SITE VISIT: 15 SOCIAL HOUSING UNITS FOR RENT, BY HTM ARCHITECTURE

MCH2021 has visited the social housing project called "EMVS. Sierra Toledana. 15 houses and garages", designed by the architect Héctor Torres Mateo, founder of HTM and alumni of MCH'2011. The visit was guided by Héctor himself, whom we would like to thank for this opportunity.

The project "15 housing units and garage" has its origin in an agreement signed in 2011 by MCH and the Public Housing Company of the city of Madrid. As a result of it, an architecture competition was organized and the winner was Héctor Torres. Due to the financial crisis the project was stopped, but two years ago a new architectural competition for the execution project was launched and Héctor Torres got the comission of the construction of the building.

By the Architect:

The building is located in a plot with a complex geometry, in a depress area which is undergoing a social and physical renovation. The plot has a Z shape, with facades facing 3 streets, surrounded by buildings of 3‐5 floors and with a height difference of 3m between confronting facades.

The residential program consists of 15 dwellings for underserved families, split in 2 blocks. Two different accesses allow a crossing path through the plot and create an internal garden‐square.

The building is founded on a platform containing the garage and creating a flat ground floor. The 2 vertical cores are adjoining the surrounding buildings and connect with the attics through a common metallic materiality. This metallic L shape embraces the 2 white volumes with the residential program.

The lively flats enjoy two exterior facades and crossed ventilation, with the main rooms facing the streets and wet areas facing the square. Large windows allow for sunny rooms and horizontal windows, strategically at different heights, provide sun and ventilation to kitchen and bathrooms while allowing for privacy.
Folding white micro‐perforated shutters, which provide sun and privacy control, create a continuous white skin and a rhythm of shadows when opened.

The complex achieved an “A” energy qualification thanks to its strong thermal insulation, solar panels and heat recovery system. Furthermore, the pavement of the common areas, square and finishing of the facades renovates polluted air, compensating for 250 cars/year, through a photocatalytic process, thus contributing to the air quality in the city.

Photos provided by © Hector Torres y © Amores Pictures

We would like to congratulate Héctor Torres for the result of the project, from its conception to its execution.

Master in Collective Housing UPM/ETH

The Master of Advanced Studies in Collective Housing is a professional and international postgraduate programme that is developed on a full-time basis, dealing with advanced architectural design in the city and housing. It is designed and taught jointly by the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH).

The application period for MCH2022 is already opened, and it will remain so till 31.01.2022 or until vacancies are filled. 

For more information, click here!