+ 23

• Architects

  José Álvarez Checa

• Location

  Huelva, Spain

• Category

  Market

• Lead Architect

  José Álvarez Checa

• Area

  6380.0 m2

• Project Year

  2018

• Photographs

  Jesús Granada, Ignacio Gomez Millan Roselló

Modular coatings for facades and enclosures typically deliver fast and efficient solutions. However, many times they lack richness and character since they are repeated infinitely, without relating to the architectural design and its different functions and requirements.

These aluminum foam panels are manufactured through an air injection process in molten aluminum, which contains a fine dispersion of ceramic particulate. These ceramic particles stabilize the air bubbles, and create aluminum foam panels which provide an interesting level of detail and variability, generating unique facades with different levels of texture, transparency, brightness, and opacity. These ultralight panels can be used as flat architectural sheets, are 100% recyclable and available in standard sized formats up to 3.66 meters long (custom longer panels also available). 

+ 20

+ 18

• Architects

  AF6 Arquitectos

• Location

  c / Pottery, 21, 23; c / Antillano Campos, 23 and c / Covadonga, 2, 6 and 8. CP 41010 Triana, Sevilla, Spain

• Category

  Sustainability

• Architects in Charge

  Miguel Hernández Valencia, Esther López Martín, Juliane Potter, Francisco J. Domínguez Saborido, Ángel González Aguilar.

• Area

  1937.0 m2

• Project Year

  2018

• Photographs

  Jesús Granada

A lightweight material par excellence, Zinc is a non-ferrous metal that provides an effective solution for coating buildings exposed to adverse weather condition while simultaneously delivering a creative response to the requirements of the program and the users of the project.

When in contact with humidity, Zinc panels generate a self-protecting layer that isolates heat from indoor spaces during the summer. Rain and snow, slide easily over its surfaces, and its modular panels can wrap curved shapes or be perforated according to the architectural design, and combined in facades and/or ceilings through different shades, brightness, and colors.

+ 19

+ 19

• Architects

  Miguel Blázquez Arquitectos

• Location

  Calle San Jacinto, 87, 41010 Sevilla, Spain

• Category

  hospital

• Architect in Charge

  Miguel Blázquez Gómez Landero

• Area

  6335.0 m2

• Project Year

  2012

• Photographs

  Jesús Granada

+ 20

• Architects

  ADOM-STUDIO

• Location

  Calle del Teniente Coronel Noreña, 30, 28045 Madrid, Spain

• Category

  Renovation

• Author Architects

  Marta Susino Fernández, José María Peláez-Campomanes Sarró

• Area

  3084.0 m2

• Project Year

  2018

• Photographs

  Jesús Granada

If a work can be photographed, drawn, or expressed in words, it can also be the star of a film. This can be seen in Arquitectura en Corto, a Spanish cycle of short films about innovation and trends in contemporary architecture.

"The eruption and widespread availability of social media/mobile videos coupled with the need to illustrate and present innovative projects drives the union between architecture and these mediums," explains Roca Gallery and Technal, the organizers behind Arquitectura en Corto.

+ 22

• Architects

  Aranguren&Gallegos Arquitectos

• Location

  Plaza de los Juzgados, 1, 34001 Palencia, Spain

• Category

  Sustainability

• Architects in Charge

  Mª José Aranguren López y José González Gallegos

• Area

  4345.0 m2

• Project Year

  2017

• Photographs

  Jesús Granada

+ 27

• Architects

  Gabriel Verd Arquitectos

• Location

  Calle Río Guadalquivir, 11550 Chipiona, Cádiz, Spain

• Category

  Social Housing

• Partner Architect

  Simone Solinas

• Area

  2046.15 m2

• Project Year

  2016

• Photographs

  Jesús Granada

+ 12

• Architects

  Grupo Aranea

• Location

  Elche, Alicante, Spain

• Category

  Bridges

• Design Team

  Francisco Leiva Ivorra, Marta García Chico, Antoni Baile Jiménez Prócoro del Real Baeza

• Technical Architect

  Cristina Alesón Carbonell, Maria Jesús Baeza Alemany

• Collaborators

  Martín López Robles, Luis Navarro Jover, Benjamín Javier Pérez López, Marian Almansa Frías, Jordi Quiñonero Oltra, Anna Pont Solbes, Ágata Alcaraz Vicente

• Constructor

  Los Serrano

• Area

  115000.0 m2

• Photographs

  Jesús Granada

+ 33

• Architect

  Aranguren&Gallegos Arquitectos

• Location

  San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain

• Category

  Houses

• Architects in Charge

  María José Aranguren López, José González Gallegos

• Collaborators

  Pablo Aranguren, Blanca Juanes, Jacobo Arenal Frías, María González Aranguren, Belén González Aranguren, Ander Ibarra Paniagua, Alba Carrasco Simón, Arturo Alberquilla Rodríguez, Simón Frances Martínez, Roberto Ortiz de Landázuri.

• Area

  450.0 m2

• Project Year

  2017

• Photographer

  Jesús Granada

Choice of building materials and the inherent continuous reflection about the reach and capabilities of architecture are an interesting alternative way to approach this issue. The materials used in social housing should address local and economic possibilities and the real needs for access to housing in the contemporary context.

In this article, we analyze different projects published on our site to identify some of the predominant materials used in social housing, both for the formation of structures or enclosures. The intentions of this are two-fold: firstly, to create a worldwide panorama of different case studies with different construction styles from a range of geographical locations, and secondly, to provide inspiration and tools to architects to make better social housing.

Below we present 15 social housing projects and their diverse materials and construction styles.

Understanding the structural aspects of architecture is an inherent task of the architect; sufficient structural knowledge allows designers to propose ideas such as large structural elements which offer an interesting response to a project's needs.

Steel trusses are an example of such a response, which demonstrate an ability to define spaces and structures that are truly complex and interesting.

Below is a list of 10 inspirational projects that use metal trusses as an essential element of design.

+ 28

• Architects

  Gabriel Verd Arquitectos

• Location

  41650 El Saucejo, Sevilla, Spain

• Category

  Extension

• Area

  717.0 m2

• Project Year

  2015

• Photographs

  Jesús Granada

+ 21

• Architects

  GÓmez & GOrshkova

• Location

  Cortelazor, Spain

• Category

  Houses

• Architect in Charge

  Carlos Gómez Sos

• Area

  109.0 m2

• Project Year

  2016

• Photographs

  Jesús Granada

+ 30

• Architects

  NGNP arquitectos

• Location

  Ctra. Sevilla, 06810 Calamonte, Badajoz, Spain

• Category

  Offices

• Architects in Charge

  José Antonio Plaza, Juan Carlos Herrera, Fernando Garrido

• Area

  789.0 m2

• Project Year

  2015

• Photographs

  Jesús Granada

• Technical Architect

  Antonio Vallejo

• Facility Design

  Estanislao Fernández

• Structure

  María Luisa Lorenzo