Type of project:
Arquitectura (vivienda)
Start of construction:
January 2006
Principal author:
Alejandro Restrepo Montoya, Professor of Architecture, Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Medellín, Colombia
Project Summary
This project is given distinction for its
socially ambitious vision to provide affordable
housing in areas where temporary
shelters prevail. Due to political
and financial limitations in the region,
almost all provisional shelters tend
to become permanent houses, yielding
as a result unsustainable conditions for
human residence. To counter this tendency,
the authors convincingly demonstrate
the potential of introducing
sustainable construction techniques,
proposing to utilize modular wooden
volumes that are upgradeable to a
permanent house through the addition
of new modules. The proposal also
takes into consideration measures to
involve the inhabitants directly in the
construction process, thus increasing
a sense of pride in collectively constructed
space. In this sense, the project
promotes the actual building of a community.
As a result, a former emergency
shelter area is transformed into a new
human settlement.
Holcim Award 2005 - Latin America - Encouragement prize - From temporary shelters to permanent housing, Medellín, Colombia) (l-r): Javier Hernando Castañeda Acero, Architect, Profesor, Laboratorio de Estudios y Experimentación Técnica en arquitectura LEET, Facultad de arquitectura Universidad Pontifica Bolivariana; Gustavo Adolfo Restrepo Lalinde, Architect, Profesor, Laboratorio de Estudios y Experimentación Técnica en arquitectura LEET, Facultad de arquitectura Universidad Pontifica Bolivariana; Alejandro Restrepo Montoya, Architect, Profesor, Laboratorio de Estudios y Experimentación Técnica en arquitectura LEET, Facultad de arquitectura Universidad Pontifica Bolivariana; Bernard Terver, CEO, Holcim Colombia & Venezuela; Julián Andrés Gutiérrez Duque , Architect, Profesor, Laboratorio de Estudios y Experimentación Técnica en arquitectura LEET, Facultad de arquitectura Universidad Pontifica Bolivariana
Comment of the Holcim Awards 2005 Jury for Latin America
The project is given distinction for its socially ambitious vision to provide affordable housing in areas where temporary shelters prevail. The authors demonstrate keen awareness of the fact that due to political and financial limitations in the region, almost all provisional shelters become permanent houses, yielding as a result very unsustainable conditions for human settlement.
To counter this tendency, the project convincingly demonstrates the potential of introducing sustainable construction techniques, proposing to utilize industrialized modular wooden volumes that are upgradeable to a permanent house through the addition of new modules.
Consequently, a new human settlement can be generated from a former emergency shelter area. High ethical standards are evidenced by the foreseeable integration of the inhabitants in the construction process. Ecologically, the project is also manifests a very responsible disposition by promoting the use of recycled wood and effective treatment of water and solid wastes.
Socially, the work promotes collective interaction among community members while also providing zones necessary for individual privacy. The simplicity of the structures presents an economically feasible solution to low cost housing that is also applicable to other regions.
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