Andrés Solano, MCH2022, Peru

Unframing Collective Housing
through
Structure
Andrés Solano
MASTER IN COLLECTIVE HOUSING 2022.
ETSAM-UNIVERSIDAD POLITÉCNICA DE MADRID. ETH-ZÜRICH.

structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure
structure

03
the act of undoing 04
structure beyond structure 06
structure as an instance of time I · piece 08
structure as an instance of time II · community 16
structure as an instance of time III · city 30
structure as an instance of time IV · landscape 48
structure as infill 60
structure as a system of arrangement I · within 78
structure as a system of arrangement II · neighbourhood 102
structure as a system of arrangement III · landscape 122
structure as a thermodynamic device I · cold 140
structure as a thermodynamic device II · heat 150
atlas of layouts 168
atlas of projects 174
book credits 178
Contents

04
introduction
the act of undoing
the act of undoing
The word ‘frame’ is ordinarily associated to
artwork, traditionally a painting on some sort
of canvas. It is what surrounds the piece of
art, the most important part of the object,
protects, and puts a limit to it. The frame
itself, usually a rigid structure, can be thick
or thin, it can fit the artwork or leave a space
around it. It generally does not interfere with
the artwork. Outside the frame, there is no art,
it is just a plain wall. The art is what you must
see and take notice and is contained inside the
frame.
Other definitions of the term are related to a
‘structure that underlies or supports a system,
concept, or text’. In linguistics it is ‘a feature
which marks a transition from one section of
discourse to another’. In simpler terms it can
also be defined as an ‘enclosing border’, which
means there is something in and something
out of the frame. Therefore, we can say a
frame is a limit that also gives support to a
certain content of interest.
Architecture as a complex body of knowledge
has been framing itself and its conceptual
discussions for hundreds of years. It is a way
for the discipline to put certain limits to its
discourse and make it explicit and digestible to
the rest of the society. The process of framing
as a means to organize, filter and communicate
information is not exclusive of architecture
but to all the fields of knowledge.
In the topic of collective housing, most of the
existing frames that enable us to understand
the subject, come from modern architecture.
Still today, many of what is taught in schools
of architecture related to housing refer to
modernism and its legacy. For example, the
idea of organizing buildings through typology
of the units or its urban form is inherited
from that period.
What happens when the frame comes before
the content?
In some sense it is what is happening in the last
decades with collective housing architecture.
There are so many social, economic, and
political forces surrounding the issue of
housing that having the ‘frame’ before even
thinkingof theproject,hasbecomeanefficient
approach to design. The content then will fit
the frame, hopefully with some proportions
or minimum level of aesthetics and detail.
This 100-year-old frame thus, becomes a
fixed boundary in the field of knowledge that

introduction
the act of undoing
05
prevents from looking at what is happening
at the rest of the wall or the gallery if the
simile holds. Maybe the wall is being occupied
by someone else, or maybe there is no wall
anymore and we can’t notice it.
We propose there is a need to unframe
collective housing.
The act of unframing is in fact an act of
destruction. You need to tear down the limits
that prevents from looking outside the frame.
It is a process of undoing and redoing over
and over again. This modern frame is so old
that it can be a piece of artwork itself, studied
and admired as a piece of history.
Do we need frames at all to understand
architecture and collective housing?
Is it possible to draw the frame around the
content?
Can frames be more temporary or virtual,
decaying or appearing over time?
Can the frame become part of the content, or
the content include its own frame?
Is the frame affected by the eye of the
beholder?
Can artificial intelligence define these frames
with data and prescind completely from
human participation?
Can a frame be permeable and adapt itself to
a changing content?
Is there a chance to continue producing
content-less frames to tackle the worldwide
housing crisis?
This collection of books presents the
unframing of collective housing addressing
some of these issues by five students of
the 2022 edition of the MCH (Master of
Collective Housing) individually. Each one is
the result of a personal process through the
seven workshops and eight specialties that
comprise the programme. The selection of
works, organization, graphics has been curated
by each author according to the subject (or
new frame) of interest. In neither case is the
investigation complete, but only the start of
inquiries that can be applied and followed into
hopefully prolific academic or professional
territories. This is only the initial spark of
which the MCH has been the catalyst.
The students are in alphabetical order:
Alexandre De Rungs, Andrew Georges,
Bettina Kagelmacher, Jorge Sanchez Bajo,
Andrés Solano.

06
introduction
structure beyond structure
The word ‘structure’ in architecture is
commonly related to the load bearing
elements of a building that transfer the forces
of gravity to the ground. Although some
architects become trained in structural detailed
calculation at school, generally speaking, the
definition of the structure in a project, lies in
the hands of the engineers. Ultimately, they
are the responsible for it regarding the safety
and stability of the building.
Although there are clear exceptions in
countries like Spain, usually around the world,
the structure of a building is being relegated
more and more to engineers, as architects tend
to know less about the subject. Even more,
fast-track projects and over-specialisation
of the professional environment of today’s
construction industry means that sometimes
parts of the projects are thought and designed
independently one from the other.
Structure is important because a building
cannot be thought without it. Structure is
therefore rarely questioned as it relates to the
capacity of the construction to remain safely
upright. In contexts where resources are
scarce, architecture is just a simple structure
to inhabit.
Clearly architects can reject this tendency and
reclaim structure into the architecture realm.
In fact, I myself would fit into this rejectionist
category, as structure is a driver in some of
my own work. In general, it would be like
reanimating architects like Louis Kahn, who
wouldn’t imagine a building without asking
how it would stand up in a very metaphysical
sort of sense. This feat, however, may be
somewhat like swimming against the current
like salmons, or surfing against the wave, much
to the dislike of architects like Rem Koolhaas
who would not go the opposite direction.
Opportunities therefore arise to meditate
if there is a possibility in architecture for a
structure beyond structure. This opens the
question if it is possible to talk about structure
past its gravity transfer properties. For this, it
would be necessary to amplify the meaning of
the word, unframing it from its architectural
significance.
Thus, ‘structure’ according to a more general
definition can be ‘the arrangement of and
relations between the parts or elements of
something complex’.
In architecture, applying this definition opens
the possibility of non-bearing structures in a
project. This doesn’t mean that false columns
and beams will start to appear like in Peter
Eisenman’s house II. It means that architecture
couldconstructanorder,arrangement,pattern,

introduction
07
or organisation as physically important to the
building as the bearing structure, but free from
the constraints of gravity. This overlaying
structure becomes the driving force of the
project and is responsible for aligning all other
characteristics and concepts behind it.
This book serves as a starting point for this
discussion by introducing a series of categories
that amplify the definition of structure. The
projects included are those corresponding
to the Workshops and Specialties that have
been produced as part of the Master in
Collective Housing 2022. There has been an
effort to reduce the categories to four so that
comparison is possible inside each group. In
this sense, the pertinence and selection of this
organisation is also up for questioning.
The first category relates to projects where the
proposalstructurestime.Itisaboutarchitecture
that thinks itself as an instance in the long life
of a building and produces one more layer
of significance onto other recognisable layers
of history. No plot is ever empty, there has
always been something previous. Structure in
this case relates to this careful condition of
sharing space with history.
The second category has to do with the
possibility of using structure as a ‘fill’ or
‘infill’ of empty urban spaces. The ‘fill’ tool
in a graphic software application allows to
completely cover any shape or open space
with a colour. Similarly, an ‘infill’ is a substance
used by dentists to complete missing parts of
the tooth. In this sense, this topic explains if a
filling or infilling structure can organise large
scale interventions of collective housing.
The following topic is more closely related to
this broader definition of structure in which
it becomes an arrangement of relations. The
projects in this category, put to test the limits
of scale and the degree of physical presence
a structuring device can have to comply with
the definition. This group also includes those
projects that apply self-imposed constrains
as a means of placing limits to the different
interventions and provide an order.
Finally, the last category refers to a very
contemporary subject relating to the rising
importance of the issue of sustainability,
climate and metabolism with architecture.
What happens when thermodynamics is used
to structure a project instead of traditional
programmatic or spatial approaches.
The book will present the projects grouped in
categories with a limited written explanation.
On the other hand the emphasis will be made
on graphics, that stand out on their own and
are more open to interpretation.

08
workshop 07
structure as an instance of time I · piece
structure as an instance of time
I · piece
“Topografía de la Villa de Madrid”, map by Pedro Texeira, 1656
La Latina is a neighbourhood in Madrid with a medieval morphology containing narrow
and irregular streets with a very dense use of the soil. The plot with two opposite fronts,
is devoid of constructions but not of contents, with the presence of a neighbourhood
garden, a wall belonging to a previous historic construction and big trees near the facades.
The project is thought as a fitting piece, as one more layer in time, structured around the
dialectic between urban continuity and a respect for the existing trees, garden and wall.

workshop 07
09

10
workshop 07
Context photos. Existing wall and trees towards the facade.

workshop 07
11
Aerial photo.. An unusual open space in a dense and historic part of Madrid.

12
workshop 07
Study model. Facade as a screen keeping the street alignment but maintaining the exiting trees.

workshop 07
13
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
DOW
N
9R
x
0.16
7
8G
x
0.26
7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
UP
9R
x
0.16
7
8G
x
0.26
7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
DOWN
UP
9R
x
0.167
8G
x
0.267
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
DOWN
UP
9R
x
0.167
8G
x
0.267
Typical floor plan. Articulation of living areas, circulations open spaces and facade.
10

14
workshop 07
The unbuilt plot used to be built. The project as a new layer of history.
“Plano parcelario de Madrid”, map Geographical and Statistical Institute, 1872-1874

workshop 07
15
Exploded elements. Articulation of walls, columns and slabs.

16
workshop 06
structure as an instance of time II · community
II · community
Corrala del Sombrerete, photo by Igor Romero, 2020.
“Corrala” is a term used to identify a particular arechetype of very dense, small, low-
income collective housing articulated by a communal corridor, that was built in Madrid
during the 19th century and early 20th century. The plot, located in the neighbourhood
of Lavapiés is surrounded by typical “corrala” housing. It contains a well kept and vibrant
community park. The project transforms this archetype reinterpreting as a scaffold
to define the physical presence of the whole building. With a corrala-like lightweight
bearing structure the construction poses itself on the terrain minimising its impact on the
existing community park. The overall image is that of a ‘work in progress’, as a temporary
structure, as an additional contemporary layer to the history of the place.

workshop 06
17

18
workshop 06
Layers of time. The plot was used as a factory, built-up to the street limit.
Photo of the facade of the plot in Dr. Fourquet street by Marivi Ibarrola, 1983.

workshop 06
19
Esta no es una plaza. This is not a plaza and not an empty plot. Existing community park.
For many years after the last factory was
demolished at the end of the 1980’s the
plot was unused only with some wall
remains. In 2009 the site was handed over
to the neighbour organization “Esta es
una plaza” which keeps it as a community
park until today. The space is intensely
used by nearby residents as a place for
gathering, cultural activities, children
playground, orchard and recreation in
general. It is important to mention that
the space is closed to the general public,
but has a door with a schedule.

20
workshop 06
Typical floor plan. The building’s footprint minimises the interference with the community park and existing vegetation.
The site is enclosed with a scaffolding-type structure that protects the park keeping the urban alignment, but more
importantly, provides the community with new spaces for their activities vertically.
10

workshop 06
21
Ground floor plan. The bearing lightweight structure as small punctures on the terrain allows for a continuation of the
activities of the community park below. No trees were harmed during the construction of this project.
10

22
workshop 06
Sections. A building whose physical presence is minimised to interfere less with the existing underlying park.

workshop 06
23
Urban fit. The building’s footprint is only 15% of the total area of the plot.

24
workshop 06
Detail section. The “corrala-like” structure projects to both sides of the dwellings allowing for communal and
private spaces to thrive on one or other side

workshop 06
25
Detail interior facade. Building on stilts.

26
workshop 06
The new “corrala” as a projection of interior spaces to a controled public circulation.

workshop 06
27
The new “corrala” as a projection of private terraces for the dwelings.

28
workshop 06

workshop 06
29

30
workshop 02
structure as an instance of time III · city
III · city
Roof structure on the SBB Depot G-Halle in Zürich, unknown author.
The complexity of this project is in the scale of the intervention: a plot size of thirty
thousandsquaredmeterswithanexistingbuildingoccupying2/3of theavailableland.The
SBB train depot has multiple layers and instances of time with several covering structures
built since 1930. Today, no more trains are needed, but the infraestructure exists with all
the material effort embedded in its physical presence ready to be transformed. More than
400 dwellings are incorporated in the project with new timber CLT structures up to 15
stories high that pose themselves carefully over the existing hall as not to interfere with its
underlying post and beams. The horizontal space covered by the existing rooftops, is too
expensive to become housing because of the existing rail infraestructure that would need
to be removed. Its unique characteristic as a gigantic urban indoor space, so important
for the climate in Züric is taken advantage of by creating a covered public space open for
the residents of the project and the whole city.

workshop 02
31

32
workshop 02
Structural smorgasbord. Collection of different structures that make up the SBB hall.

workshop 02
33
Structural smorgasboard. Existing conditions at the SBB hall, outside and inside.

34
workshop 02
Diagram. Timeline of structures that compose the SBB hall.
2022 (new structure)
1930
(heritage)
1930
1962
1965
1995
2022 (new structure)

workshop 02
35
Location plan. The new buildings pose themselves transversally on the existing structures.
20

36
workshop 02
Render. A contemporary material for a contemporary layer. Timber and CLT structures, sustainable construction.

workshop 02
37
Render. The structure of the new buildings projects a distinct identity in relation to the previous more massive
layers made of concrete, brick and steel.

38
workshop 02
Diagrams. Horizontal circulations in blue, vertical circulations in red.

workshop 02
39

40
workshop 02
Render. Building new structures for housing, frees the space in the depot hall for multiple possibilites of public use.

workshop 02
41
Render. Nature and culture can invade the new SBB public space for Zürich residents to enjoy.

42
workshop 02
10

workshop 02
43
10

44
workshop 02
Render. Made out of wooden partitions, the new dwellings can be easily retrofitted if the owner
or requirements change

workshop 02
45
Section. Relationship between the new buildings and existing.

46
workshop 02
Render. Generous communal corridors than enhance the life of the residents.

workshop 02
47
Section. Relationship between the new buildings and existing.

48
low cost emergency housing
structure as an instance of time IV · landscape
IV · landscape
Water system in the Sao Paulo region.
How can architecture structure a territory? Is it possible for it to change over time,
adapting to the ever fluctuating natural ecosystem? This is a project were housing is
seen as part of a wider system relating the scale of landscape to that of human activity.
Architecture as a means of structuring an intervention of this size is less about bearing
walls and columns and more about organizing time. Rigid, fixed constructions on a
territory where time varies in its most liquid form, is a contradiction. In this sense, an
organising structure of flowing constructive elements is devised using fragments of
shapes and forms as a proposal to address the housing emergency in this part of the Sao
Paulo waterfront. A fragmentplan in opposition to a masterplan.

49

50
Location map of Guarapiranga with and without antropic presence. Almost half of the territory is still natural.

51
Water is still an important feature in this part of Sao Paulo.

52

53
The mapping of the yearly changing
water levels in Guarapiranga show the
dynamic nature of the territory. Borders
change and shift in location over time,
posing a challenge to architecture that
has a bias with permanent interventions,
from the drawing of building plans to
that of urban scale masterplans.

54
year 2
year 4
year 1
year 3
Diagrams. Variations in the shape of water over time.

55
year 6
year 8
year 5
year 7
Diagrams. Variations in the shape of water over time.

56
Fragmentplan. Instances in time. Free flowing and moving structures following water variations.
Instance 2
Instance 4
Instance 1
Instance 3

57
Fragmentplan. An instance in time. A proposal for crossing and connecting two fronts.

58
Fragmentplan. Float. Emerge. Submerge.
Fragment 2. Submerging forms.
Fragment 1. Emerging shapes.

59
Fragmentplan. Float. Emerge. Submerge.
Fragment 4. Emerging shapes.
Fragment 3. Floating elements.

60
workshop 05
structure as infill
structure as infill
Unbuilt spaces in Poblenou, Barcelona. Overlay over aerial photo.
At Poblenou in Barcelona, the Cerdá grid becomes schizofrenic. The 110m x 110m
block still exists but buildings acquire a certain freedom that overflows the underlying
order. The question arises on how to propose a type of housing organizing structure
that can be used in any of these unbuilt voids like “filling” them up. In this sense, the
project proposes a structure of longitudinal bearing brick walls that placed at certain
distances allow to complete any open urban space. By completing the space between
these walls with more lighweight materiales such as a timber slabs, any kind of housing
can be arranged. The linear infill structure is three stories high, allowing for low-rise, high
density housing to occupy any void and reduce the impact on its surroundings. As the
dwelling develop themselves in an ever cotinuous wall-bands, the only facade is on the
rooftop, where the house uses many constructive devices to bring light inside.

workshop 05
structure as infill
61

62
workshop 05
structure as infill
Aerial photo. Specific location for the infill prototype.

workshop 05
structure as infill
63
Infill operation a series of wall-bands.

64
workshop 05
structure as infill
Ground floor plan.
10

workshop 05
structure as infill
65
Housing units in the infill operation.
10

66
workshop 05
structure as infill
Section. Light-bringing devices for the interior of the dwelling.

workshop 05
structure as infill
67
Section. Different distances between wall-bands allow the emergence of differente activities.

68
workshop 05
structure as infill
Diagram. Light-bringing devices.

workshop 05
structure as infill
69
Axonometric section. The roof as a projection of active shapes and forms.

70
workshop 05
structure as infill
Render. Such is the life in the house of bands.

workshop 05
structure as infill
71
Egyptian axonometric in Poblenou.

72
workshop 05
structure as infill
Render.

workshop 05
structure as infill
73
Housing submissive to the band-walls.

74
workshop 05
structure as infill
Render. Living conditions at ground level, with pedestrian streets going through the band-walls.

workshop 05
structure as infill
75
Plan. Ground floor. Housing.
5

76
workshop 05
structure as infill
Render. Private spaces as niches in between bands.

workshop 05
structure as infill
77
Render. Common areas inside the houses of the band-walls.

78
construction technology
structure as a system of arrangement I · within
structure as a system of arrangement
I · within
A “minga” in southern Chiloé, Chile. Photo from the National Library of Chile.
The “minga” is a tradition in southern Chile where houses are moved to other locations
with the help of animals. This project involves doing this process to a housing building
from Barcelona to Atacama, Chile. The movement across the Atlantic, from Tropic to
Tropic, brings changes to the project, which has to adapt itself to the new conditions.
The new requirements from within the building, its new climate, inhabitants and isolated
context implies a rearragenment of its physical characteristics. A new structure, new
construction process, new envelope, new plan distribution is proposed.

79

80
Aerial photo. Original building in Barcelona.

81
Aerial photo. New location in Atacama, near the Armazones telescope for the European Southern Observatory (ESO).

82

83
Photo. Render. Axonometrics. Original and moved building. Comparison.

84
Diagram. Movement of materials to Atacama.
Armazones

85
Diagram. Metabolism of materials.
Santiago de Chile

86
Diagram. The project is rethought as a completely modular building in which all its parts
can be knolled down and transported in a truck.

87
Diagram. All the elements of the building fit inside 12 standard large truckloads.

88

89

90
Modular metalic structure. Columns and
beams. Assembled on-site.
Concrete slab foundation.
Concrete bearing walls with seismic
isolators.
Cleaning up the plot.
Diagrams. Construction Process.

91
Facade assembled and completed.
Rooftop completed.
Interior lightweight prefab walls.
CLT wooden slabs.
Diagrams. From the empty lot to the finished building.

92
The structure proposed is like a water tower upside down.
Water Towers, photograph by Bernd and Hilla Becher, 1966-1997

93
Axonometric section. The more heavyweight part of the project is connected to the ground
and the more lightweight is up in the air.

94
Ground floor plan. All services and equipment such as water tanks and batteries are located on the ground.
10

95
Typical floor plan. The dwellings are modulated an prefabricated completely with 2d timber panels.
10

96
Section. Each wing has 24 dwellings all the same with a public level on top.
10

97
Section. Between both wings, a total of 48 dwellings.
10

98

99
Section. Each building component is arranged between each other in such a way that there are no overlapping functions.

100

101
Section detail. The building is systematised in a way it could be dis-assembled and re-assembled somewhere else.

102
workshop 05
structure as a system of arrangement II · neighbourhood
II · neighbourhood
“Rooms in the forest” project by Jan Szpakowicz, 1971.
This is project located in the neighbourhood of Killa, in Split, Croatia deals with learning
from ordinary life in the surroundings. The area around is suburban and middle class
composed mainly of semi-detached houses. A careful study of the characteristics of
the houses in material qualities and implantation on the ground, gives clues of how
to devise an arrangement structure for the new neighbourhood. The project breaks
down the ordinary house into ordinary rooms, that can be appropiated by people as
needed. The plot is organized in four spaces or “ecologies” according to the different
characteristics of the terrain. The arrangement of the rooms depends on the conditions
of each “ecology” and necessities of each dweller. Rooms can be also built over time.

workshop 05
103

104
workshop 05
Aerial photos. Mosaic of the ordinary surrounding conditions.

workshop 05
105
Street view photos. Mosaic of the ordinary surrounding conditions.

106
workshop 05
Axonometric model.

workshop 05
107
The breaking down of the ordinary house introduces a new scale to the neighbourhood.

108
workshop 05

workshop 05
109
5

110
workshop 05
Diagram. The organisation of the plot into 4 ecologies according to its topographical condition.z
Lower street
Upper street
Forest
Cliff

workshop 05
111
Plans. Arrangements according to its location.
Upper street arrangement.
Forest arrangement.
Cliff arrangement.
Lower street arrangement.
5

112
workshop 05
Urban section.

workshop 05
113
The low rise scale of the project allows for crossing views for the rest of the neighbourhood.

114
workshop 05
Catalog of rooms 1.
Upper street.
Cliff.
Forest.
Lower street.
5

workshop 05
115
Catalog of rooms 2.
Upper street.
Cliff.
Forest.
Lower street.
5

116
workshop 05
Catalog of rooms 3.
Upper street.
Cliff.
Forest.
Lower street.
5

workshop 05
117
Catalog of rooms 4.
Upper street.
Cliff.
Forest.
Lower street.
5

118
workshop 05
Render. Relationship of new room arrangement with the surroundings.

workshop 05
119
Deployment of facades and sections. The rooms are made of very ordinary brick and embedded concrete
columns like the rest of the surrounding neighbourhood.

120
workshop 05

workshop 05
121

122
urban design city sciences
structure as a system of arrangement III · landscape
III · landscape
“Landscape on Manzanares riverside”, painting by Carlos de Haes, 1857.
Can nature become the organising structureof a new city? This is the main hypothesis
for the proposal for Campamento masterplan. How can this new part of Madrid can
reconnect with its landscape whilst at the same time become a model for a future way
of life. Learning from the past becomes an important driver for the design process,
investigating the past relationship of the city with nature and how it was originally
structured around an interconnected system of public spaces. The future thus, lies in
the past, which can be used as a model to project the future. In this sense, a system
of natural public spaces is proposed that articulates and structures the city from all its
building blocks to the neighbouring existing valley. This structure brings vegetation,
water features, pedestrian pathways, communication and data infraestructure through the
whole urban area serving as a series of backbones. A new natural city.

123

124
Photos. Mosaic of natural condition in the nearby valley.
In the vicinities of Campamento lie the
valley of the Meaques and Valchico, two
streams of water that come together
and flow into Casa de Campo. The
ecosystem is rich in vegetation and
animal life. It is part of a broader forest
system surrounding Madrid that tries to
reconnect the city with its landscape.

125
The value of the existing. Careful recolection of existing conditions in the area.

126
Aerial photo. The valley of the Meaques and Valchico connected to Casa de Campo.

127
Diagram. The Madrid forest proposal and the relationship of the site to the project.

128
Historic photos and aerial imagery. The arrangement and form of public spaces in traditional
cities like Madrid and Carabanchel becomes a model for the proposal.
Alcalá in 1750 painting by Antonio Joli.
“Plano parcelario de Madrid”, map Geographical and
Statistical Institute, 1872-1874. Overlay in black.
Carabanchel alto in 1860, bird’s eye view photo.
Carabanchel alto in 1860, plan. Overlay in black.

129
The new vegeative city structure proposed is a way for nature to break through all the
concrete that make up most of our urban areas nowadays.
“Seeds of Change”, installation by Maria Thereza Alva, 2004

130
Intervention on historical image.
General view of Madrid, author unknown, 1862.

131
The natural system entering, structuring and organising the city.
General view of Madrid, author unknown, 1862. Intervention.

132
Diagrams. Natural systems.
vegetation system
valley, buffer and natural inlets
vegetation system
valley, buffer and natural inlets
valley
swamps
reservoirs
creeks
buffer
inlets
water system
urban reservoirs, creeks and swamps

133
neighbourhood system
organic, courtyard and modern cities
equipment and service system
education, sports and commercial areas
sports
comercial
modern
courtyard
metropolitan
commercial
neighborhood
organic
schools
road system
metropolitan, commercial and neighborhood
Diagrams. Antropic systems.

134

135

136
Render. The courtyard city from the natural structured public space.

137
Render. The organic city from, view from the natural structured public space.

138

139

140
workshop 03
structure as a thermodynamic device I · cold
structure as a thermodynamic device
I · cold
“The fish drying barn at Scheveningen”, watercolor by Vincent Van Gogh, 1882.
This project located near a fjord in Western Norway, is a house that explored the
relationship between domesticity and thermodynamic atmospheres. The premise started
with the idea of a house that could serve as a storage of food in case one had to stay
inside for a long time like in the case of the pandemic. In this case the research started
with traditional constructions in the climatic region where wooden structures would
project themselved in front of the house for drying fish. The rest of the house is then
thought of as a refrigerator with open and closing doors serving as air locks. Spaces
would also be organised using walls as storage furniture following the temperature of the
food that would need to be stored. All would work naturally with wind coming from the
sea making the house a viable storage food facility for 100 days and 7 guests.

workshop 03
141

142
workshop 03
Walls as storage facilities.
“Mobile environment” by Ettore Sottsass, 1972.

workshop 03
143
Cold climate and vibrant colours of the fjord.
Atrium cabin at Vardehaugen, by Fantastic Norway Architects, Norway.

144
workshop 03
Historic photograph. Before the fridge, many food products were pickled for storage in cellars.
“Farmers daughet in cellar” photograph by Arthur Rothstein, 1935.

workshop 03
145
Miniature. A house that can close completely but still relate to its neighbouring landscape condition.

146
workshop 03
Diagram. Standard refrigeration system.
Water separator
Gas temperature
exchanger
Absorber
Absorber vessel
Liquid temperature
exchanger
Boiler
Pump
Evaporator
Condenser

workshop 03
147
Ground floor plan. The house as a refrigeration system. Projecting drying fish structures.
Walls as storage devices. Doors as airlocks. Meat smoking device.
5

148
workshop 03
Historic image. The process of food storage in relation to the construction of domestic architecture.
“Fishery in Newfoundland”, engraving from 1873.

workshop 03
149
Axonometric detail. All elements are placed thinking firstly in the storage of food.

150
climate, metabolism architecture
structure as a thermodynamic device II · heat
structure as a thermodynamic device
II · heat
“Casa Tapies - House for an artist in Barcelona”, José Antonio Coderch, 1960.
Is it possible to imagine a commune thought structured entirely from the point of view
of the relationship to the climate and metabolic relationship of the place? This is the
hypothesis that served as a starting point for this project. Located on the hillsides of
Montjuic in Barcelona, this housing prototype organizes its spaces into distinct summer
and winter areas. In these sense, the maximum potential of sunlight, wind and weather
conditions are taken advantage. The inhabitants then, as birds and other animal do,
migrate each season from one part of the house to the other, using more certain spaces
than others according to the time of the year.

151

152
Photos. Human behaviour in Barcelona.

153
Photos. Thermodynamic conditions in Barcelona

154
0
0
:
0
0
2
3
:
0
0
2
2
:
0
0
2
2
:
0
0
2
1
:
0
0
2
0
:
0
0
1
9
:
0
0
1
8
:
0
0
1
7
:
0
0
1
6
:
0
0
1
4
:
0
0
1
3
:
0
0
1
2
:
0
0
1
0
:
0
0
0
9
:
0
0
0
8
:
0
0
0
7
:
0
0
0
6
:
0
0
0
5
:
0
0
0
4
:
0
0
0
3
:
0
0
0
2
:
0
0
1
1
:
0
0
1
5
:
0
0
0
0
:
0
0
2
3
:
0
0
2
2
:
0
0
2
2
:
0
0
2
1
:
0
0
2
0
:
0
0
1
9
:
0
0
1
8
:
0
0
1
7
:
0
0
1
6
:
0
0
1
4
:
0
0
1
3
:
0
0
1
2
:
0
0
1
0
:
0
0
0
9
:
0
0
0
8
:
0
0
0
7
:
0
0
0
6
:
0
0
0
5
:
0
0
0
4
:
0
0
0
3
:
0
0
0
2
:
0
0
1
1
:
0
0
1
5
:
0
0
january
july
june
may
february
march
april
january
july
june
may
february
march
april
summer
MAX. TEMP.
27°C
80%
60%
MAX. HUMIDITY.
MIN. HUMIDITY.
winter
MIN. TEMP.
5°C
80%
60%
MAX. HUMIDITY.
MIN. HUMIDITY.
Diagram. Summary of climatic conditions in Barcelona.

155
winter
day
21.07
11.00hs
summer
day
21.07
11.00hs
winter
night
21.12
21.00hs
summer
night
21.07
21.00hs
Diagrams. Thermodynamic conditions taken into consideration in the housing protoype.

156
W 1a
S 2a
W 1b
S 2b
S 3b
W 1c
S 2c
S 3c
Units. Conectors. Expansions /
The system is composed of a series of
elements that can be used to assemble
together and create a commune. There
are winter (W) and summer (S) units
which can be used according to the
season and placed according to a
manual. There are also many smaller
elements like conectors (stairs, stands
and lattice walls) that can be used to
articulate the different units between
each other. The expansions are
wooden structures used for canopies
that can serve to create covered areas
for temporary uses.
Diagrams. Elements of the commune system.

157
Diagrams. Elements of the commune system.
C 1
stair
C 3
lattice
C 2
stands
Wood and brick lattice /
The thermal properties of
reused brick are beneficial for the
project. Because the structure of
the units is made up of wood, a
special wooden shelving design
is proposed where bricks are
placed like books. This allows
for more contact with the sun
and wind allowing the lattice to
enhance its thermal capacities.
E 1
canopy

158
Diagram. Birds migrate, people too. The project proposes a system of seasonal migration, similar to that of birds that
travel each year to warmer areas of the planet during winter.
Winter.

159
Diagram. Birds migrate, people too. In the commune proposed, different areas are used in different times of the year,
according to climatic comfort.
Summer.

160
Level + 6.60m
Sleeping area in mezzanine
4.70m 4.70m
Level + 3.000m
Terrace and roof garden
Level + 0.00m
Groundfloor winter + summer areas
3.00m
3.00m
6.60m
Plans and sections. Performance of the housing prototype.

161
Exploded elements. Materials are all local made from rammed earth prefab panels, CLT timber and
recicled brick for lattice elements.

162
Render. Life during summer. Inside.

163
Render. Life during summer. Outside.

164

165

166

167

168
appendix
atlas of layouts
atlas of layouts
Comparing the scale of some of the projects. Floor plans.
All drawn to 1/250.
5

appendix
atlas of layouts
169
0 0.5 1 2 5

170
appendix
atlas of layouts
atlas of layouts
Comparing the scale of some of the projects. Floor plans.
All drawn to 1/250.
5

appendix
atlas of layouts
171
0 0.5 1 2 5

172
appendix
atlas of layouts
atlas of layouts
Comparing the scale of some of the projects. Units.
All drawn to 1/250.
5

174
appendix
atlas of projects
Workshop 02
STRUCTURE AS AN INSTANCE OF
TIME III · CITY
47º23’04.7N 8º31’27.1’’E
Location: SBB Station (Zurich, Switzerland)
Description: Reusing an old train depot and
existing building for new housing.
Type of structure: CLT wood over existing
steel and concrete structure.
58º55’32N 5º51’03’’E
Location: Outskirsts of Hommersåk
Description: Using climatic conditions and
self-imposed restraints to develop a prototipe
for collective housing
Type of structure: Basement in massive local
rock and lighweight wooden post and beams.
Professor: Anne Lacaton
Assistant: Diego García-Setién
Jury: Cristophe Hutin, Tamino Kuni
Topic: Housing and Reuse
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Workshop 03
STRUCTURE AS A THERMODYNAMIC
DEVICE II · COLD
Professor: Eli Mosayebi
Assistant: Álvaro Martín Fidalgo
Jury: Maria Conen
Topic: Domestic Fragments
Location: Rogaland, Norway
atlas of projects
Original title: The futures that have never
arrived
Members of Group: Andrew Georges, Alexia
Valtadorou, Ishan Goyal, Flavia Fernandes,
Andrés Solano
Original title: A house for 100 days.
Members of group: Nayanatara Tampi,
Anastasia Lizardou, Andrés Solano
41º24’37.6N 2º12’19.8’’E
Location: San Martí (Barcelona, Spain)
Description: Rethinking the Barcelona Cerdá
block in PobleNou for new possibilites of
collective housing.
Type of structure: Brick bearing walls
Workshop 04
STRUCTURE AS INFILL
Professor: Andrea Deplazes
Assistant: Fernando Altozano
Jury: Nuria Muruais
Topic: Working + Living Structures
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Original title: Infill
Group: Isabella Pineda, Jorge Sánchez Bajo,
Andrés Solano,
W2 W3 W4
LOW COST CLIMATE
LOW COST CLIMATE CO
LOW COST CLIMATE CONS

appendix
atlas of projects
175
43º31’02.4N 16º30’01.9’’E
Location: Kila, Mejaši (Split, Croatia)
Description: Exploring ordinary life
conditions in Split to propose new ways of
living in social housing.
Type of structure: Brick bearing walls with
reinforcing concrete columns.
40º24’26.7N 3º41’55.2’’E
Location: Lavapiés (Madrid, Spain)
Description: Reimagining an non-built plot
with an existing community park as a new
housing residence for artists.
Type of structure: CLT panels with post and
beam timber framing.
Workshop 05
STRUCTURE AS A SYSTEM OF
ARRANGEMENT II · NEIGHBOURHOOD
Professor: Hrvoje Njiriç
Assistant: Esperanza Campaña
Jury: Alberto Nicolau, Esau Acosta
Topic: Ordinariness and Life
Location: Split, Croatia
Workshop 06
TIME II · COMMUNITY
Professor: Alison Brooks
Assistant: Alejandro de Miguel
Jury: Miguel Cornejo
Topic: La Corrala Futura
Location: Madrid, Spain
Original title: The houses of the 4 ecologies
Members of group: Alexandre de Rungs,
Bettina Kagelmacher, Paloma Allende,
Nancy Mandhan, Andrés Solano
Original title: Scaffolding corrala
Members of group: Ana Victoria
Ottenwalder, Borja Martínez-Alcalá, Joaquín
Ipince, Andrés Solano
W5 W6 W7
TE CONSTRUCTION URBAN
W5 W6 W7
CONSTRUCTION URBAN
W5 W6 W7
CONSTRUCTION URBAN
Workshop 07
TIME I · PIECE
Professor: Dietmar Eberle
Assistant: Alberto Nicolau
Jury: -
Topic: Madrid in the 16th Century
40º24’45.8N 3º42’33.0’’E
Location: La Latina (Madrid, Spain)
Description: Inserting a new collective
housing building in an empty plot surrounded
by a medieval urban fabric.
Type of structure: Concrete bearing walls
and porticos, with timber beam and joisted
slabs for corridors.
Original title: The new value of nature
Members of group: Andrés Solano

176
appendix
atlas of projects
Climate, Metabolism Architecture
STRUCTURE AS A THERMODYNAMIC
DEVICE II · HOT
Professor: Javier García Germán
Guests: Daniel Ibáñez, Sascha Roesler, Jaume
Mayol, Renaud Haerlingen, Silvia Benedito
Jury: Emiliano López, Renata Sentkiewicz
Topic: Climatic Typologies. Body, Climate
and Architecture
Location: Barcelona, Spain
41º24’21.2N 2º12’56.7’’E
Location: Poblenou (Barcelona, Spain)
Description: Imagining and designing a
housing community in Barcelona thought
exclusively through its thermodynamic
climatic conditions.
Type of structure: CLT with post and beam
timber structure.
Original title: Seasonal migration in Barcelona
Members of group: Juanita Gómez, Suzane
Kteich, Alexia Valtadorou, Andrés Solano
Construction Technology
ARRANGEMENT I · WITHIN
Professor: Ignacio Fernández-Solla
Guests: David Rutter, Archie Campbell,
Diego García-Setién
Jury: -
Topic: Change of location of an existing
building (Caracol, Juan Herreros)
Location: Atacama, Chile
24º35’38.1S 70º12’14.9’’W
Location: Cerro Armazones (Atacama, Chile)
Description: Relocating an existing collective
housing building to an extreme weather
and re-think its physical and environmental
characteristics considering its new location
Type of structure: Prefabricated structural
metalic elements, with prefab timber
partitions over a concrete prefab base.
Original title: La Minga del Caracol
Members of group: Joaquín Ipince, Bettina
Kagelmacher, Jorge Sánchez Bajo, Andrés
Solano
Low Cost Emergency Housing
ARRANGEMENT III · LANDSCAPE
Professor: Cristiane Muniz, Fernando Viegas
Guests: Elena Giral, Andres Schiffer, Juana
Canet, Rubén Otero
Jury: María González Aranguren
Topic: Houses as Territory and Territory as
houses
Location: Sao Paulo, Brasil
23º43’29.7S 46º46’21.6’’W
Location: Chácara Florida (Sao Paulo, Brasil)
Description: Dealing with the issues of
informality and landscape as main drivers
for solving the housing emergency in a latin
american megalopolis.
Type of structure: Floating timber structures.
Original title: Float, emerge, submerge
Members of group: Gaurav Chordia, Flavia
Fernandes, Francisco Heredia, Teresita
Campino, Andrés Solano
atlas of projects

appendix
atlas of projects
177
Urban Design City Sciences
STRUCTURE AS A INSTANCE OF TIME
IV · CITY AND NATURE
Professor: José María Ezquiaga, Gemma
Peribáñez, Susana Isabel, Julia Landaburu
Guests: Luis Irastorza, Luis Willumsen,
Belinda Tato, Mar Santamaría, Christian
Dobrick, Peter Heuken, Flavio Tejada
Jury: -
Topic: New Urban Perspectives for Madrid
40º23’08.7N 3º47’39.7’’E
Location: Campamento (Madrid, Spain)
Description: Designing a new Masterplan for
Campamento an rethinking the role of the
urban environment for future citizens.
Type of structure: NA
Original title: The natural city
Members of group: Androniki Petrou, Felipe
Santamaria, Borja Martínez-Alcalá, Andrés
Solano

178
book credits
APPENDIx
book credits
© 2022 Master in Collective Housing. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. ETH Zurich.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or
mechanical means (including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval)
without permission in writing from the publisher.
Designed by Andrés Solano, Andrew Georges, Alexandre De Rungs, Bettina Kagelmacher and
Jorge Sánchez Bajo.
Printed and bound by Omán Impresores.
Thanks to my family for being by my side in this process: my wife Rafaella for her support and
patience; my son Mateo for his songs and dances; and my daughter Cristina for her laughs
and smiles. Together with my parents-in-law, Mario and Margot, they all contributed to making
a new home far away for home.
Special acknowledgments to Nuria Muruais and José Maria Lapuerta for all the effort in organizing
the Master and helping us get the best out of ourselves.
Solano, Andrés, 1984 - author.
Georges, Andrew, 1996 - author.
De Rungs, Alexandre, 1994 - author.
Kagelmacher, Bettina, 1994 - author.
Sánchez Bajo, Jorge, 1989 - author.
Title: Unframing Collective Housing.
Description: Master in Collective Housing. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. ETH Zurich
MASTER IN COLLECTIVE HOUSING 2022.
ETSAM-UNIVERSIDAD POLITÉCNICA DE MADRID. ETH-ZÜRICH.

Andrés Solano, MCH2022, Peru

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Similar to Andrés Solano, MCH2022, Peru

Similar to Andrés Solano, MCH2022, Peru (20)

More from MCH

More from MCH (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Andrés Solano, MCH2022, Peru