Date Type: Ganador

Woof & Skelle, Bremen

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Woof & Skelle, Bremen

Mismatches Functional adequacy Services Climate change
Urban Design Services and infrastructure Environments Quality Liveability
Promotion and production Public-private partnerships

Main objectives of the project

The Woof and Skelle buildings in Bremen's Ellener Hof district, developed by Bremer Heimstiftung, form a new village-like neighborhood with 500 mostly subsidized apartments, focusing on timber construction for sustainability. The ensemble includes a five-storey building with a kindergarten on the lower floors and accessible flats above, and a two-storey building with additional kindergarten areas, an early intervention centre, and a parents' café. The design emphasizes renewable materials, with a high proportion of timber for flexibility and resource efficiency, incorporating low-tech climate concepts and strategic fire protection measures.

Date

  • 2024: Ganador
  • 2022: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Architect: ZRS

Location

Continent: Europe
Country/Region: Bremen, Germany

Description

The two new buildings, Woof and Skelle, are part of the Ellener Hof district developed by the Bremer Heimstiftung. This new neighborhood in the eastern part of Bremen consists of 500 mostly publicly subsidized apartments and is designed to resemble a gradually grown village, largely constructed using timber. The building ensemble includes 9 flats and a kindergarten. In the five-storey building, the lower two floors are used by the kindergarten, while the upper three floors house 7 partially accessible and 2 fully wheelchair-accessible flats. The two-storey building accommodates additional kindergarten areas, an early intervention centre, and a parents' café. The wooden façade connects the buildings, forming a cohesive ensemble. The project is characterized by renewable building materials and a high proportion of timber construction: a skeleton construction allows for a high degree of flexibility in the event of conversion. In addition to the supporting structure and the exterior walls, the partition walls, the staircase, the lift shaft, and the balconies are also made of wood. A low-tech climate concept supports this circulation-friendly and resource-saving construction method.

By not sheathing the load-bearing construction and dimensioning the load-bearing wooden elements for burn-off, the fire protection concept allows visible wooden surfaces in all rooms. Even in the necessary stairwells, the construction of visible timber surfaces is made possible by compensations. Vertically projecting solid timber slats and horizontally cantilevering steel sheets limit the spread of fire across the façade surface, making the timber façade feasible. Both houses, the flats, and the kindergarten are designed for a low-tech climate concept—the desired values are largely achieved through the specific qualities of the building envelope. Diffusion-open, moisture-regulating surfaces allow for the elimination of expensive and high-maintenance technology. In addition to natural ventilation via the windows, the houses are equipped with a demand-controlled exhaust air system in the interior bathrooms.

The core idea of a circular, resource-saving building is reflected on several levels: the robust timber frame construction allows for a high degree of flexibility for conversions and a long service life. Attention was given to reversible connections and robust construction in the building elements. The building envelope and shell are deconstructible down to the level of the elements and building materials. The proportion of concrete was reduced to a minimum, and the timber structure is optimized for slender profiles. In addition to the supporting structure and exterior walls, the partition walls, staircase and lift shaft, the fire wall, and the balconies are also made of timber. The ceilings are partly constructed as cross-laminated timber ceilings and partly as timber-concrete composite ceilings. Where possible, the wooden components are left visible, characterizing the interior with their light-colored surfaces. The proportion of petroleum-based insulation materials has been reduced to the absolute minimum—cellulose, wood fibre insulation, and foam glass are used instead. The high proportion of wood (over 60%) makes the project a CO2 reservoir.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España
Fundació Mies van der Rohe Barcelona

47 social housing units in Torre Baró, Barcelona

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47 social housing units in Torre Baró, Barcelona

Mismatches Vulnerable groups
Urban Design Quality Liveability Inclusion Equity
Promotion and production Public promotion

Main objectives of the project

This social housing building is designed around a central atrium that enhances the energy efficiency of the complex. Along with the spacious staircase landings, the atrium also serves as a communal meeting space for residents. Commissioned by the Institut Municipal de l'Habitatge i Rehabilitació de Barcelona (IMHAB), the public housing authority in the city, this project features a distinctive high-rise layout with walk-through courtyard flats. Each unit is positioned along the façade, ensuring natural lighting and scenic views. The building's sustainability is further enhanced by rooftop photovoltaic panels and intermediate terrace-gallery spaces that allow for cross ventilation. When closed, these spaces create a greenhouse effect, providing thermal gains and reducing the need for heating. As a result, this high-quality, sustainable building is made available to vulnerable populations.

Date

  • 2017: Ganador
  • 2022: Construction

Stakeholders

  • Promotor: IMHAB
  • Architect: dataAE

Location

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

Description

Torre Baró, one of Barcelona's most vulnerable neighborhoods, has one of the highest deprivation indexes in the country. Despite this, it is experiencing skyrocketing housing prices typical of a global city like Barcelona. Consequently, the Institut Municipal de l'Habitatge i Rehabilitació de Barcelona (IMHAB), the city's public social housing promoter, emphasized the need to invest in this neighborhood to ensure dignified housing for its residents.

The project consists of a building with 47 social housing units, including a basement, ground floor, and five upper floors. This building is designed as a shallow, continuous perimeter of courtyard flats that create a central space in the form of a collective and bioclimatic atrium. This atrium serves as a reception area, a social space for residents, and a mechanism for enhancing the complex's energy efficiency.

Situated adjacent to the Parc de Collserola mountain, Torre Baró originally required terraced constructions with numerous outdoor spaces connected to nature and the landscape due to its steep terrain. The new building will become the permanent home for some families who have moved out of the neighborhood and currently live in precarious housing conditions but maintain a strong connection to the mountain. These natural spaces are strategically incorporated, adapting them to the high-rise courtyard house typology.

The building emphasizes the relationship between the dwelling, the immediate public space, and the city, using intermediate spaces to transition from the street to the house through a large bioclimatic atrium. This welcoming ground-floor space is a mandatory passage for users to access different stairwells. It serves as an energy-efficient intermediate space, fostering a new area for social interaction among residents and future generations year-round. Additionally, it addresses energy poverty by designing homes with nearly zero energy consumption (NZEB) and high rooftop photovoltaic electricity production.

The central space, featuring a bioclimatic roof that can be opened and closed and protected from the sun, functions as a greenhouse in winter and a hyper-ventilated umbraculum in summer. This creates a thermally favorable space that adapts the building's form to environmental needs, improves the interior façade's transmittance, and facilitates energy exchange with the dwellings, reducing ventilation-related losses. These favorable conditions allow both the large central space and the generous staircase landings to serve as living, play, or meeting spaces for neighbors.

Each dwelling includes a 13m² terrace-gallery type intermediate space that functions as a passive-use area. In summer, this open, exterior, and ventilated space aids in cooling the dwellings through cross ventilation. In winter, it becomes a closed space that collects thermal gains from the greenhouse effect, directly benefiting the living room and reducing the need for heating. Each terrace acts as a private filter space between indoors and outdoors, an intermediate area between the individual and the collective.

A single typology is proposed for the apartments, where all units are located on the façade, ensuring natural lighting and landscape views. The gallery's position alternates: in some flats, it is the access space, while in others, it is at the end of the dwelling. The interior configuration of the dwellings features versatile 10m² rooms, all designed to favor multi-functionality. The layout is inclusive, with an open kitchen connected to the living room and access to the laundry room and bathrooms from the common space of the flats.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Combining Social Housing with Tourism In Havana, Cuba

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Combining Social Housing with Tourism In Havana, Cuba

Mismatches Functional adequacy Cultural suitability New family structures Vacant housing
Urban Design Environments Quality Liveability
Promotion and production Public promotion Innovation Progressive housing Transformation and adaptation

Main objectives of the project

Cuba, the largest Caribbean island with over 11 million people, is a cultural melting pot of native Taíno and Ciboney people, Spanish descendants, and African slaves. Since Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution, Cuba has been the only stable communist regime in the Western hemisphere. The architecture of Havana reflects the city's rich history, but after the revolution, the government shifted focus to rural areas, leaving Havana's buildings to deteriorate. Iwo Borkowicz, a winner of the 2016 Young Talent Architecture Award, has developed a plan to restore vibrancy and sustainability to Havana's historic core.

Date

  • 2016: Ganador

Stakeholders

  • Architect: Iwo Borkowicz

Location

Continent: North America
Country/Region: Cuba, Havana

Description

After half a century of neglect in Havana Vieja, buildings are collapsing at a rate of two every three days due to flooding, saltwater corrosion, and overcrowding, with as many as 20 families living in villas designed for one. Despite a law preventing migration to the capital, Havana faces a severe housing crisis. A 2010 study showed a shortage of 500,000 housing units, now estimated to be between 600,000 and 1 million, with over 100,000 people in Havana alone lacking housing. Suitable housing is a top priority for Cubans.

Amid this housing crisis, tourism in Cuba is booming. Nearly 3.5 million tourists were expected in 2017, with 90% visiting Havana. Due to communist policies, privately owned hotels are rare, but since 1997, Cubans can rent out rooms in their homes, known as "casas particulares," to meet tourism demand. Inspired by this, Iwo Borkowicz proposed combining social housing with tourism in Havana Vieja by renovating existing buildings and adding vertical extensions to create an average of four floors. His plan aims to provide more housing and income for locals, allowing them to repay loans over ten years while earning significantly more than the average Cuban salary.

Borkowicz developed six prototypes addressing various site conditions, from replacing single-storey buildings in poor condition to creating new structures on empty plots. His designs maintain existing structural support and infrastructure, using flexible floor plans to accommodate hotel rooms or larger apartments. Common spaces, open kitchens, collective rooftop zones, and urban farming areas are included in the designs to benefit both permanent and temporary residents.

Natural ventilation is prioritized in Borkowicz’s designs, using courtyards for cross-ventilation and traditional Cuban elements like wrought iron railings for maximum airflow. The passive cooling system involves underground pipes to maintain stable temperatures. Borkowicz’s plan also includes reflective ceramic tiles on roofs to prevent overheating and facades that preserve the classic, colorful Cuban aesthetic, enhancing the area's tourist appeal.

Borkowicz’s proposal aims to revitalize Havana Vieja, providing essential housing and economic opportunities while preserving cultural heritage.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Viviendas sociales 1737 (Gavà, Barcelona)

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Viviendas sociales 1737 (Gavà, Barcelona)

Mismatches Diversity Vulnerable groups
Urban Design Quality Liveability Inclusion Regulación Técnica Procesos Administrativos
Promotion and production Public promotion Materials Technology

Main objectives of the project

The innovative social housing project by H Arquitectes in Gavá, near Barcelona, demonstrates Catalonia's commitment to low-cost, high-quality housing. Adapted to a triangular plot, the building avoids dead-end corners and offers panoramic views. Apartments feature four adaptable modules and a hybrid structural system for efficiency. Exterior transitions include balconies and glazed galleries, leading to a central atrium that provides natural light and ventilation. With 136 units, the project, backed by IMPSOL, aligns with regional efforts to address housing shortages.

Date

  • 2022: Construction
  • 2017: Ganador

Stakeholders

  • Promotor: IMPSOL
  • Architect: H Arquitectes

Location

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

Description

In recent years, Catalonia has been increasing its public social housing stock with extraordinary low-cost projects. A good example of this architectural excellence is the project by H Arquitectes in Gavá, a small coastal town a few kilometres from Barcelona, between the Garraf massif and the Llobregat delta. The building adapts to the perimeter of a complicated, triangular-shaped plot, breaking the continuity at the corners to avoid dead-end corners that could generate situations of insecurity. In this way, a plot with excellent views and pleasant surroundings is achieved. The building is developed through a system of aggregation that maximises the relationship between the living spaces and the surroundings. All the rooms are exterior and have views of the Ferreres mountain range and the Llobregat Agricultural Park, an area of great environmental interest.

Each dwelling consists of four equal modules of 10.6 square metres, which can be used as living room, kitchen or bedroom. A hybrid structure of screens and concrete slabs separating the dwellings, combined with slender pillars that allow very short and efficient spans, while characterising the space of each room. On both sides of these modules, there are two bands of transition to the exterior: a balcony facing the street and a glazed gallery - where the bathrooms and storage space are located, which can also be attached to the living rooms - towards an atrium where the circulations and vertical communication cores of the whole complex are resolved. Thus, all the spaces have plenty of natural light and cross ventilation.

As explained above, three continuous rings are configured: terrace, programme and circulation, leaving the vertical communication cores inside the atrium. In this way, there are no corridors. The central atrium is a protected and slightly tempered space that ventilates the stairs and makes the dwellings more comfortable. The staircases are very compact and serve four dwellings per landing, giving a total of 136 dwellings.

As for the governance of the project, it is promoted by IMPSOL, Barcelona's public metropolitan developer. Thus, the project is part of a strategy of the city as a whole, together with its adjacent municipalities, to address the growing housing crisis that is being experienced.

The building has been largely awarded: Matilde Baffa Ugo Rivolta 2023 European Award, Shortlisted ‘EU Mies Van der Rohe Award 2024’, ‘III Premis Temps de les Arts’ 2023, Premio ex aequo ‘Premio ENOR 2023’, Premio FAD de la opinión 2023, Finalist "Premios FAD 2023", "Premio en la Bienal Española de Arquitectura y Urbanismo ‘BEAU XVI’ 2023"

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

Cornellà Social Housing

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Cornellà Social Housing

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

Main objectives of the project

Peris+Toral Arquitectes won the competition to design a building for 85 social housing units in Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona. The project focuses on two main axes: the design of a matrix of spaces that eliminates corridors and maximises the use of floor space through communicating rooms, and the use of wood as the main material, which allows the industrialisation of the structure, improves the quality of the construction and reduces both execution times and CO2 emissions. In addition, the building is organised around a central courtyard that acts as a communal square, promoting interaction between neighbours and guaranteeing cross ventilation and double orientation in all the dwellings.

Date

  • 2021: Construction
  • 2017: Ganador

Stakeholders

  • Architect: Peris + Toral Arquitectes

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Cornellà de Llobregat
Country/Region: Barcelona, Spain

Description

In 2017, the Barcelona office Peris+Toral Arquitectes won the ideas competition organised by AMB (the metropolitan government of Barcelona) and promoted by the public entity IMPSOL to design a project for 85 social housing units on the site formerly occupied by the emblematic Pisa cinema in the municipality of Cornellà de Llobregat, Barcelona. This project consists of a five-storey detached residential building with a wooden structure resting on a reinforced concrete ground floor for commercial and public facilities uses.

In tackling this new multi-family construction, Peris+Toral Arquitectes has highlighted two strong points in its strategy: on one hand, the design of a matrix of spaces that eliminates corridors, both private and communal, proposing communicating rooms to maximise the use of floor space; on the other, the use of wood as the principal material, which permits industrialising the structure of the building, improving the quality of the construction and reducing both execution times and emissions thanks to a totally sustainable material.

For the 10,000 m² of floor space of the new building in Cornellà de Llobregat, which houses 85 social housing units distributed over five floors, 8,300 m² of km0 wood from the forests of the Basque Country have been used. The design with communicating rooms eliminates corridors to ensure maximum use of floor space, and the use of wood favours the industrialisation of the building, improves the quality of construction and significantly reduces construction times and CO2 emissions.

The building is organised around a courtyard that articulates a sequence of intermediate spaces. On the ground floor, a portico open to the city anticipates the entrance of the building and filters the relationship between the public space and the communal courtyard, which acts as a small square for the community. Instead of having direct and independent entrances from the exterior façade to each lobby, the four vertical communication cores are located at the four corners of the courtyard, so that all the neighbours meet and converge in the courtyard-plaza. On the standard floors, the dwellings are accessed through the private terraces that make up the crown of outdoor spaces overlooking the courtyard. The general floor plan of the building is organised in a matrix of communicating rooms, with 114 spaces per floor and 543 in total, of similar dimensions, eliminating private and communal corridors to make the most of the floor plan. The server spaces are located in the central ring, while the rest of the rooms of undifferentiated use and size, of approximately 13 m², are arranged on the façade, offering different ways of living.

Another terrace in the outer crown completes the spatial sequence, connecting the spaces by means of large openings permeable to air, view and passage. The 85 dwellings are distributed in four groupings with a total of 18 dwellings per floor. Four or five dwellings are arranged around the core, so that all the typologies have cross ventilation and double orientation. The dwellings consist of five or six modules, depending on whether they have two or three bedrooms. The open and inclusive kitchen is located in the central room, acting as a distributor that replaces corridors, makes domestic work visible and avoids gender roles.

The size of the rooms offers flexibility based on ambiguity of use and functional indeterminacy, and allows for an optimal structural bay for the timber structure. In order to achieve economic viability, the volume of timber required per m² of construction has been optimised to 0.24 m³ per m² of floor area in order to achieve social housing.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Pere Garau social housing, Mallorca

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Pere Garau social housing, Mallorca

Mismatches Functional adequacy Vulnerable groups
Urban Design Quality Liveability
Promotion and production Public promotion

Main objectives of the project

The project in the Pere Garau neighborhood of Palma transforms a corner plot, once characterized by single-family dwellings, into a new public housing building amidst urban gentrification. It adheres to regulations while creatively utilizing the space, fostering a dialogue with neighboring structures. The resulting design features a perforated solid, housing individual narratives within a shared framework. Terraces integrate indoor-outdoor living, while shutters maintain privacy and solar control. This approach not only addresses housing needs but also preserves community identity in the face of neighborhood change.

Date

  • 2012: Construction
  • 2008: Ganador

Stakeholders

  • Architect: RipollTezon

Location

Continent: Europe
City: Palma de Mallorca
Country/Region: Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Description

The project is located in the ‘Pere Garau’ neighbourhood of Palma (Mallorca). The area used to be characterised by blocks of single-family dwellings with interior courtyards following a typical grid plan. Once the district became a central area of the city, modifications in urban planning significantly increased building volumes and changed the typology to collective housing. The project is part of this transformation by redefining a corner plot, resulting from the union of two old houses, into a new public housing building. Moreover, it does so in a context of change in the neighbourhood. Pere Garau used to be one of the most vulnerable neighbourhoods in the city of Palma. Now it is undergoing a clear process of gentrification, the result of which could lead to the expulsion of residents. The commitment to social housing can prevent this.

The building is conceived respecting the volumetry prescribed by the regulations and taking advantage of the established rules: a buildable depth and the possibility of overhangs towards the street, half of which can be occupied with closed surface. The proposal takes advantage of this situation to create mechanisms that relate the dwelling to its immediate surroundings through openings in the volume.

The result is a perforated solid where the realities of each of the inhabitants resemble scenarios stacked one on top of the other. It is a universe of small stories organised according to a non-apparent order, whose layout arises from the relationship that the building establishes with the adjoining buildings, seeking in this dialogue to be sensitive to their scales, heights and morphology.

The different rooms of the dwelling will be organised around fixed bands that house the server packages. The excavated terraces will link interior and exterior, allowing the direct radiation of the sun and the light that penetrates to be controlled, as well as offering a landscape of its own, incorporated in the foreground of each dwelling. The rest of the openings will be protected with shutters facing the façade.

The building won the public competition to build with IBAVI, the public promoter in Mallorca. It offers 18 housing units for families. Moreover, it has won the “Ciutat de Palma 'Guillem Sagrera' de Arquitectura” 2013 award and ended up finalist in the 5th Architecture Award of Mallorca.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Aalborg East - from an isolated vulnerable area to an inclusive community

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Aalborg East - from an isolated vulnerable area to an inclusive community

Policies and regulations Local policies Land Building capacity Public-private initiatives Participatory processes
Urban Design Urban fabrics Liveability Inclusion Public-private initiative Participatory processes
Ownership and tenure Protection of social housing Public-private partnerships

Main objectives of the project

An isolated an deprived residential area in Denmark's fourth-largest city had, since its construction in the 1960s and 70s, experienced increasing decline and negative spiral. Now, Aalborg East is a mixed community, with a vivid atmosphere and centered on the well-being of its citizens. It has become a story of success in social housing policies in Europe.

Date

  • 2011: Construction
  • 2023: Ganador

Stakeholders

  • Promotor: Aalborg Municipality
  • Constructor: Himmerland Boligforening

Location

Continent: Europe
Country/Region: Denmark

Description

Aalborg East, originally established as a satellite city in the 1970s, faced significant challenges over the past years, characterized by deteriorating old buildings, primarily comprised of social housing, and a declining economy leading to escalating issues of unemployment and crime. Recognizing the urgent need for intervention, a comprehensive urban transformation initiative was launched, encompassing the renovation of over 2,000 affordable homes. This ambitious endeavor was guided by two fundamental principles: the promotion of a diverse community and the active engagement of local residents throughout the process. Thus, homes were renovated, new shops were added, private homes were built and several social initiatives were adopted. Residents sat at the table as urban planners, so no homes have been demolished, and no residents have been displaced.
The whole process has been vastly affected by tenant democracy. There were building committees consisting of tenants, and every major decision was made at attendant meetings. Strong and strategic partnerships with both the public and private sector were also central because a housing association cannot do it all by themselves. For example, construction fields have been sold to private investors to densify some areas with freestanding house blocks and to diversify the economy.
In conclusion, the renovations were completed by using a variety of building types, appealing to a wider residential composition. Moreover, new infraestructure was put in place to foster the new mixed community. For instance, a new health house was built where training courses are in place, which makes the area more visible for people who would not visit Aalborg East daily. It is fair to say that the Danish social housing provider Himmerland Boligforening went further than usual, leading the way in Europe on how to integrate social housing tenants in the strategic city development as well as making them active city planners. The results are astonishing. Now Aalborg East is an area of well-being with safe areas, no crime, and great economic growth.
In 2023, the project won the NEB awards in “Prioritising the places and people that need it the most”.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

The Arroyo, Santa Monica

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The Arroyo, Santa Monica

Mismatches Location Functional adequacy Diversity Climate change
Policies and regulations Local policies Planning
Financing Financial actors
Urban Design Environments Quality Liveability
Promotion and production Private promotion

Main objectives of the project

Santa Monica's efforts to tackle its housing crisis and mitigate climate change converge in projects like the Arroyo. The city's commitment to affordable housing is evident in its mandate to create over a thousand new units annually, with a focus on affordability. The Arroyo exemplifies this mission, providing 64 units tailored to different income levels and incorporating sustainable design elements like photovoltaic cells and natural ventilation. Its recognition with prestigious awards like the 2020 LEED Homes award demonstrates its success in marrying affordability with environmental responsibility, serving as a model for future developments amidst California's dual challenges of housing and climate.

Date

  • 2019: Construction
  • 2020: Ganador

Stakeholders

  • Promotor: Community Corp.
  • Constructor: Benchmark Contractors
  • Architect: Koning Eizenberg Architecture
  • John Labib + Associates

Location

Continent: North America
Country/Region: Los Angeles, United States of America

Description

The affordable housing crisis in Santa Monica mirrors that of California as a whole, with over half of households spending more than 30 percent of their income on rent. The city also faces the daunting task of meeting the goals set in the 2021 regional housing needs allocation (RHNA): planning for an average of 1,109 new housing units annually for the next 8 years, with over two-thirds of them designated as affordable. This year's allocation represents a substantial increase compared to the previous RHNA cycle. To tackle this challenge, Santa Monica has implemented aggressive measures, including inclusionary housing (IH) regulations, to encourage the development of affordable housing units. Simultaneously, the city grapples with the climate crisis, experiencing higher average temperatures and prolonged droughts. In response, Santa Monica devised its 2019 Climate Action and Adaptation Plan, incorporating strategies to achieve carbon neutrality in buildings. Recent housing projects in the city, such as the 64-unit Arroyo developed by the Community Corporation of Santa Monica, epitomize this dual focus on sustainability and affordability.

The Arroyo, a five-story building featuring two parallel wings connected by bridges on each floor, boasts a central courtyard that follows the path of the former arroyo, now replaced by a stormwater drain. This courtyard extends into a basketball half-court and picnic area with covered activity space. Additionally, indoor spaces cater to residents' needs, providing a vibrant community atmosphere. Two community rooms host various free programs, including fitness classes, financial management courses, and computer training sessions. Tailored programs for younger residents, such as afterschool homework assistance and college readiness courses, further enrich the community experience.

The genesis of the Arroyo lies in the city's housing and planning regulations applied to 500 Broadway, a downtown development proposed by DK Broadway in 2013. Subject to city requirements mandating affordable units or contributions towards affordable housing elsewhere, DK Broadway opted to provide a site for affordable housing a few blocks away, subsequently transferred to the Community Corporation. The financial backing, including low-income housing tax credits and loans from Bank of America, facilitated the Arroyo's development without city or state funding.

Sustainable design features are integral to the Arroyo's ethos. Natural airflow facilitated by the courtyard, bridges, and open-air corridors promotes ventilation and cooling without increasing energy demand. Photovoltaic cells and solar water heating panels harness Southern California's abundant sunshine, while high-albedo roofs and window shades mitigate excessive sun exposure. Proximity to amenities and a Metro light rail station encourages car-free living, supported by onsite bicycle parking and electric vehicle chargers. These sustainable elements, coupled with affordability, earned the Arroyo recognition, including a 2020 LEED Homes award from the U.S. Green Building Council.

The Arroyo's accolades extend beyond sustainability, with awards such as the AIA National Housing Award (2021) and the Jorn Utzon Award (2020) underscoring its architectural and societal significance.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España

Cireres

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Cireres

Mismatches Financing Functional adequacy Services Cultural suitability Diversity Climate change
Policies and regulations Local policies Land Public-private initiatives
Financing Financial actors
Urban Design Environments Quality Liveability
Promotion and production Public-private partnerships Participatory processes Self-management Self-promotion Cooperatives
Ownership and tenure Shared ownership Protection of social housing Land ownership

Main objectives of the project

Cireres is a housing project whose goal is to build a cooperative housing that avoids speculation and the market dynamics. Thanks to a leasing of public land, a group of people in search of affordable housing could form a community with sustainable and top-tier housing units.

Date

  • 2022: Ganador
  • 2022: Construction
  • 2017: En proceso

Stakeholders

  • Promotor: SostreCivic (Coopertaiva Cireres)
  • Promotor: Barcelona City Hall
  • Constructor: La Constructiva
  • Architect: CelObert
  • Matriu
  • Col·lectiu Ronda
  • Fiare
  • Arç

Location

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

Description

Cireres is located in Roquetes, a popular neighborhood of Barcelona, with significant levels of vulnerability. This neighborhood has undergone considerable urban improvement since the 1990s. Originally, it was formed as a neighborhood of informal housing. Over the years, these dwellings have been integrated into the urban fabric and living conditions have improved. Today, the neighborhood faces new challenges. Mainly, housing speculation has entered fully into the daily life of the neighbors. For this reason, an investment in social housing is necessary. However, social housing is often expensive for the administration and has no roots in the neighborhood.

Cireres wants to solve the above problems. The project follows the logic of cooperative housing in lease of use. The public administration leases a municipal lot to a cooperative for a long period of time. In exchange, the cooperative builds the building and its members have the right to use the housing. In this way, the municipality does not lose public land for affordable housing. On the other hand, tenants have secure tenure and are part of a larger community integrated into the neighborhood, with the agency to build and decide on their project. To move in, each cohabitation unit has had to make an initial returnable capital contribution and then monthly payments, including services and utilities, which are below city rents.

Cireres also goes a step further. The objective is to generate a community that can build the entire project and live thereafter from the social and solidarity economy, not linked to the speculative market. Thus, the financing comes from Fiare, an ethical bank. The insurance company, the construction company, the management company... and all the agents involved are non-profit cooperatives. In this way, the value of use is put in front of the value of exchange, demonstrating another way to build affordable housing. In addition, the project includes a social economat, a working cooperative of residents dedicated to the trade of agro-ecological products.

The community life of Cireres is structured in an assembly, linked to the realities of the neighborhood and the residents. Its 32 dwellings are organized around common spaces. Thus, the idea is to be a single house, erasing the distance between the public and the private, integrating community life in the residence. For example, the houses are structured around a landing where neighbors can go out to hang the laundry, play... There are also communal indoor spaces. The communal project has an ideology that everyone must respect, the framework from which the activities, complicities and constructions of relationships, group and building are developed.

The site is a plot of 428 m2 located in the street Pla dels Cirerers, 2-4, We wanted to have shared spaces of quality, which allow to release functions of the interior of the private spaces to give them to the community, so 190m2 of buildability of the site are no longer exhausted by the commitment to make community spaces. We have built reduced private living spaces (50 m2 on average), which are compensated by 771 m2 of space for community use. The material used in Cirerers is mainly wood, and also lime mortar on the facades and plasterboard in the interiors. All of them are biodegradable materials with a low ecological footprint, since their production, transport and recycling involve very low CO2 emissions.

The building has won several awards: Advanced Architecture Awards 2022 in the Sustainability category - REBUILD, European Social Innovation Competition (EUSIC) and finalist of the MINI Design Awards 2022 - Madrid Design Festival.

Links

Authors:

CSCAE Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España