Finalist | Emergency Housing Mexico

In Latin America, 104 million people live in slums, constantly overwhelmed by the problems that come with having no proper home and the lack of access to the basic services. The challenge slum residents face therein lies in how to build better lives in the most efficient and effective manner.

Our approach focuses on drawing resources from what is already present and familiar to the users. Commercially, the most common panel size available is 4’ x 8’ or 1.20 m x 2.40 m. The basic house dimensions were then determined based on a minimum module of 4’ x 8’ for both the floor and wall components. The 4’ x 8’ module serves two purposes by decreasing volunteer labor time and reducing material wastage—a mindful effort to maximize resources for the people who never had much to begin with.

The floor is composed of six minimum modules, arranged in a nearly square plan of 4.80 meters long and 3.60 meters wide. This shape allows for equal exposure to the sun on all sides regardless of its orientation, offering flexibility in building placement. Also, the house’s compact and nearly cube form minimizes heat gain/loss—a step towards improving the existing model’s nonexistent thermal insulation. Supplementary insulation materials can be incorporated as the family’s budget increases.

Using only the simplest construction techniques and most common building materials, our proposal keeps things familiar by not straying far from the existing model. Conceptually, the house’s modular design allows for meaningful changes including flexibility in positioning the house’s doors and windows, as well as the easy attachment of additional modules at all sides. The extra modules presented are only the most basic ideas and are open to endless possible uses and configurations to accommodate each family’s individual and changing needs. While living in slum conditions is nobody’s choice, we hope that providing consciously designed methods to building a home will empower its residences towards the path of gradual improvement in their quality of life.

Check out the website feature here and the full page submission here.

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