Competition promoted by the Solvia real estate company for the construction of the homes of the future. It is a reflection on new forms of construction in the construction of multi-family buildings. No specific plot was specified, only different groupings had to be presented in a conventional plot.
PROJECT
Scheme of the type of housing
The floor of the house is organized in: area of facilities (with access to the patio), area of rooms and outdoor space accessible from the house.
Each house is constituted by modules of 2.4m x 6m that make up the house leaving the pillars plant free.
The house can grow along to add more rooms or expand existing ones. Configuring different dwellings with the same typology.
The plant is divided into a more public area where the hall, living room and kitchen are located. The other area can be considered more private inside the house and the rooms are located.
Capacity for grouping and / or segregation
The modulated typological dwelling that we propose allows, in the project phase, to be extended with more modules to create larger dwellings that can then be compartmentalized more or less according to the user’s interest.
In principle, the user would buy a surface according to their interests and economy. It could be compartmentalized according to their interests or that of promoter, although over time the user would find it easy to change it.
We do not contemplate outside empty spaces where the house can be extended, since it is difficult to justify, on the part of the promoter, selling something that is not an interior space of the house. We also do not contemplate the extension of the house, filling the double space of a duplex house, since this would entail the appearance of stairs inside the house and this fact goes against its accessibility.
We understand that there are users who would not understand how they can expand the house, in these cases, but they would understand that they can compartmentalize all the interior space at a low cost.
The configuration of a house without internal pillars and with a nucleus of facilities all grouped allow any change in an easy way. On the one hand as a compartmentalized space that over the years becomes a more open space or a non-compartmentalized housing that over the years is compartmentalized.
We do not contemplate the creation of community spaces inside the housing nucleus. Instead we understand that it is more propitious to use the roof of the building as a neighborhood meeting or as the case may be, a private garden at the bottom with aggregation of part of the ground floor for these uses.
A community and private external space of the community is more conducive to the socialization of children and adults. We see it more appropriate than community spaces within the housing nucleus. In a closed block the apple patio would be very suitable
Constructive quality and possibility to industrialize
We propose the use of materials already proven throughout history, such as steel and concrete for the structure.
For this we propose a metal structure with a sheet metal slab.
For industrialization, we do not propose the use of complete prefabricated modules, due to its high transport problem due to its volume.
In its place we propose separate pieces of pillars and beams built in the workshop, with bolted assembly on site. This allows a more adequate transport. We do not contemplate welding on site.
For the slabs, we would use slabs of composite sheet metal bolted to each other and to the structure once placed on site.
In the event that it is impossible to obtain said plates in the area, one could opt for a collaborative sheet metal slab, with concrete pouring in situ.
The building has a double skin on the main facades. This has two functions:
a) allow changes in the facade of the house due to the change of the partition, without causing change in the external appearance of the building.
b) get a second skin in the building that increases thermal comfort both in winter and summer.
The construction of a patio where all the pieces of service ventilate, achieves a cross ventilation for the house.
In the summer months, the patio will retain more freshness than the main facades, which will provide the house with a better comfort.
Usage solutions
The houses are designed to use what we could call shared spaces.
The living room can open the windows to join the balcony space visually creating a single space.
The kitchen at the time of use can be opened to visually create a kitchen dining set. It can also be closed again if desired, for example at the time of cooking food that diffuses great odor and fat to the environment.
The corridors are not only an area of passage, but share this space with a storage closet. We do not contemplate storage rooms inside the house. For these cases we contemplate storage cabinets. For a longer storage in time, we propose the storage rooms located in the basement of the garage.
The reception area also shares access to a storage closet.
Flexibility and adaptability
A home must adapt to the situation of users in two aspects:
a) flexibility to transform the home with low costs. For this reason, we propose a construction based on recordable false ceilings and technical pavements. On the walls we propose laminated gypsum boards.
All these elements allow the change or revision of facilities in a simple way.
On the other hand, it allows users to adapt throughout their lives.
Possibly in the first years it will not be necessary to compartmentalize all the space with more rooms and it is more useful to have a more open house.
With the time and the increase of family, it will be necessary to compartmentalize with some more room, that years later it is possible that it is not necessary.
A house with a pillared-free floor allows all these changes.
b) adaptability to the user in his day. For this we propose spaces of communication between them
through sliding doors or windows that communicate visually, for example, the kitchen with the living room.
There is also a connection through a sliding window between the living room and the balcony in the form of a continuous space.
Spatial quality
To achieve a good spatial quality it is necessary, among other elements, a good lighting. We propose homes where all the rooms are in contact with the outside, to get views of the exterior spaces. We do not contemplate that they are in contact with interior patio.
For server spaces (kitchen, bathrooms, grocer, etc.) we propose that they give to an interior patio where they can capture light and natural ventilation, avoiding the construction of ventilation ducts.
With this configuration we get a more appropriate ventilation. There is cross ventilation that allows wet areas to dry faster.
We avoid placing the drying area on the main facade and place it next to the interior patio. With direct exit from the kitchen.
Rationality and accessibility of facilities
The electrical installations we propose that they ascend through a cabin designed to house these ducts from the ground floor to each house, in the area of the staircase.
For the water supply pipes, we think that you ascend through the drying area.
Down all the kitchen downspouts, toilets and washrooms. In addition, all the smoke evacuation pipes in the kitchen would be added. This allows the patio to remain free of facilities. It also allows these facilities to be in a place outside the house and accessible from one floor to the next, which allows the change of facilities without the need for scaffolding assembly, as in the case that the installations were for the patio façade.
In each plant said facilities will be hidden by the facade of plates superimposed on it.
In case of change of the installation, only the area of the affected plant should be dismantled, to reach the pipes of that plant. Later the area of the disassembled façade would have to be reassembled, so that the pipes were hidden again in view of the user of the house.
