116 Public Housing Units in Madrid / UNIA ARQUITECTOS + FAU ARQUITECTOS

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The building has been largely constructed with prefabricated and industrialized systems of great lightness, which has allowed for significant savings in steel for the structure and foundation, as well as a reduction in construction waste. The stair cores were assembled in the workshop and subsequently transported and placed on-site through the light well.Text description provided by the architects.The proposal aims to articulate the site conditions alongside the urban character of the piece, the optimal use of buildable area, the required program, and the spatial quality of the homes. Given the tightness of the program, the best relationship between the usable area of the homes and that designated for circulation and common spaces is sought.The design of the open spaces aims to reconcile play, walking, and social interaction in a safe environment through comfortable spaces where people can wander, sit, and chat. With this provision, the so-called "intermediate spaces" are encouraged, the semi-public space that serves as a coherent and intuitive transition between home and street.The new technical means and labor structures make housing once again a place to reconcile personal and professional life. Therefore, it is appropriate to have a room near the entrance that can be dedicated to this activity, even serving to receive visitors. The 4-bedroom types allow one of them to be designated for this activity as it is located adjacent to the entrance hall.From an energy perspective, the homes have a maximum rating thanks to the high performance of the envelope in terms of insulation and waterproofing, as well as to the chosen cooling system of radiant floor heating connected to the aerothermal system.The ground floor houses the commercial area, the adapted homes, and the access passages from the backyard garden to the stairs and elevators. Thanks to the exchange of four types of 3-bedroom units for 2-bedroom types on the first and second floors, the volumetry is shaped through outdoor spaces of triple height, thus improving the sunlight and ventilation conditions of the interior courtyard and reducing the built area to fit the maximum available buildability. Finally, the attic level completes the proposal with unique types of 2-bedroom units that feature large private terraces.The width of the plot, the housing program, and the available buildability inevitably allow for a type H block with four vertical cores. However, the proposal seeks to address the drawbacks of this typology through a structural grid of 9.5 meters, slightly larger than usual, and by enclosing the sides to make the resulting volume as compact as possible. Likewise, it avoids the compositional rigidity of this type of block by employing facades that play with transparency and movement. Thus, opaque panels are combined with sliding panels made of micro-perforated steel sheets that provide solar and acoustic protection, adaptable to the users' needs, creating an iconic image in its surroundings.