Project description by jury

The design proposes a compact construction that answers the demand of housing in urban areas where one of the main problems is scarcity and the high cost of land. The authors’ solution to promote urban density is a small modular system that adapts to multiple users and requirements, fits different urban morphologies and is potentially scalable from the first stage of 64m2 to fourth stage of 128m2. The internal layout voluntarily relinquishes a strong spatial hierarchy, allowing for a high degree of flexibility. 

The final configuration of the building is also the result of environmental design strategies that complement the infill design operation: green roof, improved thermal comfort solutions, solar panels and rainwater harvesting systems are used to minimize energy consumption while the almost exclusive use of wood makes the construction footprint quite low. One of the challenges of sustainable urban design to minimize the impact of construction activities on land is the densification of urban areas. The jury enthusiastically endorsed the authors’ proposal to contribute to the consolidation and regeneration of the city center of Cordoba through the efficient use of small, un-built parcels of land, that is often a difficult task, particularly in Latin America.

Jury appraisal

Although the “infill” strategy for city growth is not a novelty per se, the Holcim Awards jury Latin America was very much convinced by the sustainable features the project claims which make this design operation quite revolutionary for Argentina. The bioclimatic strategies used in the building are skillfully contemplated and the use of wood was considered audacious but attractive. The flexible and clever internal layout makes the prototype able to adapt to different life dynamics and was considered as an additional strong point. All in all, the jury unanimously acknowledged the project’s ability to offer, especially to families, an appealing new opportunity to repopulate the city.