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A sectional render of the proposed typology. As one can see any further growth could be easily accommodated with the continued use and combination of the 4 differing individual housing models.

The individuality from one site to another attempts to shatter and break free from the conventional and repetitive nature of the social housing constructions being directed at the profit of the monopolizing real estate firms within Mexico, and to the detriment of the growing populous that finds themselves dependent an such social housing schemes.

Throughout the investigation process, my main concern was with empowering the inhabitants of our social housing scheme, with considering the inevitable growth to which each resident will desire their architectures advance by.

As a result, I began reducing any necessary external services, this idea materialized itself with a more sustainable water retention and re-use system, thus reducing the inhabitants dependance on any further external industry interventions.

A competition by the IAAC to promote the research, ideas and proposals that help us envisage what the city and the habitat of the 21st Century will be like. We began the proposal with an existing project situated within the town Tlacolula, Oaxaca, Mexico,as a model. Its adaptation was researched and investigated in order to resolve whether or not it could become the basis for a self-sufficient city.

The model itself consisted of 4 variations of the same module, which when combined, created many more variations of individual social housing models.

The problem with dull alienating social housing is to do with mindless design. Many of which result in terrifyingly soul-less repetitive architectures, whose ‘designers’ are restricted heavily on not only their budgets but with local legislation and government targets, which ultimately impede the development of creative and empowering social housing.

Mexico suffers from these impeding forces with regard social housing development. During the 90’s production of social housing had been carried out with the active participation of private investment companies. However even as Mexican states try exerting an influence on the production of social housing, a clientelistic promotion system has made the market dependent on large financial and construction firms.

A few real estate firms monopolize the market and the funds. They build huge housing complexes within mexico with the money from employees contributions which are taken automatically from their salary.

With a steep topography and a detailed and limiting brief to contend with, the realisation of the eight contemporary towers proved a restricting task.

Fig.1 -Rendered view from road.

Fig.2 - Whole site elevation

Fig.3 - Experimenting with contemporary shading elements.

Fig.4 - Possible realisation of typical tower model.

This project consists of developing four luxury ‘Loft’ apartments in each building, designed to enjoy the exclusive view of the ‘Los Inkas Golf Club’, the city of Lima and the Pacific Ocean.

Green 360

A $100,000 competition project which consists of developing two tower models, one typical and another one at the corner, on a sloping ground, considering an existing spatial, urban and real estate proposal within the Peruvian capital, Lima.

Zeivy House

Situated on a site with steep topography, the client desired to be more creatively involved in the development of the project, a single family vacation home. The project leaser and myself worked very closely with the client, investigating different architectural options and presenting them to the client on a weekly basis.

A close-up of the above image. Notice the resulting positive and negative space created, and also the continual potential of personal growth, which i feel is very important when facilitating the empowerment of social housing inhabitants.

Implementing designated green pods, which still facilitates the ideal that ;

‘Everyone should be entitled to a garden, or their own personal urban green space.”

A 3d sketch model of a conceptual social housing scheme. Experimenting with both sides of the argument; density within the horizontal plane, or throughout the vertical plane. Whilst also attempting to create a sense of individuality which in my opinion is paramount within a successful social housing scheme.

Converted a flat topography image into spatial data points and rotated these points around the center.