Affordable Housing Prototype
location: Prototype
scale: 364sf + 88sf patio
scale type: Building scale
client: Theoretical
client type: Developers
status: Full Scale Prototype Built 2009
services: Conceptual Design; Workshop with Homeless Community; Material Research; Full Scale Modeling; Installation & Public Exhibition
description: The project concerns itself with the efficiency of living space and asks the question “what is the minimum amount of space required for a successful dwelling. Dwelling spaces that maximize efficiency and minimize building area have myriad benefits to society, culture, industry, and economy. By examining common human behavior – both the necessary and social – and daily function of working class people, we can design and arrange space that eliminates excess.
homelessness: We recognize the increasing need for affordable housing. Amidst a global financial crisis, the population of displaced persons is rapidly increasing. In order to realize physical progress on this issue, a new paradigm for housing and lifestyle must emerge.
team: The issues which this project addresses cross over several disciplines. Spanning beyond architecture, the project will leverage the knowledge and expertise of people from the fields of anthropology, development, construction, sustainability, interior design and art.
Specifically through our collaboration with expert scholars in the field of Cultural Anthropology and sociology and architecture students, we will solicit, observe, document and analyze behavioral and communicated responses to the built spaces. Led by Dr. Henry Delcore this research will then be used to drive the re-design of the spaces to be built as part of the larger housing project.