Ignacio Rojas Hirigoyen Architects and The Andes House have designed a modular prototype that can be configured to build affordable housing.
Ignacio Rojas Hirigoyen Architects and Andes House have developed a modular building prototype aimed at providing a solution to the urgent global dwelling crisis. The first prototype of the system was built in Chile and allows for the design and construction of different building typologies using LEGO-like components.
The prototype follows in the footsteps of Walter Gropius and other Bauhaus designers, consisting of recycled, thick, layered wooden fiber panels. These panels, framed by wooden sub-modules connected with a system of locks and wedges, serve as building blocks for walls, floors, and ceilings. The layered assembly ensures thermal and acoustic comfort for the home.
The system is designed with modular coordination of steel and wood carpentry, where each component has its own place and function, minimizing material usage. The panels are installed within a lightweight, anti-seismic, recycled steel structure measuring 5 meters by 18 meters to create a sustainable house of 80 square meters. The exterior of the panels is covered with a vapor barrier and corrugated metal plates, allowing the façade to ventilate.
The wide eaves of the structure are designed to provide fresh air circulation and collect water through condensation. This feature also supports solar panels for an off-grid electricity scheme.
Currently, the studio is collaborating with the School of Architecture at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile to work on an upgraded version of the prototype. In a different location, Danish studio MAST is developing a modular prototype system to construct floating buildings with a similar concept.
