tatiana bilbao uses concrete blocks and wooden pallets for sustainable housing prototype

Over the past few years, social housing has become one of the most important and pressing issues on today’s architectural agenda.

In light of this — and responding to her country’s dearth of such accommodation — mexican architect tatiana bilbao has developed a project whose objective is to offer good spatial and material qualities at an affordable price. presented at the inaugural chicago architecture biennial, the flexible family dwelling can be constructed for under $8,000 USD.

in order to achieve the aforementioned objectives, the studio first sought to understand what the prospective tenants would require in terms of the project’s form and function. after several interviews and workshops, bilbao arrived at a design that adopts the form of an archetypal house, with a pitched roof, while adapting to geographic, social, and cultural variations.

the design expands mexico’s minimal federal requirement of 43 square meters per house by building a central core of rigid concrete blocks, surrounded by modules of wooden pallets. this allows the home to be expanded in phases, adapting to each family’s individual budget and requirements, while preserving the home’s external appearance. the scheme’s first phase includes two bedrooms, one bathroom, one kitchen and a five meter-high communal space. further expansions can provide space for up to five separate bedrooms.

 

a central core of rigid concrete blocks is surrounded by modules of wooden pallets

 

clothing can be hung externally from the dwelling’s upper level

 

the home’s wet areas are contained within ventilated timber volumes

 

the project’s first phase includes two bedrooms, one bathroom and one kitchen

 

a five meter high living room is found at the heart of the dwelling