between the horizontal bands and vertical fins of this soft green material distinguishes De Jakoba from surrounding buildings. The thin edges of the concrete panels, polished in one stroke, add attractive detailing to the facades. Powder-coated silver-gold window frames and balustrades provide a warm glow, while the subtly curved pillars create a dynamic interplay of light and shadow throughout the day.

De Jakoba not only addresses Amsterdam's pressing housing needs but also enhances the urban fabric of Amsterdam-Noord with its innovative design and vibrant community spaces. This project exemplifies how thoughtful architecture can contribute to solving the housing crisis while enriching the local environment.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Star Homes, Tanzania

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Star Homes, Tanzania

Mismatches Services Cultural suitability Vulnerable groups Climate change Pandemics
Urban Design Liveability
Promotion and production Private promotion Participatory processes Innovation

Main objectives of the project

Addressing the severe housing and health challenges in rural Tanzania, the Star Homes Project delivers 110 innovative, low-cost homes designed to reduce disease and improve living conditions. The project's emphasis on sustainability is evident through its use of energy-efficient materials and designs, significantly lowering embodied carbon and construction costs. By sourcing all materials and labor locally, the project strengthens community ties and builds local capacity. This interdisciplinary effort not only enhances the health and well-being of families but also serves as a model for sustainable development in similar regions.

Date

  • 2024: Implementation

Stakeholders

  • Architect: ingvartsen
  • Ifakara Health Institute
  • Mahidol Oxford Research Unit
  • University of the Philippines – Manila
  • London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
  • Durham University
  • CSK

Location

Continent: Africa
Country/Region: Mtwara, United Republic of Tanzania

Description

The Star Homes Project has been under development for over a decade, aiming to create novel, low-cost, comfortable, and insect-proof housing to improve health in rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. This initiative involves constructing 110 identical, single-family "Star Homes" across 60 different villages in Mtwara, one of Tanzania's most underdeveloped regions with high incidences of malaria, respiratory tract infections, and diarrhea. These houses are part of a trial designed to provide robust data on whether improved housing can enhance family health.

Both upgraded and traditional house styles in Sub-Saharan Africa seem to predispose residents to vector-borne, enteric, and respiratory diseases. Unlike most rural Tanzanian housing, the prototype house is two stories high, reducing the area of the foundation and roof, which are typically the most expensive and material-intensive components. This design approach optimizes resource use, reducing embodied energy and construction costs. The prefabricated light gauge steel (LGS) frame can be manufactured and erected in under three days; walls are solid but hollow, with two thin layers of cement render on wire mesh. The house features passive cooling, solar lights, USB chargers, and rainwater collection, resulting in a home that uses 70% less concrete than typical concrete block designs and has 37% less embodied carbon.

The prototype windows are screened with strong netting instead of glass, keeping indoor temperatures approximately 2.5 degrees lower than comparable local houses. Thick walls absorb heat during the day and radiate it at night, deterring the use of bed nets and increasing malaria risk. Ground-level bedrooms have higher mosquito densities, raising the risk of vector-borne infections. Cooking on open fires within poorly ventilated spaces can lead to respiratory health issues, especially for women and children. Compacted earth surfaces are hard to clean, and combined with open pit latrines, inadequate water supply, and minimal sanitation, they leave families vulnerable to diarrhea and other enteric infections.

These health issues are most severe in rural regions like Mtwara, where access to public health services is limited. After completing the construction of all 110 Star Homes in June 2021, families moved in and began participating in a trial to monitor children under 13 years old for episodes of malaria, acute respiratory infections, and diarrhea over three years. A team of architects, entomologists, and social scientists will evaluate the house design's performance and acceptability using in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, house walk-throughs, and surveys. Light traps will be used to collect mosquitoes and flies in both the Star Homes and control homes to measure the number of malaria-carrying mosquitoes entering the houses.

The Star Homes project also aims to build capacity and sustainable communities in some of the world's poorest areas by providing affordable housing and teaching new construction skills. Each house and latrine costs between $6000 and $8000 to build and can be constructed in under four weeks. Occupants receive electricity and water throughout the house's 30-year predicted lifespan, with no operational or maintenance costs. This saves time and resources, which can be used to strengthen rural communities and lift families out of poverty. All components and labor are sourced from within Tanzania, enhancing local construction capacity.

Designed by an interdisciplinary team of architects, public health specialists, and entomologists, the Star Home incorporates various design interventions to improve family health. A detailed selection process was undertaken to choose the recipients and locations for the Star Homes. In 2019, before construction began, a survey of rural villages in Mtwara was conducted. Households wanting to participate and meeting the study inclusion criteria (such as having children under 13 years old) could enter a lottery to win a Star Home built on their land. The lottery was conducted openly and transparently to select the recipients. The study is expected to be completed by 2024.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Plan B, Guatemala

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Plan B, Guatemala

Mismatches Vulnerable groups
Urban Design Environments Liveability Inclusion

Main objectives of the project

In response to the devastating Volcán de Fuego eruption, Plan B Guatemala, led by the ASIAPRODE Association and designed by DEOC Arquitectos, offers a sustainable and adaptable housing model for affected families. The 86m² homes, constructed with durable materials such as concrete blocks and bamboo, feature a unique design that separates living spaces into two blocks with an interior courtyard, promoting natural ventilation and community interaction. This design supports the rural lifestyle and allows for future expansion. The self-build concept enables families to tailor their homes, reducing waste and fostering a sense of pride and community cohesion.

Date

  • 2019: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: DEOC Arquitectos

Location

Continent: South America
Country/Region: Guatemala

Description

On Sunday, June 3, 2018, the Volcán de Fuego, situated between the departments of Sacatepéquez, Escuintla, and Chimaltenango in Guatemala, erupted twice. This disaster resulted in numerous fatalities, thousands of evacuations, many people in shelters, hundreds of injuries, and nearly two million individuals affected. Plan B Guatemala was established in response to the catastrophic eruption of Volcán de Fuego. The ASIAPRODE Association initiated this project to construct 26 homes to meet the needs of the affected communities. In an open competition, DEOC Arquitectos presented a proposal that adhered to the established requirements, the user profile, and the natural context.

The project features a permanent housing model for displaced families: an 86m² house on a plot measuring 8m by 19m. The construction is divided into two building blocks; the social-kitchen-bathroom zone is separated from the bedrooms by an interior courtyard. Circulation is minimized to ensure the best use of the various areas. The separation of the living sector into two modules allows the house to adapt to different area and site conditions. Additionally, the design permits vertical expansion above the bedroom block or horizontal growth by adding another bedroom module if a larger plot is available.

The house promotes a rural lifestyle, in touch with the outdoors, enabling families to share spaces with the community, extended family, and domestic animals. This design choice led to an open facade aesthetic, providing versatile space usage. It also supports the continuation of local lifestyles and customs, allowing them to be passed down to future generations.

The construction utilizes durable building materials that are easy to source and work with, such as concrete blocks, bamboo, and steel plate roofing. Concrete blocks were specifically used in various arrangements to create a permeable lattice that protects the inner areas while allowing natural ventilation throughout the spaces. Despite being a replicable housing model, the addition of color inside the concrete block holes offers a subtle yet strong statement, enabling families to express their personalities and fostering a stronger sense of community belonging.

This house has been designed as a self-built home, with the construction process controlled by the family or community that will reside there. It employs a traditional masonry construction method, allowing users to adjust the dimensions of different areas to the building materials, minimizing waste and reducing the construction schedule.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Space-S, Netherlands

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Space-S, Netherlands

Mismatches Services Cultural suitability Diversity
Financing
Urban Design Quality Liveability
Promotion and production Public-private partnerships Participatory processes Self-construction Cooperatives

Main objectives of the project

On an unprecedented scale in the social rental sector, 400 future residents were involved in the design process from the very beginning. The development comprises a cluster of seven buildings, with publicly accessible communal outdoor spaces interspersed between them. The project features a diverse mix of housing types: apartments, lofts, student housing, and homes with additional space for hobbies or work. Additionally, "protected living studios" were developed and rented out in collaboration with social organizations.

Date

  • 2016: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Promotor: Woonbedrijf
  • Architect: Inbo

Location

Continent: Europe
Country/Region: Eindhoven, Netherlands

Description

Housing association Woonbedrijf acquired land in a prime location in Eindhoven: Strijp-S, a former industrial area of the internationally renowned company Philips. This area was being transformed into a vibrant, trendy city district where culture, work, design, and living intersect. Initially, Woonbedrijf was uncertain about what to do with the vacant land, especially during the economic crisis when construction was at a standstill. People were more concerned with basic survival and job security than investing in new buildings.

Initially considering the creation of office spaces, Woonbedrijf soon realized that there were already enough vacant office spaces. Instead, they decided to finance a project focused on social housing. Woonbedrijf is dedicated to building, managing, and renting high-quality living spaces at affordable rents for people with low incomes. The rental income from these homes often does not cover the foundation costs, so housing associations in the Netherlands receive state aid due to their services being of general economic interest. Woonbedrijf decided to take a customer-driven approach: rather than building homes first, then finding tenants, and subsequently creating a community, they reversed the process. They planned to develop homes in collaboration with future residents, making them co-creators in the process.

Woonbedrijf, along with its student branch Vestide, reached out to potential tenants to ask what they wanted to create at Strijp-S. They recruited tenants via Facebook with the slogan, "How do you want to live on Strijp-S? Think along, from scratch!" Hundreds of responses were received, and these individuals were invited to help formulate the DNA of the future SPACE-S.

Woonbedrijf selected Inbo to design the project with the future residents, valuing Inbo's recognition of the added value of co-creation. Inbo's ability to collaborate and design with future tenants had been proven in previous assignments.

After the Facebook call, respondents were invited to share their housing wishes and participate in creating the SPACE-S DNA. Woonbedrijf and Inbo used a communication model that included online platforms (website and Facebook) and offline channels (meetings, workshops) known as “LABS.”

The design process involved rounds where Inbo addressed specific topics raised by future residents, such as floor plans and the architecture's atmosphere and appearance. They actively engaged with residents to translate their specific needs into actionable insights for the architects. Other methods included allowing residents to design their own apartments with Styrofoam blocks and using virtual reality in Inbo's VR Lab to bring preliminary designs to life.

At the end of each round, which could last up to three months, Inbo compiled all input into “COLLECTEDS.” These conclusions formed the DNA of SPACE-S and were pivotal for the architectural design.

In the SPACE-S project, home allocation was not based on registration time but on the level of involvement. The more actively participants engaged in the project, the higher their chances of securing a home. They could earn “Matspunten” (advantage points) by attending meetings and engaging online, which increased their priority in choosing a home. This system gave tenants not only a say in the design of their future homes but also a better chance of obtaining their preferred home.

This project is unparalleled in the Netherlands in its scale (402 apartments) and in prioritizing future residents' wishes in social housing. The needs expressed by future tenants led to a neighborhood where living, working, relaxing, socializing, and pursuing hobbies were seamlessly integrated. The result was seven interconnected buildings, including a 54-meter-high residential tower, offering a mix of apartments, lofts, student residences, and homes with additional space for hobbies or work. Plu-S, an organization for protected living for young people with autism, developed and rented out various studios. The design also ensured a distribution of different housing types across the buildings, fostering a diverse community where families, students, artists, and entrepreneurs live side by side.

The construction process was straightforward, except that some apartments were left unfinished for residents to customize. Lofts were double-height, allowing residents to decide whether to add an extra floor. This approach resulted in diverse interiors that met the varied needs of residents. Communal spaces were also left unfinished, as many residents were eager to personalize these areas. A notable feature of the construction was preserving an age-old plane tree on the site, with SPACE-S built around it.

SPACE-S developed a neighborhood of 402 homes on a 30,000 m² site, catering to a close-knit community within budget constraints. Most rental prices at SPACE-S are below the rent allowance limit. On almost every floor, different housing types are mixed, including:

- 151 apartments ranging from small to large, priced from 470 to 640 euros per month (excluding 59 euros service costs);
- 61 lofts, starting at 540 euros per month (excluding 59 euros service costs);
- 44 assisted living studios with three common areas (10 for Plu-S and 34 for Futuris);
- 143 student residences, including group residences from 172 to 225 euros per month and independent units from 372 to 382 euros per month (excluding 69 euros service costs).

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Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España