Final Master Work of student in the MCH 2025 edition. The Master of Architecture in Collective Housing, MCH, is a postgraduate full-time international professional program of advanced architecture design in collective housing presented by Universidad Politécnica of Madrid (UPM) and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH). After 17 editions, it is rated as one of the best architecture master’s programs by architects and experts.

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Claudia Izquierdo
Master in
Collective Housing

2. Claudia Izquierdo Monsalve | MCH BOOKLET 2025
MCH Directors
Dr. José María de Lapuerta
Dr. Elli Mosayebi
MCH Manager
Camilo Meneses
MCH Administrative
Celia Ramón
info@mchmaster.com
https://www.mchmaster.com/
+34 910 674 860 | +34 689 746 854
ETSAM
Avda Juan Herrera 4, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
First published in Madrid in December 2025.
Autor: Claudia Izquierdo Monsalve.
Telephone: +34 617 910 843.
Linkedin: Claudia Izquierdo Monsalve
Photo in cover: Diagram created by Claudia Izquierdo
Any form of reproduction, distribution, public disclousure
or transformation of this work may only be performed
with autorization of its holders, unless exempt by law.

3. ,
ABOUT.
Master in Collective Housing
MCH 2025
Graduates of the MCH receive a double diploma from both
UPM and ETH Zürich, a distinction that reflects the program’s
academic rigor and international recognition. Its structure en-
courages students to work across scales—from urban analy-
sis to detailed housing design—while promoting a multidisci-
plinary understanding of dwelling and collective life. The final
project consolidates all knowledge acquired throughout the
program, resulting in a comprehensive booklet that synthesiz-
es the student’s architectural research and design exploration.
The MCH stands out for its global perspective, its hands-on
teaching methodology, and its strong connection to contem-
porary architectural practice. By engaging with real contexts,
site visits, and cross-cultural dialogues, participants are en-
couraged to redefine the concept of living together in an era
of rapid urban transformation and environmental urgency.
The program is especially suited for architects and designers
seeking to specialize in housing, urban design, and sustain-
able living models within an international framework.
The Master of Advanced Studies in Collective Housing (MCH)
is an intensive postgraduate program in advanced architec-
tural design jointly organized by the Universidad Politécnica
de Madrid (UPM) and ETH Zürich. Conducted entirely in En-
glish, the MCH focuses on the design and theory of collective
housing, urbanism, and sustainability. Based at the ETSAM
School of Architecture in Madrid, the program brings together
an international faculty of renowned architects and scholars
to explore new ways of living collectively in contemporary cit-
ies.
The program runs for approximately eight months of course-
work followed by a final project submission. It combines work-
shops, lectures, seminars, and field trips, creating a dynamic
environment where participants develop design proposals
that integrate architectural, social, and environmental dimen-
sions. Each workshop is led by internationally recognized ar-
chitects who guide students through the design of housing
projects related to specific themes such as climate, construc-
tion technology, economy, and social interaction. Professors
and invited lecturers include José María de Lapuerta (Program
Director and Founder), Elli Mosayebi (ETH Zürich Co-Director),
Anne Lacaton, Juan Herreros, Momoyo Kaijima, Wiel Arets,
Grace E La, Annette Gigon, and Sascha Roesler—among other
leading figures from academia and practice who contribute
through workshops, lectures, and critiques.

4. Sp 03 – Climate, Metabolism and Architecture
Javier García-Germán
Sp 06 - Sociology, Economy and Politics
Daniel Sorando
Sp 02 – Housing Practice
Fernando Altozano
Sp 05 – Construction and technology
Ignacio Fernández Solla
Sp 04 – Leadership, processes and entrepreneurship
Sacha Menz
Sp 01 – New Tech. in Architectural Design
Sergio del Castillo Tello
Sp 07 – Low Resources and Emergency Housing
Elena Giral
Sp 08 – Urban design and city sciences
Gemma Peribáñez Ayala
Work-
shops
Specialities
W01 - Alison Brooks
Inhabited boundaries
W02 - Hrvoje Nijirc
Costal lines
W03 - Elli Mosayebi
Domestic fragments
W04 - Momoyo Kaijima
Learning from Tokyo
W05 - Jan de Vylder
UR BAN – RU RAL
W06 - Juan Herreros
From modernist ruins
to advanced naturalized
neighbourhood’s
W07 - Anne Lacaton
Qualities of inhabitation
for the 21st Century

5. ,
Alison Brooks
Hrvoje Nijiric
Elli Mosayebi
Juan Herreros
Anne Lacaton
Climate, Metabolism and Architecture
Construction and technology
Urbanismo design and city science
CONTENTS.
Workshops Specialities
......... 26-41
......... 54-67
......... 90-99
......... 10-25
......... 42-53
......... 68-75
......... 76-89
......... 100-107
Selection of works

6. Alison Brooks
Inhabited boundaries
01
Workshop
April May June July September October December
March August November
10 11
Inhabited Boundaries is an intensive design workshop
led by Alison Brooks that investigates the wall as an in-
habited threshold — a space mediating between public
and private life. Located in Madrid’s historic Barrio de La
Latina,theprojectfocusesonPlazaFiesta,asitecontain-
ing remains of the 9th-century Islamic Wall of Madrid.
Participants are invited to design a mixed-use hous-
ing complex that integrates affordable, sustainable
dwellings for young residents while reinterpreting the
cultural and spatial memory of the site. The studio ex-
plores how boundaries and façades can evolve from
simple limits into active spaces of environmental per-
formance, social interaction, and collective identity.
Through contextual analysis, modeling, and reviews
with Alison Brooks, students develop new housing ty-
pologies that bridge history and modern living. The
workshop ultimately redefines the architectural wall
as a living structure — a connector between memo-
ry, community, and the contemporary city of Madrid.
The process encourages critical dialogue, experimenta-
tion, and the development of spatial strategies that re-
spond simultaneously to heritage, environmental chal-
lenges, and new forms of collective urban life.
Workshop Leader
Alison Brooks
Assintant
Carlos Chauca
Team
Alejandro Gonzalez
Joham Jamdar
Claudia Izquierdo

7. 12 13
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Alison Brooks
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Alison Brooks
Actual situation: playground Location
Plaza Fiesta currently presents two
distinct frontages: one facing Cal-
le Cava Baja and the other Calle Los
Almendros. These streets differ sig-
nificantly in character. Cava Baja is
a highly active tourist corridor lined
with restaurants and bars, generat-
ing constant movement and noise
throughout the day. In contrast, Calle
del Almendro is a quieter, predomi-
nantly residential street with a more
intimate neighborhood atmosphere.
Today, the plaza is used almost exclu-
sively by local residents from Almen-
dro and the surrounding streets. Chil-
dren occupy it as an informal play area,
while adults use it as a casual meeting
space and social gathering point. This
contrast between a lively tourist edge
and a calm residential environment
creates a unique urban condition that
becomes central to the architectural
challenge.

8. 14
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Alison Brooks
15
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Alison Brooks
Project strategies
1
2
Groundfloor
1. Public use
2. Neighborhood courtyard
1. Residential street
2. Busy and commercial street
C
a
v
a
B
a
j
a
Los Almendros
1
2
SITE
1. Playground
2. Cafeteria
3. Residential building
First floor
1. Building circulation
2. Museum
3. Apartments
Two facades Site division
1
3
2
1
3
2
One rule dictates the entrance:
To enter you have to play (Zuloark, 2017)
Mountains
Tree houses
An elephant!
Robot
closet
Human
duck
Friends forever

9. Groundfloor Floorplan
16 17
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Alison Brooks
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Alison Brooks

10. 18 19
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Alison Brooks
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Alison Brooks
Housing floor plans Dwelling variations
The proposal introduces a collective
housing building that responds dif-
ferently to each street frontage. Along
Calle Los Almendros, the ground floor
incorporates a children’s play court-
yard, accessible both to residents and
to the surrounding community, rein-
forcing the street’s quiet, neighbor-
hood-oriented character. On the Calle
Cava Baja side, the project integrates a
café and a small museum, aligning with
the commercial and touristic nature of
the street. The museum also reveals
and interprets the trace of the historic
wall, making its presence visible to the
public and anchoring the project with-
in the site’s archaeological memory.
The building adopts a C-shaped con-
figuration, which encloses the interior
courtyard and optimizes natural light
and ventilation. Within this form, a di-
verse range of apartment typologies
is distributed—studios, one-bedroom,
two-bedroom, and family units—de-
signed to accommodate the various
forms of contemporary living. This
mix supports different types of house-
holds, from young professionals to
multi-generational families, reinforc-
ing the project’s social diversity and its
role as inclusive urban housing.

11. 20 21
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Alison Brooks
The project aims to respect its imme-
diate context and to respond thought-
fully to the pre-existing urban fabric.
To achieve this, the proposed build-
ing embraces the adjacent structures,
matching their height and continuity
to preserve the rhythm and scale. This
approach ensures that the intervention
feels rooted in its surroundings rather
than imposed upon them. At the same
time, the design seeks to integrate into
the social and cultural life of the neigh-
borhood by preserving the playful and
communal character that currently
defines the ground floor of the site.
Historically, the plaza has functioned
as an open, unstructured environment
where children could explore, inter-
act, and develop their creativity free-
ly. Recognizing this legacy, children
were included as active voices in the
early conversations about the future
of Plaza Fiesta, expressing their de-
sires and priorities for the space. In
response, the proposal reinforces this
spirit of freedom rather than replacing
it with standardized playground equip-
ment. The design instead encourages
open-ended, nature-based play—invit-
ing children to engage with elements
such as branches, logs, leaves, stones,
and sand. This approach not only
nurtures imagination, but also sup-
ports sensory development and of-
fers a healthier, more flexible alterna-
tive to typical playground structures.
Simultaneously, the ground floor re-
mains an essential communal space
for adult residents. It provides a quiet,
shaded meeting area where neighbors
can gather, rest, and converse—offer-
ing a moment of calm within the inten-
sity and noise of the surrounding city.
By maintaining the plaza’s dual char-
acter as both a children’s landscape of
discovery and an adult social retreat,
the project strengthens community
bonds and preserves the unique iden-
tity that has long defined this urban
pocket.

12. 22 23
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Alison Brooks
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo
Axonometric from Almendros street
Workshop | Alison Brooks
Axonometric from Cava Baja street

13. 24 25
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Alison Brooks
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Alison Brooks

14. April May June July September October December
March August November
27
26
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo
The module Climatic Typologies: Body, Climate, Archi-
tecture examines how thermodynamics, ecology, and
everyday life can inform new design strategies for col-
lective housing. It integrates theoretical seminars with
a hands-on workshop, focusing on the relationship be-
tween climate, the human body, and architectural space.
Students begin by analyzing the climate of the Med-
iterranean North African coast, especially Algiers,
studying how local cultures adapt through habits, ma-
terials, and spatial practices. Using tools such as Cli-
mate Consultant and the psychrometric chart, they
explore how architecture mediates between environ-
mental conditions and human physiological needs.
The speciality then introduces the design of a climatic
prototype, defining spatial and material strategies that
respond to local thermodynamic challenges. Finally,
students develop a material ecology, selecting materials
based on ecological cycles, local resources, and circular
systems such as renewable timber, clay, or urban mining.
The module ultimately trains students to create cli-
mate-responsive, culturally grounded, and ecologically
informed design solutions.
Speciality Leader
Javier García
Germán
Team
Anna Fatourou
Nima Janbaklou
Luis Gutierrez
Claudia Izquierdo
Climate, Metabolism
and Architecture
Climate typologies
02
Speciality

15. 28 29
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Speciality | Climate, Metabolism and Architecture
LONG WAVELENGHTS
PENETRATE THE GLASS
HOT AIR RAISES BY
CONVECTION
HOUSE HEATED BY
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
HOUSE HEATED BY
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
HOT AIR RAISES BY
CONVECTION
Climate analysis Climate analysis

16. WINTER
HEATING
HEATING
strategy
COOLING
strategy
COOLING/HEATING
strategy
Pergola
without follage
with follage
High inertia
material
B
l
o
c
k
s
u
n
S
u
n
e
x
p
o
sition
T
e
r
m
s
t
a
b
ility
T
e
r
m
s
t
a
b
ility
COOLING
SUMMER
L
o
f
t
-
w
a
r
mest spac
e
W
i
t
h
g
l
a
s
s- greenh
o
u
s
e
U
n
d
e
r
g
r
ound
r
e
m
o
v
e
t
he glass
Long wavelenghts
penetrate the glass
House heated by
greenhouse effect
at night the materials
release heat
Sun angle 23.5°
leaves dissapear
Long wavelenghts
penetrate the glass
Sun angle 23.5°
leaves dissapear
at night the materials
release heat
House heated by
greenhouse effect
30 31
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Speciality | Climate, Metabolism and Architecture
Project Project performance

17. Starting from a housing prototype
that performs well in both winter and
summer, the project evolves into a
collective housing scheme. Different
clustering configurations are tested
to ensure that the overall arrange-
ment maintains strong climatic per-
formance. In particular, a solar study
is carried out to prevent the buildings
from shading one another and to
optimize seasonal sunlight access.
A connecting pergola is introduced
between the volumes, designed as a
climatic mediator. Its vegetation pro-
vides dense foliage during the sum-
mer, creating shade and cooling, while
in winter the leaves fall, allowing sun-
light to penetrate the interior spaces.
This strategy reinforces the project’s
environmental responsiveness and
supports comfortable living through-
out the year.
32 33
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Speciality | Climate, Metabolism and Architecture
Collective housing

18. 34 35
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Speciality | Climate, Metabolism and Architecture
Resource map Materials

19. 36 37
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo
Simultaneously, the study examines
wind circulation patterns throughout
the different seasons of the year, an-
alyzing how these flows may influ-
ence the performance and comfort
of the collective housing. Based on
this analysis, structural elements are
strategically integrated to optimize the
benefits provided by prevailing winds,
both in summer and winter, enhanc-
ing natural ventilation and thermal
comfort. Various building heights are
also carefully considered, not only in
relation to sunlight exposure but also
in terms of their interaction with wind
patterns, ensuring a responsive and
balanced microclimate throughout the
development.
Furthermore, transitional zones and
communal spaces are deliberately in-
corporated, allowing these areas to
capitalize on the climate-responsive
strategies, fostering both social inter-
action and environmental comfort.
Speciality | Climate, Metabolism and Architecture

20. 38 39
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo
solar radiation heats up the space and bodies
leaves dissapear
solar radiation passing through the pergola
leaves shade the space
cold walls
the wind cools
the soil floor helps to regulate the temperature
Speciality | Climate, Metabolism and Architecture
Project views Climatic analysis

21. 40 41
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Speciality | Climate, Metabolism and Architecture
Project views Project views

22. April May June July September October December
March August November
42 43
Faced with rising sea levels and the transformation of
the Mediterranean coastline, this project envisioned a
new urban typology: a hybrid zone that merged climate
resilience with cultural memory. Tidal gardens, salt-
water channels, and adaptive topographies shaped a
seafront that moved with the water rather than resist-
ing it. Inspired by mythological narratives and marine
ecologies, the design became a contemporary altar to
change—tactical, porous, and poetic.
At the heart of this vision stood a reinterpretation of
Kastilac, located in the coastal area of Kaštela, in Cro-
atia’s Dalmatian region, near Split. This “new fortress”
was conceived not as a defense against nature, but as
a sanctuary that embraced it. It served as a temporary
or permanent home for senior citizens from across Eu-
rope, offering a meaningful life in a climate-adapted en-
vironment by the sea.
The integration of the elderly population was especially
relevant in countries like Spain and Croatia, where older
adults represented a significant demographic. In both
contexts, home-based care predominated over institu-
tional models, highlighting the need for inclusive archi-
tectural solutions.
03
Workshop
Hrvoje Njiric
Costal lines
Workshop Leader
Hrvoje Nijiric
Assintant
Derrick Christensen
Team
Myrto Peppa
Martina Carassale
Claudia Izquierdo

23. KASTEL KAŠTILAC
PRIVATE HOUSING CENTRAL PUBLIC
PROGRAM
RING STRUCTURE
WINDS
N
S
CLIMATIC
PERFORMACE
Craft market Fish market Restaurants Sea activities
Users
Strategies
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Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Hrvoje Njiric
Currently, the castle is connected to the
city via a bridge and serves as a ma-
jor tourist attraction; however, it lacks
activities that engage visitors actively.
This highlights the potential for intro-
ducing public programs on the ground
floor of the new collective housing. At
the same time, the building’s residents
are envisioned as elderly fishermen
and young people, with the expecta-
tion that the elders will pass on their
knowledge to the younger generations,
ensuring that this traditional practice
of the local context is preserved.
Users / strategies
Actual situation

24. KITCHEN
RESTAURANT
GYM
RESTAURANT
SLEEP
FISHERMAN
BOAT
FISHERMAN
MARKET
RESTAURANT
ROOFTOP
46 47
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo
For the project, two interconnected
buildings are proposed, using the orig-
inal castle as a foundational reference.
This approach allows the interior of
the original structure to be emptied
while its perimeter is utilized to cre-
ate residential units. The design is
then duplicated, resulting in two build-
ings that are connected to each oth-
er and integrated with the city fabric.
Both buildings incorporate programs
on their ground floors to encourage
public engagement and community
interaction. The first building houses
a market for fish and marine products,
while the second contains a restau-
rant, designed to function in coordi-
nation with the market. In addition,
aquatic sports are considered as part
of the program, offering recreational
opportunities for the community and
strengthening the strong connection
between the residents and the sea.
This strategy not only enhances the
social and cultural life of the collective
housing but also activates the urban
environment around the castle, cre-
ating a dynamic and interconnected
neighborhood.
Workshop | Hrvoje Njiric
Project Project

25. 48 49
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Hrvoje Njiric
Groundfloor plan: Building 1 - fish market Groundfloor plan: Building 2 - restaurant

26. KITCHEN
RESTAURANT
GYM
RESTAURANT
SLEEP
FISHERMAN
BOAT
FISHERMAN
MARKET
RESTAURANT
ROOFTOP
50 51
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Hrvoje Njiric
Floorplans - section building 2 Floorplans - section building 2

27. 52 53
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Hrvoje Njiric
Project views Project views

28. April May June July September October December
March August November
55
54
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo
The specialty of construction and technology allows us
to understand the building as a complex organism com-
posed of interrelated systems. Advances in industrializa-
tion have facilitated the analysis, prefabrication, and dif-
ferentiated production of its components. This approach
not only improves efficiency and precision but also en-
ables greater flexibility in design and adaptability to di-
verse programmatic and environmental requirements.
The proposed academic exercise consists of transpos-
ing an international architectural reference into a dif-
ferent geographical context and reinterpreting it. This
requires a detailed analysis of how its construction sys-
tems must adapt to new environmental, climatic, so-
cial, and cultural conditions. In the case of our team, we
worked with the “12 Degrees” building located in Canada
and reinterpreted it for a site in Russia. The new build-
ing is intended to accommodate students and young
professional couples, as the surrounding area is dom-
inated by universities and an academic atmosphere.
Simultaneously, the materials and structural systems
were reconsidered to ensure their suitability for the new
context. The building was also designed with a prefabri-
cation methodology in mind to allow for rapid execution
while maintaining quality and precision.
Speciality Leader
Ignacio Fernández
Team
Bea Candano
Kihyun Ann
Luis Molina
Myrto Peppa
Claudia Izquierdo
Construction and
technology
Redesign according to location
04
Speciality

29. 56 57
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Speciality | Construction and technology
Original location: Canada Actual building analisis
GROUND 2ND - 3RD 4TH - 7TH 8TH - 9TH 10TH
Concrete structure Glass curtain wall Stone cladding
Materials

30. INDUSTRIALIZATION
SHEAR WALL CORE - CLT
COLUMNS & BEAMS - PREFAB CONCRETE
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A B C D
7.20 7.20 7.20
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
21.60
36.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
X 22
X 36
Shear wall core - CLT
Columns & Beams - Prefab Concrete
INDUSTRIALIZATION
FLOOR SLABS - CLT
X 40 X 5 X 8 X 8 X 2 X 2 X 2 X 2 X 2 X 2 X 2 X 2 X 2 X 2 X 2 X 2
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A B C D
7.20 7.20 7.20
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
21.60
36.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A B C D
7.20 7.20 7.20
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
21.60
36.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
6.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
1.35
8.10
4.50
7.95
2.40 2.40
7.80
7.70
2.40 2.40
7.50
2.40
7.40
2.40
7.30
2.40
7.20
3.45
6.00
4.30
6.00
4.15
6.00
3.65
6.00
3.80
3.25
6.25
0.95 1.60 1.40 1.60 0.70
6.00
0.70 1.60 1.40 1.60 0.70
10.25
3.20
2.95
0.30
1.60 3.20 1.60 0.65
3.60
2.95
0.65
6.85
2.70 1.50 2.70
12.25 2.45
2.95
6.80 2.15 3.50 2.30 6.85
3.25
2.95
0.30
3.65 4.80
3.50 0.90 0.40
2.95
0.20 0.80 2.00
2.95 1.30 2.30 1.05
0.70
0.90
0.550.80 1.60
6.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
1.35
8.10
4.50
7.95
2.40 2.40
7.80
7.70
2.40 2.40
7.50
2.40
7.40
2.40
7.30
2.40
7.20
3.45
6.00
4.30
6.00
4.15
6.00
3.65
6.00
3.80
3.25
6.25
0.95 1.60 1.40 1.60 0.70
6.00
0.70 1.60 1.40 1.60 0.70
10.
3.20
2.95
0.30
1.60
3.60
2.95
0.65
6.85
2.70 1.50 2.70
12.25
2.95
6.80 2.15 3.50 2.30
3.25
2.95
0.30
3.65 4.80
3.50 0.90 0.40
2.95
0.20 0.80 2.00
2.95
0.550.80 1.60
6.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
1.35
8.10
4.50
7.95
2.40 2.40
7.80
7.70
2.40 2.40
7.50
2.40
7.40
2.40
7.30
2.40
7.20
3.45
6.00
4.30
6.00
4.15
6.00
3.65
6.00
3.80
Floor slabs - CLT
58 59
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Speciality | Construction and technology
New location: Russia Project industralization

31. LIFT
LIFT
STA
IRS
STA
IRS
LIZATION
B CONCRETE
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A B C D
7.20 7.20 7.20
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
21.60
36.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
INDUSTRIALIZATION
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A B C D
7.20 7.20 7.20
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
21.60
36.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
6.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
1.35
8.10
4.50
7.95
2.40 2.40
7.80
7.70
2.40 2.40
7.50
2.40
7.40
2.40
7.30
2.40
7.20
3.45
6.00
4.30
6.00
4.15
6.00
3.65
6.00
3.80
3.25
6.25
0.95 1.60 1.40 1.60 0.70
6.00
0.70 1.60 1.40 1.60 0.70
10.25
3.20
2.95
0.30
1.60 3.20 1.60 0.65
3.60
2.95
0.65
6.85
2.70 1.50 2.70
12.25 2.45
2.95
6.80 2.15 3.50 2.30 6.85
3.25
2.95
0.30
3.65 4.80
3.50 0.90 0.40
2.95
0.20 0.80 2.00
2.95 1.30 2.30 1.05
0.70
0.90
0.550.80 1.60
X 4 X 4
X 4 X 4
X 4 X 4
X 4 X 2
X 2
WALL PARTITIONS (250MM)- SIP + MINERAL WOOL
INDUSTRIALIZATION
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A B C D
7.20 7.20 7.20
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
21.60
36.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
6.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
1.35
8.10
4.50
7.95
2.40 2.40
7.80
7.70
2.40 2.40
7.50
2.40
7.40
2.40
7.30
2.40
7.20
3.45
6.00
4.30
6.00
4.15
6.00
3.65
6.00
3.80
3.25
6.25
0.95 1.60 1.40 1.60 0.70
6.00
0.70 1.60 1.40 1.60 0.70
10.25
3.20
2.95
0.30
1.60 3.20 1.60 0.65
3.60
2.95
0.65
6.85
2.70 1.50 2.70
12.25 2.45
2.95
6.80 2.15 3.50 2.30 6.85
3.25
2.95
0.30
3.65 4.80
3.50 0.90 0.40
2.95
0.20 0.80 2.00
2.95 1.30 2.30 1.05
0.70
0.90
0.550.80 1.60
X 10 X 10 X 10 X 10 X 10 X 10
WALL PARTITIONS (<200MM)- SIP
ATION
TE
A B C D
7.20 7.20 7.20
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
21.60
36.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
EXTERIOR WALLS - SIP + EIFS
EXTERIOR GLAZING
X 4 X 8 X 4
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A B C D
7.20 7.20 7.20
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
21.60
36.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
INDUSTRIALIZATION
6.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
1.35
8.10
4.50
7.95
2.40 2.40
7.80
7.70
2.40 2.40
7.50
2.40
7.40
2.40
7.30
2.40
7.20
3.45
6.00
4.30
6.00
4.15
6.00
3.65
6.00
3.80
3.25
6.25
0.95 1.60 1.40 1.60 0.70
6.00
0.70 1.60 1.40 1.60 0.70
10.25
3.20
2.95
0.30
1.60 3.20 1.60 0.65
3.60
2.95
0.65
6.85
2.70 1.50 2.70
12.25 2.45
2.95
6.80 2.15 3.50 2.30 6.85
3.25
2.95
0.30
3.65 4.80
3.50 0.90 0.40
2.95
0.20 0.80 2.00
2.95 1.30 2.30 1.05
0.70
0.90
0.550.80 1.60
60 61
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Speciality | Construction and technology
Project industralization Project industralization

32. A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A B C D
7.20 7.20 7.20
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
21.60
36.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
2
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
A B C D
7.20 7.20 7.20
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
6.00
21.60
36.00
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
2.40 2.40 2.40
62 63
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Speciality | Construction and technology
Groundfloor First floor

33. INDUSTRIALIZATION AND PROCESS
0. Site Preparation & Groundwork
Moderate breezes (15–25 km/h average), but, in open areas near the river or former industrial sites,
Lefortovo can feel more exposed to cold winter winds.
INDUSTRIALIZATION AND PROCESS
1. Prefabricated Concrete Columns
-Columns are craned and positioned on pile caps.
-Anchored using grout sleeves and steel dowels.
INDUSTRIALIZATION AND PROCESS
2. Beams + Core Structural Walls
INDUSTRIALIZATION AND PROCESS
3.Floor System: Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Slabs
-Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) floor slabs lifted into position.
-Supported by beams, columns, and core walls
INDUSTRIALIZATION AND PROCESS
5. SIP Façade Panels
-Mounting of exterior SIP panels with integrated insulation.
-High air tightness and excellent thermal resistance for Moscow’s climate.
INDUSTRIALIZATION AND PROCESS
6. Roof Construction & Winter Garden
1
2
3
3
4
5
64 65
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Speciality | Construction and technology
Construction process Construction process

34. OUTDOOR
UNIT
HEAT PUMP
AT PUMP
A
(FOR COOLING ONLY)
LY)
L
WA
WA
W TER STORAGE
ATER STORAGE
A TANK ( 50 t )
TANK ( 50 t )
T
MUNICIPAL
PAL
P
WA
WA
W TER
ATER
A
SUPPLY
LY
L
MUNICIPAL
PAL
P
SANITARY
SEWER
DOMESTIC HOT WATER HEATED BY DISTRICT HEATING &
STORED CENTRALLY
E.T.S.
ENERGY TRANSFER STATION
H.W.
DISTRICT HEATING
WINTER 150 -> 70
SUMMER 50 -> 30
HEATING
HEATING
HEATING
HEATING
HEATING
HEATING
FCU
FCU
FCU
FCU
FCU
FCU
FCU
FCU
FCU
CENTRALISED VENTILATION
ATION
A
WITH HEAT RECOVE
AT RECOVE
A RY
RY
R
FACILITIES HEATING
FACILITIES
Ground Floor Typical Plan 2 (Student)
Typical Plan 1 (Family) Typical Plan 3 (Young Professional)
HEATING
OUTDOOR
UNIT
HEAT PUMP
AT PUMP
A
(FOR COOLING ONLY)
LY)
L
WA
WA
W TER STORAGE
ATER STORAGE
A TANK ( 50 t )
TANK ( 50 t )
T
MUNICIPAL
PAL
P
WA
WA
W TER
ATER
A
SUPPLY
LY
L
MUNICIPAL
PAL
P
SANITARY
SEWER
DOMESTIC HOT WA
WA
W TER HE
ATER HE
A ATED BY DISTRICT HE
ATED BY DISTRICT HE
A ATING &
ATING &
A
STORED CENTRALLY
LY
L
E.T.S.
T.S.
T
ENERGY TRANSFER STATION
TATION
TA
H.W.
W.
W
DISTRICT HEATING
ATING
A
WINTER 150 -> 70
SUMMER 50 -> 30
HEATING
ATING
A
HEATING
ATING
A
HEATING
ATING
A
HEATING
ATING
A
HEATING
ATING
A
HEATING
ATING
A
FCU
FCU
FCU
FCU
FCU
FCU
FCU
FCU
FCU
1 CENTRALISED VENTILATION
2 TOILET EXHAUST
WITH HEAT RECOVERY
1. HEAT RECOVERY VENTILATION
Residential occupancy
: 189 people × 12 L/s = 2,268 L/s
Required pipe cross-sectional area:
2.268 m³/s ÷ 5 m/s (design velocity) = 0.4536 m²
Proposed pipe size: 600 mm × 800 mm = 0.48 m²
2. TOILET EXHAUST SYSTEM
Separate from the main HVAC, with dedicated ducts for
odor and humidity control.
30 people
(staff: 10, users: 20)
public bathrooms
24 people
4 units for 2 people each (1 bathroom per unit)
4 units for 4 people each (3 bathrooms per unit)
17 people (16 residents + 1 for shared kitchen)
4 units for 2 people each (1 bathroom per unit)
2 units for 4 people each (3 bathrooms per unit)
24 people
4 units for 2 people each (1 bathroom per unit)
4 units for 4 people each (3 bathrooms per unit)
14 people
14 units for 1 person each (1 bathroom per unit)
Shared laundry room
15 people
15 units for 1 person each (1 bathroom per unit)
24 people
4 units for 2 people each (1 bathroom per unit)
4 units for 4 people each (3 bathrooms per unit)
24 people
4 units for 2 people each (1 bathroom per unit)
4 units for 4 people each (3 bathrooms per unit)
17 people (16 residents + 1 for shared kitchen)
4 units for 2 people each (1 bathroom per unit)
2 units for 4 people each (3 bathrooms per unit)
FACILITIES VENTILATION
FACILITIES
Ground Floor Typical Plan 2 (Student)
Typical Plan 1 (Family) Typical Plan 3 (Young Professional)
VENTILATION
Facilities
66 67
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Speciality | Construction and technology
Facilities

35. Image source: www.archdaily.com
April May June July September October December
March August November
68 69
The workshop explores the main challenges of con-
temporary housing production through two fundamen-
tal questions. The first concerns innovation in hous-
ing, highlighting how architectural practice has often
evolved slowly and conservatively. The dominance of
private investment and market speculation reinforce
this tendency, as economic security and risk aversion
limit experimentation with new urban schemes and
spatial configurations. This raises questions about how
architects and clients have responded, and continue to
respond, to such constraints.
The second question asks, housing for whom? Tradi-
tional bourgeois housing models no longer reflect the
ongoing social transformations of our time. Shifts in
family structures, population aging, migration, and the
rise of multiculturalism reveal the inadequacy of stan-
dardized models. Moreover, economic prosperity in re-
cent decades has enabled more people to shape their
lifestyles according to personal preferences, generating
a growing diversity of demands and individual forms of
expression. These conditions challenge architectural
design to offer flexible and inclusive solutions that em-
brace plurality rather than impose uniformity.
Elli Mosayebi
Domestic fragments
05
Workshop
Workshop Leader
Elli Mosayebi
Assintant
Álvaro Hidalgo
Team
Guillermo Hernandez
Jatin Nimmala
Bea Candano
Claudia Izquierdo

36. 70 71
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Elli Mosayebi

37. 72 73
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Elli Mosayebi
The window Details

38. Section
Scale 1:50
Guillermo Hernandez, Bea Candano, Jatin Nimmala, Claudia Izquierdo
Professur Mosayebi ETH Zürich
MCH 2025
key climatic element, providing shade
during intense sun and protection
from cold winds, thereby contributing
to the thermal comfort of the dwelling
while maintaining a strong connec-
tion to the surrounding environment.
By designing the apartments around
this singular element, the window be-
comes both a functional and symbolic
heart of the home, guiding the activi-
ties of its residents and shaping their
relationship with the sea. The collec-
tive nature of the housing encourages
residents to spend time in communal
areas—such as terraces, shared loung-
es, and open courtyards—promoting
interaction, knowledge exchange, and
a shared appreciation of maritime life.
In this way, the project integrates indi-
vidual living with collective experienc-
es, demonstrating how architecture
can support a lifestyle deeply con-
nected to nature, community, and the
unique culture of surfing.
For the project, we worked with the
iconic Louis Kahn window, adapting it
to become a central feature of a collec-
tive housing development for surfers
in Santander, Spain. All the apartments
are identical and are thoughtfully de-
signed around the lifestyle of a surfer,
who typically spends little time indoors
and instead inhabits the shared spac-
es, participating in communal activi-
ties and embracing the rhythm of life
by the sea. This approach emphasizes
collective living, fostering social in-
teraction and a strong sense of com-
munity centered on maritime culture.
The Louis Kahn window is trans-
formed into a multifunctional element
that mediates between interior and ex-
terior, acting as the stage for the daily
rituals of surfers and sea enthusiasts.
Within this window, practical and ex-
periential functions are integrated:
storage for surfboards, outdoor show-
ers, seating areas for observing the
ocean, and vantage points to gauge
the optimal time to surf. Beyond these
functions, the window serves as a
74 75
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Elli Mosayebi

39. April May June July September October December
March August November
76 77
Juan Herreros’ workshop explored the city as a dy-
namic and continuously evolving system, challenged
by gentrification, social inequality, and urgent envi-
ronmental crises. It emphasized the pressing need for
accessible housing and sustainable urban practices,
highlighting how global pressures—such as mass mi-
gration, rural abandonment, and socio-economic exclu-
sion—affect cities and the lives of diverse inhabitants.
A central focus of the workshop was the potential of
post-occupation and adaptive reuse. Students were en-
couraged to study obsolete or underutilized structures
and rethink how they could be reactivated rather than
demolished. This included integrating contemporary
lifestyle changes, promoting community interaction, re-
specting environmental limits, and fostering biodiversity
through architecture that coexists with natural systems.
Through this approach, the workshop positioned adap-
tive reuse as a key strategy for contemporary architec-
tural practice, challenging conventional notions of the
“ideal project” as a new, mono-functional building, and
showing how architects can creatively respond to com-
plex urban challenges by redefining programs, typolo-
gies, and construction systems.
Workshop Leader
Juan Herreros
Assintant
Pedro Pitarch
Team
Vipasha Chauhan
Stergios Kaloudis
Daniela Maestre
Claudia Izquierdo
Juan Herreros
From modernist ruins to advanced
naturalized neighboourhoods
06
Workshop

40. In the workshop with Juan Herreros,
our team worked on the Eurocis build-
ing. The idea was to create a struc-
ture that could coexist with the vari-
ous ecosystems that might begin to
inhabit the building in the future. We
imagined that both animals and veg-
etation would become integral parts of
the new construction, alongside evolv-
ing ways of living for human families.
Today, people live in increasingly di-
verse ways. The traditional family—
composed of a married couple and
children—is no longer the only model.
We now see families of friends, sin-
gle-parent households, individuals
living alone, households with pets,
and many other forms. Furthermore,
families inhabit spaces differently: in
vans, tents, self-made structures, and
other unconventional arrangements.
Our project envisioned the Eurocis
structure as a framework capable of
accommodating all these different
ways of living as discrete compo-
nents. Each component represents
a unique lifestyle or species, and col-
lectively they transform the build-
ing into a form of collective hous-
ing where humans, animals, and
their diverse modes of life coexist
in a shared, adaptable environment.
We also considered the building’s evo-
lution over time, including the aging
of its materials and structure, treating
the life of the building itself as part of
the cycle of this collective housing. We
did not exclude the possibility that, in
a hundred years, nature could fully re-
claim the building, transforming it into
a public plaza—a green oasis in the
middle of the city.
78 79
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Juan Herreros
Components

41. 80 81
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Juan Herreros

42. 82 83
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Juan Herreros

43. 84 85
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Juan Herreros

44. 86 87
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Juan Herreros

45. 88 89
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Juan Herreros

46. April May June July September October December
March August November
91
90
The Urban Design speciality focused on Alcorcón Norte,
a new 200-hectare district on Madrid’s metropolitan
edge. Facing housing shortages, tight budgets, and cli-
mate challenges, the project explores how to create vi-
brant, inclusive, and resilient neighborhoods. Students
will analyze the site through an interdisciplinary lens—
urban planning and architecture, to evaluate proposals
that enhance livability, sustainability, and social equity.
AlcorcónNorteisplannedtohost10,000homes,halfsub-
sidized,alongwithschools,services,workplaces,andex-
tensive green infrastructure. Key goals include integrat-
ing the district with surrounding areas, improving public
space,enhancingecologicalcorridorsconnectedtoCasa
de Campo, and promoting smart, low-carbon mobility.
The speciality examines historical and contemporary
contexts, emphasizing affordable rental housing, mixed-
use development, biodiversity, climate-sensitive design,
and circular resource management. Final outputs must
address urban structure, mobility, density, public space,
and environmental resilience.
Speciality Leader
Gemma Peribáñez
Team
Kiyhun Ann
Alejandro Gonzalez
Nada Azzez
Claudia Izquierdo
Urban design and
city science
Transforming rural land in the metropolitan
mosaic of Madrid
07
Speciality

47. Museum
Hospital
Industries
Commerce
Golf
Horse club
University
Industries
Metro
Bus stop Bus stop
Bus stop
Bus stop
Bus stop
Bus stop
Metro
Site analysis Site analysis
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Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Speciality | Urban design and city science

48. Offices
Offices
Commerce
Commerce
Terrace
Bus street
Bus street
Cycling safe lines
Cycling safe lines
Small commerce
Housing
Small commerce
Housing
20 m
4 m 4 m
6 m
3 m 3 m
Strategies
Strategies and project Sections
94 95
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Speciality | Urban design and city science

49. Walkable
enviroments
Cycling safe lines
Make connections to
nature
Commerce
Small commerce
Offices
Housing
Bus street Bus street
40 m
3 m 4.5 m 6 m 10 m 3 m
4.5 m
6 m
Our team conducted a thorough anal-
ysis of the site and its context, exam-
ining the streets and transportation
networks that connect it to the city,
the types of natural environments
and wildlife within the area, and the
overall connectivity and boundaries
of the site. This analysis aimed to de-
termine the best strategies for inte-
grating the new urban fabric into the
existing city while respecting both
its ecological and social context.
Based on these insights, we designed
main streets that link the site with the
city and incorporated a variety of pro-
grams throughout the new urban area.
Rather than using strict zoning, we
proposed continuous mixed-use de-
velopment, allowing residential, com-
mercial, and educational facilities to
coexist within the same spaces. We
also defined different types of street
intersections, carefully controlling the
rhythm and flow of activity within the
neighborhood, ensuring a balance be-
tween lively areas and quieter zones.
Bus stops were strategically integrat-
ed to connect the district with the wid-
er city while preserving the tranquility
and human scale of the new neigh-
borhood. Additionally, controlled green
spaces were distributed throughout
the site, forming an essential part
of daily life, supporting recreation,
social interaction, and biodiversity.
This comprehensive approach result-
ed in a vibrant, dynamic neighborhood
that remains active throughout the
day and week, avoiding empty or un-
derused areas. By combining careful
street design, mixed-use program-
ming, and ecological integration, the
project promotes continuous engage-
ment, accessibility, and a strong sense
of community, creating a resilient ur-
ban environment that supports both
social and environmental well-being.
96 97
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Speciality | Urban design and city science

50. 25% offices
15% commerce
60
%
h
o
u
sin
g
Streets intersections
Blocks
98 99
Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Speciality | Urban design and city science

51. April May June July September October December
March August November
100 101
The workshop focused on exploring the conditions
for high-quality living in contemporary cities. It em-
phasized that cities should provide diverse dwell-
ing typologies and opportunities for different ways
of life: living collectively, individually, in neighbor-
hoods, and through public engagement. Before de-
signing architecture, particularly housing, students
were encouraged to define principles critically, es-
tablishing a foundation for spatial and social quality.
Lacaton and Vassal’s design principles—Generosity,
Freespace, Capacity for Appropriation, Transparency, In-
side-Outside Continuity, Movement, Open Structure, Pri-
vate Outdoor Space, Space of Transition, and Pleasure
and Imagination—served as key guidelines. Generosity
maximizes space and accessibility, while freespace of-
fers unprogrammed areas that enable flexible inhabita-
tion. Capacity for appropriation allows users to interpret
and transform spaces throughout life.
Students attended lectures and discussions and pro-
duced a final Manifesto, reflecting on how these prin-
ciples can shape contemporary housing and urban life,
proposing strategies for adaptable, inclusive, and hu-
mane living environments.
08
Workshop
Anne Lacaton
Qualities of inhabitation for the 21st Century
Workshop Leader
Anne Lacaton
Assintant
Diego García-Setién
Team
Mariana Cantú
Anna Fatourou
Luis Gutierrez
Claudia Izquierdo

52. Introduction
Housing the present means learning to
act within the world as it is — imper-
fect, limited, yet full of potential. The
crisis we face is not only a shortage
of dwellings, but a deeper crisis of in-
habitation: a failure to recognize how
architecture, policy, and community
can work together to sustain life with
dignity. Inspired by the ideas of Anne
Lacaton and her collaborators, our
group explores housing not as a fixed
product, but as a living process — one
grounded in generosity, adaptability,
and care.
Good housing begins with the inhabi-
tant, with the simple act of living freely.
It continues through the neighborhood,
where relationships, collective memo-
ry, and everyday rituals shape belong-
ing. It requires an architect who acts
with humility and imagination, defend-
ing the possibility of transformation
rather than demolition. And it depends
on public authorities who understand
their role not as controllers, but as en-
ablers — those who make generosity a
matter of policy and participation.
Across these scales, a single principle
emerges: to build today is to care for
what already exists. Architecture is no
longer about projecting the future as
an escape from the present, but about
transforming the conditions we al-
ready have — spaces, structures, com-
munities, and values. The measure of
good housing lies not in the number
of units built, but in the quality of life it
nourishes, the freedoms it allows, and
the resilience it fosters.
Housing the present is, therefore, an
act of optimism. It calls for architects,
inhabitants, neighbors, and institu-
tions to collaborate — to design to-
gether the frameworks that make life
possible, flexible, and open to change.
It is a commitment to generosity in
every form: spatial, social, and ethical.
To house the present is to believe that
architecture can still expand life — qui-
etly, persistently, and with dignity.
The Public Authorities – Politics of
Transformation
Housing is not merely a form of shel-
ter; it embodies dignity, sustainability,
and community. Around the world,
housing reveals a persistent tension
between policy, production, and hu-
man values, and the outcomes of this
tension directly shape both the quality
of housing and the broader conditions
of urban life. Architects such as Anne
Lacaton have shown that housing can
be reimagined through a philosophy of
transformation and care, rather than
demolition and rigid control.
Authorities should serve as facilita-
tors rather than gatekeepers. Rather
than enforcing rigid systems of control
that limit creativity and flexibility, they
ought to establish policies that enable
communities, architects and residents
to shape their environments. This shift,
from control to care, requires trust in
local knowledge, long-term invest-
ment in sustainability and frameworks
that reward adaptation and reuse over
destruction and displacement. Their
duty extends beyond regulation or pro-
vision: they must guarantee the right
to adequate housing, ensuring acces-
sibility, affordability, and adaptability
for all. In short, public authorities must
prioritize human needs, social equity,
and environmental sustainability over
profit or bureaucratic convenience.
Globally, housing quality is often poor
because it reflects the priorities, and
choice, of economic efficiency over
human experience. Housing produc-
tion is too frequently driven by specu-
lation, standardization, and short term
profit driven fundings, rather than by
social or environmental sustainability.
As a result, collective housing devel-
opments often fail to address people’s
evolving needs for comfort, commu-
nity, and climate resilience. The prob-
lems lie both in the conditions of pro-
duction and the values that drive them:
industrialized construction and rigid
financing mechanisms are shaped
by underlying priorities of control, ef-
ficiency, and profit, rather than care,
adaptability, and social wellbeing.
Policies can shift housing from a sys-
tem of restriction to one of generosity.
By treating reuse as innovation and
care as investment, authorities can
foster sustainable, adaptable, and hu-
mane housing. Funding renovation
over demolition, incentivizing biocli-
matic design, and adopting flexible
planning frameworks allow residents
to participate in shaping their environ-
ments.
Housing should be measured not
by the number of units constructed,
but by the quality of life it fosters, the
communities it preserves, and the in-
equalities it addresses. As Lacaton
demonstrates, reimagining what al-
ready exists is cheaper, greener, and
profoundly more humane. Ultimately,
good housing depends on public au-
thorities acting boldly, compassion-
ately, and creatively to defend, adapt,
and enhance the homes we already
inhabit.
Yet, policies alone cannot sustain the
way of life of housing. The built envi-
ronment finds its true meaning not
only in what governments decide, but
in how communities inhabit and trans-
form their surroundings. From the
political realm, we move toward the
social the scale of the neighborhood,
where collective life unfolds every day.
The Neighborhood – Collective Life
and Continuity
A neighborhood is not simply a con-
glomeration of buildings, it is a liv-
ing organism that grows, transforms,
ages, and changes with the rhythm
of everyday life. At the scale of the
neighborhood, architectural form and
design allow relationships and interac-
The Ethics of Generosity: Rethinking Housing in the Present
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53. tions to emerge. Collective life cannot
be directly designed, but architects can
create spatial conditions that make it
possible. In that sense, the neighbor-
hood becomes a stage for a shared
choreography in which the inhabitants
become co authors.
Christophe Hutin’s work in Bordeaux
reminds us that architecture begins
with listening. In his approach to so-
cial housing, he stays on site, talks to
residents, and accepts conflict as part
of coexistence. This reveals a form of
design based on trust and continui-
ty. Instead of replacing old structures
with new ones, he works with what
already exists. For him, the neighbor-
hood is not a problem to solve but a
story to continue through participation
and care.
Florian Köhl’s cooperative projects in
Berlin, Germany, challenge the idea
that architecture starts with drawings.
His housing experiments grew out
of communities themselves. It took
years to gather enough people willing
to share a vision that defined owner-
ship as collective rather than private.
This foundation was so strong that
architecture simply grew from it. The
idea was not uniformity, but diversity
layouts that adapt to each individu-
al’s way of living. Köhl’s work demon-
strates that true innovation in housing
lies in how people come together to
inhabit.
Duncan Lewis offers another dimen-
sion to the discussion. His projects
blur the line between architecture and
nature, suggesting that the city itself
can host ecological freedom. The inte-
gration of vegetation within the struc-
ture transforms density into a form of
generosity. The urban forest he pro-
poses is not merely decorative but a
social strategy that becomes a shared
resource. “Why leave the cities to do
camping?” he asks. At this scale, the
neighborhood can be a landscape of
coexistence.
Good neighborhoods do not remain
fixed, they evolve and change. Their
strength lies in their capacity to adapt
without losing identity. Streets may
change, generations may replace one
another, yet the essence still remains.
Architecture should therefore avoid
imposing permanence and instead
cultivate resilience. The idea is not to
design the perfect block, but to design
the conditions that allow life to unfold
and change organically.
Ultimately, the neighborhood is the
most human scale of architecture. It
is a place where collective memory
meets daily improvisation. It is where
generosity becomes tangible in a
courtyard, an open balcony, or a bench
under a tree. Designing for collective
life means designing for community
From the neighborhood scale, we can
zoom closer to the most intimate lev-
el of architecture, the dwelling itself.
If the community shapes continuity,
the inhabitant embodies freedom and
adaptability, turning space into a per-
sonal act of life.
The Inhabitant – Freedom and Adapt-
ability
Every dwelling begins with a person
- not a program. Housing should re-
spond to lives, not impose them. Too
often, architecture begins with draw-
ings rather than listening, with stan-
dards rather than dreams. Inhabitation
is not a formula, it is a living, changing
act that evolves with its occupants.
Good conditions of life are rooted in
the essentials: space, light, air, and
time - the foundations of freedom.
A good dwelling offers the possibili-
ty to move, to change one’s mind, to
make mistakes, to grow. Generosity
becomes the measure of respect. As
Anne Lacaton proposes, giving fifty
percent more space is not a luxury but
an act of dignity. Space is freedom -
the chance for each person to define
comfort in their own terms, to experi-
ment with new ways of living beyond
what the architect can imagine.
Time, too, is part of this generosity. Ar-
chitecture must not fear it but invite it
in. A home that is generous in space
and structure is also generous in time,
open to transformation, adaptation,
and the unknown. As Duncan Lewis
reminds us, “life is not about projects,
it’s about people,” and “time is anoth-
er material to play with.” The present
must be our starting point, the so-
called “house of the future” will emerge
only if we solve the problems of inhab-
itation that exist today.
Freedom also requires trust. People in-
vent their own comfort, they appropri-
ate and reinvent the spaces we design.
In the cooperative projects of Florian
Köhl, inhabitants experimented with
domestic arrangements -placing a
bathtub beside the kitchen to talk and
drink while bathing- revealing how inti-
macy and pleasure can challenge con-
ventions. Köhl’s façades, conceived
from the view of the windows inside,
remind us that architecture begins
from within, from the inhabitant’s per-
ception of the world rather than from
an external composition.
Designing housing therefore means
entering into an existing life, not im-
posing one. It demands listening and
care. Christophe Hutin captures this
precisely: “The architect participates in
the life of people, not the people in the
project of the architect.” Participation,
then, is not a procedural step but a
form of empathy, a recognition that ar-
chitecture must remain open to those
who live it.
Comfort is never absolute. It is a con-
tinuous negotiation between body, air,
and light. The winter garden, as Rafa-
el Alonso Candau explains, embodies
this principle as a transitional space,
half inside and half outside, where the
inhabitant decides what the climate
should be. It is both technical and po-
etic: a space for self-determination,
where adaptation becomes a daily act
of design.
To inhabit is to be free, and to design
for inhabitation is to trust that free-
dom. Good housing does not dictate,
it offers. Architecture, at its best, is an
invitation - a generous framework that
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54. allows life, in all its unpredictability, to
unfold.
The freedom of the inhabitant and the
vitality of the neighborhood both de-
pend on one final figure the architect.
It is the architect who must mediate
between people, space, and policy,
translating generosity and care into
tangible form.
The Architect – Ethics of Generosity
To be an architect today means taking
responsibility for acting within limits,
economic, environmental, and social,
while still imagining a freer and more
dignified life for people. Anne Lacaton
reminds us that generosity is not a
matter of luxury, but an ethical stance
toward the world: to give more than
is required, to offer amplitude where
scarcity prevails, and to create spaces
that invite freedom. Architecture, un-
derstood this way, is not about impos-
ing form, but about creating the condi-
tions for life to unfold.
The quality of a space does not lie in its
appearance or technical refinement,
but in its ability to welcome, transform,
and evolve. Space becomes truly gen-
erous when it allows for multiple uses,
when it connects the inside and the
outside, when it brings in light, air, and
the possibility of appropriation. This
is where the deepest experience of
inhabitation occurs: in the freedom to
move, to adapt, and to imagine other
ways of living.
Generosity is also revealed in the way
the architect relates to those who in-
habit the projects. Designing with peo-
ple, and not only for them, becomes a
form of collective empowerment. To
listen, to observe, and to allow partici-
pation is not a concession, but a strat-
egy for architecture to gain life beyond
the moment of delivery. When inhabi-
tants become co-authors, the project
opens itself to time, to change, and to
the diversity of human existence.
The task of the contemporary archi-
tect is not to pursue perfection, but
relevance. Against the temptation to
design “the house of the future,” the
most urgent mission is to act upon
the present: to transform instead of
demolishing, to recognize the value of
what already exists, and to work with
what is imperfect and ordinary. This
is a form of resistance, against waste
and speculation. Ethics arise from this
awareness: the duty to care, to repair,
and to multiply opportunities for living
well.
To act ethically under constraint does
not mean to accept lack, but to nego-
tiate smartly and persist with hope. It
requires maintaining the dignity of the
project even when resources are min-
imal, finding beauty in the essential,
and saying “no” when external pres-
sures threaten the human meaning of
architecture. Generosity, in this sense,
becomes a form of resistance and
trust, a conviction that architecture
can still be an act of freedom, care, and
imagination.
Ultimately, the ethics of generosity re-
define the role of the architect: no lon-
ger as an authority that imposes, but
as a mediator who listens, observes,
and proposes. To design generously is
to believe in people, to give them space
and time to shape their own ways of
living. It is to transform with intelli-
gence, act with humility, and persist
with courage, defending the possibility
of an architecture that expands life and
restores trust in the act of inhabiting.
Conclusion
This essay concludes by following the
reflections on inhabitation, neighbor-
hood, generosity, and transformation,
turning toward the position of the
young architect in the present in order
to appropriate this subject more fully.
The role of the architect today is to act
within the realities of the present, not
in pursuit of an imagined future. The
value of architecture lies not in pre-
diction, but in attention, in the ability
to see potential in what already exists
and to transform it with care.
To be a young architect today is to
work within the limits of economy, of
climate, of policy, while still maintain-
ing optimism and persistence. The
temptation to project forward, to de-
sign “the house of the future,” often
conceals an unwillingness to face the
conditions of now. Architecture’s true
challenge is to confront the existing: to
improve rather than replace, to trans-
form rather than erase.
Architecture begins where life already
is. It grows from materials, people, and
histories that are close at hand. To
design is to listen, to observe, and to
remain curious about what surrounds
us. Knowledge, in this sense, is not ac-
cumulated but constructed born from
the encounter between imagination
and reality.
Generosity defines this encounter. It
means giving more than what is ex-
pected, more space, more time, more
possibility, even when resources are
scarce. It means resisting the reduc-
tion of architecture to efficiency or im-
age, and insisting that its purpose is to
expand freedom rather than prescribe
form.
Good housing must be affordable,
adaptable, and open to change. Be-
yond comfort or performance, it must
protect the human right to live well —
to have space for joy, intimacy, and
community. The young architect’s task
is not to control, but to liberate; not to
impose perfection, but to defend the
possibility of life in all its complexity.
Architecture, at its core, is an act of
persistence: to discuss, to negotiate,
to compromise, but never to give up.
To build is not to impose order, but to
create opportunities for life to unfold —
freely, sustainably, and with dignity.
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Master in Collective Housing | Claudia Izquierdo Workshop | Anne Lacaton

55. ,
Collective experiences
MOMENTS.

56. Moments of collaboration with
classmates during our sessions
Visits
to
architecture
studios
in
Madrid
and
Zurich,
enhancing
our
professional
perspective
A community built on curiosity, creativity,
and mutual support
Engaging
in
critiques
and
discussions,
learning
to
communicate,
listen,
and
refine
ideas
in
a
supportive
environment
Workshops that reminded us
why we chose this path
Sharing progress and
exchanging feedback
Hands-on
explorations
that
complemented
theoretical
learning
A
study
trip
to
Zurich
that
enriched
our
academic
perspective
and
meaningful
shared
experiences
Last day, certificates in hand,
celebrating together

57. forever grateful.

58. UPM & ETH Zürich
2025