A competition for the innovative design of public housing in Malaga has been won by Spanish firms PRÁCTICA and Daroca Arquitectos, whose proposal offers a new housing typology based on energy efficiency, sustainability, and urbanization from a human and ecological perspective. Titled Al Sur, the 15,196 square meters development transforms Malaga’s “Green Block” urban plan, combining social housing, free market units, and commercial areas.
The block reduces vehicular circulation, forming a highly pedestrian-friendly zone, thus “proposing a new model of pedestrian city”. Buildings are arranged to maximize daylighting and illuminate pockets of public space and include 76 social housing units in addition to 40 rentable units.
Volumetrically, the buildings on the site are dictated and oriented by the site’s natural climatic conditions, in order to affect the housing units and commercial areas through passive strategies. Steering away from the conventional use of concrete and steel, cross-laminated timber was instead the primary material used in the construction, chosen for its sustainable qualities and potential as an environmentally friendly solution for future development.
In addition to material choice, Al Sur’s residential structures serve as “independent climatic units”, complimenting the constructed thermal insulation system with passive ventilation to reduce overall energy consumption within the buildings, and provide a more economical solution to climate control.
Architects
Location
Málaga, EspañaPRÁCTICA
Jaime Daroca, Jose Mayoral, José Ramón SierraColaboradores
Roberto Alés, Sebastián Peñas, César FuertesPremio
Primer LugarOrganizador
OCAM – Oficina de Concursos de Arquitectura de MadridCliente
Gerencia Municipal de Urbanismo de MálagaArea
15196.0 m2Project Year
2017Photographs
Courtesy of PRÁCTICA and Daroca ArquitectosArchitects
News via: PRÁCTICA.
