by Ophélie Férédie, German Ferradas and Elao Martin

The second group was inspired by the frequently used outdoor space in San Francisco, a region of Córdoba in Argentina, focusing, in particular, on the flexibility of uses with the objective of providing a first home for couples and small families within the working to middle class over the medium term.

Using an out-of-use factory building as the subject of their transformation, the second group’s intervention aimed to create a circular economy that connected the agricultural industries of the surrounding neighbourhood with housing units there in order to also create a social hub that could be enjoyed by residents and nearby families. To do so, they proposed the recycling of the city’s waste as key building elements to reactivate the factory, effectively utilising the know-how of the nearby parks and agricultural centres and working with the nearby topography. Additionally, their transformation included an exhibition centre through which the community could be involved in the project. Reusing the factory building’s original steel to create a grid-like structure, the objective of their intervention was not only to make Córdoba greener, but to improve the mental health of the city’s inhabitants as well.

Contents Report - Norman Foster Foundation - Re-materializing Housing Workshop