#RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE PROJECTS
These affordable bamboo houses were built for just $2,500 each
Atelier COLE, Building Trust International, and Habitat for Humanity Cambodia teamed up to design an affordable and eco-friendly housing scheme for families affected by HIV/AIDS.
The innovative project has thus far constructed nine pilot ‘Framework Houses,' each made from sustainably grown timber, bamboo, natural materials, and recycled materials. The adaptable and flood-resistant homes were built on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Created with funding through SELAVIP and the input of the local community, the adjustable Framework House can be customised to the client’s needs, from the layout to material selection. Each site-specific house is built using local labor and sustainable building techniques to keep its environmental footprint, construction costs, and maintenance costs to a minimum. The organisers empowered the community with training workshops that taught locals how to affordably and sustainably replicate the original Framework House design.
Built for resiliency, the Framework House is elevated atop precast concrete pillars to protect against flood risk. However, families also have the choice to fill in the ground floor if they choose. A split-roof and operable shutters allow natural ventilation to flow through the home, while the angled and overhanging canopies mitigate solar heat gain. A combination of sustainably grown timber, bamboo, natural materials, and recycled materials were used to construct much of the house framework.
Though the Framework House was built for a Cambodian community, its design is applicable to many other places in a similar tropical climate. The low-cost and easily replicable design can also be used as emergency housing.
