“Focus on community building and social equity” – Holcim Awards Jury
Aiming at an integrated approach to low cost housing in urban areas, the project proposes a re-distribution of space to reflect a “neighborhood” typology, favoring urban and community relationships. The strategy is to compress the buildings to a minimum footprint and align them in order to free up some land area.
Last updated: July 10, 2008 Mexico City, Mexico
Four blocks of medium density buildings are linked to each other by collective stairs. The line of buildings divides the lot into public and private portions, composed by the street with a sidewalk leading to a small public square. A community building on the square has a flexible ground floor for different uses such as a small market, health care and educational facilities.
On the upper level there is ample space for horticultural activities and rain water collection. The outstanding strength of this project is its focus on community building and social equity, integrating the street and squares as dynamic elements of daily life.