Final Master Work

1. Isabel Monsalve Crespo

2. COLLECTIVE
an approach on architecture
Isabel Monsalve Crespo
Master in Collective Housing
2023

3. The Master of Advanced Studies in Collec-
tive Housing is a postgraduate professional
program of advanced architecture design
focused on housing, city and energy
studies, presented by Universidad Politéc-
nica of Madrid (UPM) and Swiss Federal
Institute of Technology (ETH).
The value of this unique program lies in its
excellence and practice-oriented synthesis
of design with integrated disciplines and
theoretical issues of dwelling and housing.
MCH 2023

4. Housing the Unpredictable
Atelier House
Domestic Fragments
200 100 50 20 10
Housing and Reuse at SBB
Index
Workshops
Climate & Metabolism: Textile Housing
Construction & Technology: Housing for Fisherpeople
City Sciences: Humanizing Madrid Nuevo Norte
1
16
27
46
57
76
95
118
141
Specialties
Reference List

6. W01
Prof. Hjorve Nijiric
Assistant Prof. Esperanza Campana
In collaboration with:
Santiago Aguirre
Camilo Meneses
Emergency Housing
Santiago, Chile
HOUSING THE
UNPREDICTABLE

7. In a country that is constantly threatened by
seismic activity, an efficient response system is
crucial.
After analysis, it was concluded that, despite there
being good management of first response housing,
there is a gap in terms of long-term housing. There-
fore is proposed a system by stages that uses the
already existing transitional housing together with
modules of prefabricated units that function as
long-term housing. In Chile there is a great custom
for the house owners to be involved in its recons-
truction, which is why they are included in the
proposed process.
Likewise, the situation provides the opportunity to
take urban advantage and reshape the blocks. By
doing do, we regenerate them with emphasis on
public, semi-public and private areas that promote
neighborhood identity and community life.
3

8. Emergency management in Chile
Please rotate book
EEWS
Earthquake
Early
Housing
1
Early
Evacuation
of
risk
areas
Redistribution
in
shelters
Declaration
of
habitable
Declaration
of
inhabitable
Return
home
Demolition
Redistribu-
tion
of
transitio-
nal
emer-
gency
module
Definitive
Housing
2
Evaluation
3
Reconstruction
Gap
of
opportunity
4

9. Actual conformation of
the urban fabric.
1. Reconformation of blocks
2. Debris reuse strategy
3.New emergency communi-
ties
5. Prefab module facade
6. Progressive housing
Urban Strategy
5

10. Urban Blocks Recomformation
Phase 1
Having more greenery augments a
city’s ability to clean the air and water,
which makes the city more inhabitable
and resilience. Landscape practice
should adapt to local geographical
conditions, such as climate and
topography.
Phase 2
Having more greenery augments a
city’s ability to clean the air and water,
which makes the city more inhabitable
and resilience. Landscape practice
should adapt to local geographical
conditions, such as climate and
topography.
Phase 3
Having more greenery augments a
city’s ability to clean the air and water,
which makes the city more inhabitable
and resilience. Landscape practice
should adapt to local geographical
conditions, such as climate and
topography.
6

11. 7

12. Urban Blocks Recomformation
8

13. 9

14. 10

15. 11

16. SECTION
PHASE
I
SECTION
PHASE
0
12

17. SECTION
PHASE
III
SECTION
PHASE
II
13

18. Phase 0!-!Placement of transitional modules
Phase II!- Placement of ground floor
14

19. Phase II - Placement of first floor modules
Phase III - Placement of second floor modules and rearragement of
15

21. W02
Prof. Andrea Deplazes
Assistant Prof. Fernando Altozano
In collaboration with:
Stephany Pavon
Hybrid Collective Housing
Madrid, Spain
ATELIER
HOUSE

22. What is a house? What defines it? There is no
right answer for these questions. Nevertheless,
because of market and economic reasons housing
has lost all of the humanity and true meaning.
In recent times, due to the pandemic, humans were
forced to “stay home” and by doing so many of the
flaws of current housing conditions appeared.
In this workshop we analyzed the true meaning of a
house, its’ functions, shapes, measurements, etc.
Also we worked with the idea of providing people
with houses that provide the perfect contitions to
live and work, always respecting the separation of
programs.
We propose the Veranda House; a working,
introverted space surrounded by an opposite extro-
verted living space. This duality allows for working
in complete concentration an living in constant
contact with the outside world, always enhancing
human confort.
18

23. 19

24. The idea was to generate a spacious working area surrounded by the living spaces. There-
fore we bended the divisory line this extension without using more area is an interesting
and clever decision. This resulted in a series of nooks were the fixed living program can be
introduced, also the continous veranda provides expansion and generosity of space for
users to own it. 20

25. Ground Floor
N 0.00m
1:400
1st Floor
N 4.00m
1:400
Floor Plans
21

26. 2nd Floor
N 8.00m
1:400
3rd Floor
N 12.00m
1:400
Floor Plans
22

27. Transversal Section
1:200
Section
23

28. Axonometry
24

29. Axonometry Ground Floor
25

30. Axonometry First Floor
26

32. W04
Prof. Elli Mosayebi
Assistant Prof. Álvaro M. Fidalgo
In collaboration with:
Brittany Seigert
Fredy Quispe
Camila Cano
DOMESTIC
FRAGMENTS
Collective Housing
Belen, Perú

33. For this housing project, for the people of the
“Amazonian Venice” in Peru, certain guidelines
were given: keeping traditions alive, seeking
connection with the outside world (WiFi) and the
use of balconies.
Almost trivial issues become a challenge in this
area, so adapting the balconies and this longing for
connection results in a creative use of the cons-
truction knowledge and materials of the local
inhabitants. The result, an interesting use of cons-
truction traditions as a collective housing proposal.
29

34. Climate with little thermal oscillation. Hot, oppresi-
ve, and mostly cloudly. Torrential rains cause
flooding in the summer. Though there is no dry
season, rains decrease somewhat during the
winter.
Keep traditions alive
Searching for no wifi
Balcony

35. Image 2
Image 1
31

36. Image 4
Image 3
32

37. Homes in Belen are typically built together by the
community from locally sourced materials.
Primary structures are made from trunks of luma,
quinilla, or tornillo; which are naturally resistant.
Secondary structures are made from plain sawn
capirona, bolaina, or ishpingo.
Thatch roofs are made from vegetable fibers and
must be replaced somewhat often to preserve the
houses.
Belen is rainy for the majority of the year, receiving
about 2800 millimeters of rainfall annually.
Rainwater collected from the roof is circulated
through the collective house by gravity and can
be used for individual and communal needs daily.
Our 290 sqm project collects up to 812 000 liters
of water per year, serving approximately fifteen
individuals.
Image 5
33

38. Miniature 35

39. 36

40. 37

41. Floor plan 39

42. 40

43. 41

44. Detail 43

45. 44

46. 45

48. W06
Prof. Dietmar Eberle
Assistant Prof. Alberto Nicolau
Collective Housing
Madrid, Spain
200 100 50 20 10

49. The premise of the project was to conceive it from
the macro to the micro, taking pauses at different
scales to understand how it impacts the context
and the user. In a plot next to Madrid Río, a housing
complex was proposed to respond to the needs and
realities of the sector. It is understood that this is a
context that allows for greater formal innovation
without losing characteristics of the place, such as
the materiality of facades and the use of terraces as
an extension of the interior. The play of heights
helps break the large size of the building and gene-
rates greater spatial comfort for the users.
48

50. First approach is to understand the volumetry of the project in it’s context. Madrid Río
represents a more contemporary context, therefore more organic shapes are chosen to
create visually interesting spaces. Because of the massiveness of the project, playing with
verticality is key to avoid losing human scale.
1:200 Volumetric Analysis
49

51. Figure - Ground Analysis
50

52. 1:100 Typical Floor Plans
8th Floor
1500 m2
7th Floor
2700 m2
4th Floor
4500 m2
5th Floor
3800 m2
Ground Floor
5000 m2
51

53. Ground Floor
Dwelling Variation
52

54. Columns
Circulation
Cores
Slabs
Load-Bearing
Walls
1:50 Structure
53

55. Because of the non-traditional shape of the project, the facade is made with common mate-
rials with brick and stone. There is a duality in the facades, the straight walls that face the
streets are made with brick blend with the context. The curved facades to the patios made
with stone to provide a special sense of belonging. Also the use of textiles for light control
and intimacy in the terraces adds fluidity and depth to the facade.
1:20 Facade - Detail
54

56. Aerial View
55

57. Aerial View
56

59. W07
Prof. Anne Lacaton
Assistant Prof. Diego García-Setién
In collaboration with:
Fernando González
Brittany Siegert
Gabriel Barba
Collective Housing
Zürich, Switzerland
HOUSING & REUSE
AT THE SBB

60. The premise of this project was to reuse an old
train station and convert it into a residence. Additio-
nally, it was decided to only build within the interior
of the station and to create a project based on
fragments or qualities of living rather than the
formal design of the building. The way to achieve
this was by finding images that convey to the user
the following:
possibility of choice, sensory comfort,
intimacy, and a sense of space.
From this, a distinction was created between
service spaces such as bathrooms, kitchens, stora-
ge, etc.; spaces without a determined function that
allow free inhabitation; and green spaces or areas
of nature. With this in mind, a series of systems were
generated, following the existing conditions of the
site and overlaping them to achieve a mat-building
with completely introverted living spaces that
achieve the aforementioned qualities, through
endless possibilities.
Similarly, semi-public and public areas were created
that contrast due to their extroverted
and communal nature.
59

61. Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
60

62. Image 4
Image 5
Image 6 61

63. Image 7
Image 8
Image 9
62

64. Image 10
Image 11 63

65. Image Analysis
64

66. Spatial QualityAnalysis inside the station
65

67. Spatial QualityAnalysis inside the station
66

68. Project Section
67

69. Site
Housing Expand
Green Expansion
Community Services
Tracks
Housing Expand
Housing
Community Expand
68

70. Master Plan
69

71. 70

72. 71

73. 72

74. 73

75. 74

76. 75

78. S02
Climate, Metabolism & Architecture
Prof. Javier García-German
In collaboration with:
Fernando González
Samira Taubmann
Andres Melo
Climatic Dwelling Prototype
Barcelona, Spain
TEXTILE
HOUSING

79. A housing prototype capable of responding to the
significant temperature changes and climatic reality
of Barcelona through architectural design. After
analyzing images by photographer Jacques
Leonard, we chose to experiment with textiles and
fabrics, questioning how we can adapt our living
space much like we do daily with clothing.
The result is two plans that create a completely
open space, with rail systems that allow and encou-
rage the user to appropriate the place and adapt it
according to their comfort. Additionally, the prototy-
pe was designed to align with metabolic processes
inspired by nature and its context.
78

80. In Barcelona the average temperature oscilates from 5ºC to 28ºC, with
warm summers that can be very humid, and quite cold winters.
The temperature rarely gets lower than 1ºC or higger than 35ºC.
Barcelona usually has weather confort that allow people to be outsi-
de. Nevertheless, in the most extreme cases, summer day and winter
night is necessary to use architecture as a tool to reach confort
Climate
Mediterran Iberian Peninsula
Barcelona
Catalunya
Diagramatic Section of Barcelona
79

81. Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
Image 4
Image 5
Image 6
Throuhg analyzing pictures of everyday life of Barcelona, it was almost inmediate to
notice that humans first response to weather historically has been clothes, textiles.
Everyday Life in Barcelona
80

82. Strategy - Permeability
Image 7
81

83. Strategy - Layering
Image 8
82

84. Historically, in the area of Barcelona and Catalunya, along the Llobregat river, there have
been towns dedicated to textiles.
Materials
83

85. Materials
84

86. Summer Day Floor Plan & Section
85

87. Winter Night Floor Plan & Section
86

88. Conceptual Image - Summer Prototype
87

89. Conceptual Image - Winter Prototype
88

90. Metabolic architecture is key for sustainable designs, therefore, most of the materials will
be recycled, like the textiles and wood. Is also important to highlight that the prototype
proposes lightweight architecture that can be easily assembled and dissasembled.
Metabolism
89

91. Industrialization
Prototype weight:
132 kg/m2
90

92. Expansion & Repetition
Roof + Windcatchers
Patios + Fixed Partitions
Unit Separation
Textile Layering
91

93. Repetition Floor Plan & Section
92

94. Repetition Summer Analysis
93

95. Repetition Winter Analysis
94

97. S03
Construction & Technology
Prof. Ignacio Fernández Solla, David Castro,
Diego García-Setién & Archie Campbell
In collaboration with:
Jerónimo Nazur
Andrés Padilla
Krishna Yadav
Collective Social Housing
Reykjavik, Iceland
HOUSING FOR
FISHERPEOPLE

98. The premise was to take an existing project, "Patio
Houses" by Josep Lluís Mateo in Amsterdam, and
bring it to a completely different context. We chose
Iceland because of the challenge the weather there
represents.
The first step was to analyse the existing project and
understand it’s DNA, what was so representative
and intentionally seeked to create it. Once unders-
tood, an in depth analysis of Iceland and what chan-
ges needed to be done to provide a project that
served icelanders. It came to our attention the many
goverment sponsored programs to become fisher-
people. So we decided to create a next step for
them, providing them with social housing that
adapts to the needs they have.
A series of adaptations were made always mantai-
ning the DNA of the original. The result is aproject
that gives quality housing in which winter court-
yards are used as intermediate spaces between the
interior and exterior, maximizing sunlight. A very
interesting proposal for extremely cold climates. 97

99. Image 1
This projects consists in a series of row houses developed
in an old port area converted to several dwellings. Mateo
tried to maintain the feeling of the area by keeping
materials usually found in ports, like brick and wood.
He focused on creating houses that adapted to the user’s
needs, but always had connection with the outside. He
achieved so by a series of patios that become the heart of
the project. Amsterdam has a weather variations from
cold winters to really warm summers, so inspite of the
constant visual connection to the exterior this houses
develop inwards, all of the dwelling happens around the
patios.
The aspect of water surrounding three sides of the project
is also relevant, and the architect emphasized this by
always providing visual connection to it.
Original Project:
Patio Houses - Josep Lluís Mateo
Amsterdam, Netherlands
2000
98

100. Image 2
Image 3 99

101. Image 4
Iceland represents a challenge from many perspectives.
The one that we found the most interesting was how do
we create houses with patios in such an extreme
weather.
Seismic activity
City by the sea
Creative city
Green city
Transportation
city for the people
From Amsterdam to Reykjavik
100

102. Image 5
Image 6
Image 7
Image 8
Fishing Culture in Iceland
In Iceland the fishing industry has always represent around 40% of the economy, therefo-
re there are many existing goverment programs that encourage icelanders to become
fisherpeople. Our project intends to give continuity to these existing programs and
provide fixed-rent social housing for fisherpeople. 101

103. Proposed Project:
Housing for Fisherpeople in Iceland
Site
102

104. Amsterdam
Latitude
52º22’22’’
Temperature
1º to 20º
Summer: avg 18.5º
Winter: avg 9º
Sun Hours
8h - 16h
Wind
Summer: (W) avg speed 10.5 miles
Winter: (SW) avg speed 13 miles
Humidity
Summer: avg 79%
Winter: avg 88%
Project DNA
Patios
Row houses (separate entry)
Harbour (proximity to water)
Reykjavik
Latitude
64º08’07’’
Temperature
-9º to 12º
Summer: avg 10º
Winter: avg -10º
Sun Hours
4h - 21h
Wind
Summer: (S&W) avg speed 10.5 miles
Winter: (E) avg speed 12 miles
Humidity
Throughout the year 80%
Project DNA
All units facing south (for max sun exposure)
Patios as green houses
Maintain row houses with separate entry
Harbour proximity for working
Tilted roofs for snow and maximun sun
exposure
103

105. Site Analysis
104

106. Site &
Dwelling Unit Adaptation
105

107. Planimetry
106

108. Summer Garden View
107

109. Original Project
Section Analysis
108

110. Proposed Project
Section Analysis
109

111. Structure
110

112. Services
111

113. Industrialization
112

114. Industrialization
113

115. Industrialization
114

116. Industrialization
115

117. Winter View
116

118. Night View
117

120. S07
Urban Design & City Sciences
Prof. Julia Landaburu & Susana Isabel
In collaboration with:
Brittany Seigert
Fernando González
Lucas Navarro
Gabriel Barba
Alejandro Yánez
Urban intervention
Madrid, Spain
HUMANIZING
MADRID NUEVO NORTE

121. The Madrid Nuevo Norte is a project located in the
north of Spain’s capital. In this intervention the goal
is to solve the scar that nowadays exists in the city
through urban design and city sciences
The first step was to do an in-depth analysis to
understand the actual needs and flaws of this area
of Madrid. An important aspect of the project is its’
location. As it happens to be in proximity to three
key elements of the city. In the mobility system, the
airport; in the green system the Parque Regional de
la Cuenca Alta; and built wise is just north of
Madrid’s historical city center.
Inspite of the location the area is one of the city’s
biggest urban problems but at the same time it also
represents one of the zones with the most potential
to develop.
120

122. Reality
121

123. Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
Inspiration
122

124. IRRELEVANT
Castellana’s ending lacks
relevance on a urban level.
FRAGMENTED
Neighbourhoods are unintegrated
and isolated.
DEHUMANIZED
Properties and buildings are abandoned
and general neglect of the landscape
create the perception of insecurity.
Urban Problems
123

125. RELEVANT
Connection of Castellana to Parque
Regional de la la Cuenca Alta, creating a
green corridor that connects
Madrid along the N/S axis.
INTEGRATE
Existing neighbourhoods together with
the new axis, healing the urban “scar”.
HUMANIZE
Humanizing the neighbouhoods by
minimizing additional building footprint.
Urban Goals
124

126. Urban Stages of La Castellana
125

127. Urban Stages of La Castellana
126

128. The Castellana at this stage is a question mark. It
is considered only a mobility axis and the place
where many of the most important transportan-
tion roads connect, giving vehicles priority and
generating a scar at an urban level.
Nowadays this area is the result of many factors
and shows a lack of urban intention.
Reality of La Castellana Ending
127

129. HUMANIZED URBAN DESIGN
FOR THE 21st CENTURY
The Madrid Nuevo Norte development will
humanise the urban scar that has been created
beyond the northern termination of Castellana,
merging city and nature at all scales and
providing a sense of belonging, spaces for gathe-
ring, and opportunities of sharing for locals and
visitors alike.
Vision and proposal for
the Castellana Ending
128

130. Humanization Strategies
Small Scale
Designing for
smallness is tightly
associated with
the range of our
perceptible space
and proportion to
our body size.
Small scale cities
also encourage
interaction among
residents and
create social cohe-
sion spaces:
streets, buildings,
neigbourhoods,
associations, etc.
Life & Work
Mix
The purpose of
pulling the two
programs closeris
to take care of
citizen’s mental
health by building
a strong connec-
tion between body,
mind and the
physical environ-
ment.
Walkability
Usually seen as a
luxury or some-
thing only afforda-
ble if you live in a
city center. Popula-
tions of less walka-
ble areas tend to be
less diverse, have
lower incomes,
higher unemploye-
ment rates, lower
access ti education,
less space for
recreation,etc. The
big challenge is to
transform existing
neighbourhoods
into human-scale
citues.
129

131. Humanization Strategies
Permeable
Public Space
Public spaces that
enhance human
comfort by acting
as catalysts of
social interaction.
Connection at a
human scale also
benefits from
permeability.
Integrating
Nature
Having more
g r e e n e r y
augments a city’s
ability to clean the
air and water,
which makes the
city more inhabita-
ble and resilience.
Landscape practi-
ce should adapt to
local geographical
conditions, such
as climate and
topography.
Reusing &
Saving Old
Buildings
Cultural and
natural heritages
should be assig-
ned more weight
in locating new
towns and reviving
old ones.
130

132. Sections of Existing Built Neighborhoods
131

133. Existing Building Fabric
Proposed Buildable Area
Exanding the existing neighbourhoods instead
of creating a new one. By doing this, we cure
the urban scar and blend the site with its
surroundings. 132

134. Existing Green Spaces
Proposed Green Areas
A large urban park that terminates the Castellana
axis, connects neighbourhoods across the railway
and blends the urban with nature.
133

135. Existing Mobility Systems
Proposed Mobility Systems
Madrid transportation system is highly conside-
red, therefore we propose extending existing
metro lines (4 and 10), adding tram and bus stops
to connect the area with the rest of the city. 134

136. Proposed mixed program
Housing
Working
Commerce
Education
Entertainment
Healthcare
Living
135

137. 15 Minute City
Daily necessities can be easily reached by a quarter
of an hour walk or other mobility systems as biking
and public transportation. This urban design
promote a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle.
Working
Living
Healthcare
Commerce
Entertainment
Education
136

138. Urban scenarios
Gradually connecting the urban deveplop-
ments to wild nature. Creating spaces that
allow human interaction while always keeping
connection with nature.
137

139. The Castellana Park 138

140. View of Castellana’s ending as the green
corridor which becomes relevant, integrates
to the surroundings and to the city’s needs
and generates humanized urban develop-
Section that shows how the built environ-
ment gradually merges to nature.
139

141. Castellana’s proposed ending through nature and humanization. 140

142. References
Image 1 - Jess Kraft/Shutterstock (2021) An Adventurer’s Guide to the
Floating City of Belén, Peru. Culture Trip, Harry Stewart.
Image 2 - (2021) An Adventurer’s Guide to the Floating City of Belén, Peru.
Culture Trip, Harry Stewart.
Image 3 - Google Earth
Image 4 - Google Earth
Image 5 - Arquitectura Vernacular Amazónica
Domestic Fragments
Image 1 - Catalá Roca/Archivo Coderch
Image 2 - Sher Marker, Sher Marker Studio
Image 3 - Aldo Van Eyck, Orfanato de Amsterdam
Image 4 - Paolo Soleri, Arcosanti
Image 5 - Steven Harris Architects, West 11th st townhouse
Image 6 - Natura Futura, Las Tejedoras
Image 7 - Aldo Van Eyck, Orfanato de Amsterdam
Image 8 - HARQUITECTES, Bodegas Clos
Image 9 - Plot, The Longhouse
Image 10 - Breathe Architecture, Bardolph Gardens House
Image 11 - Earthbox, Equipo de Arquitectura
Housing and Reuse at SBB
Image 1 - Lluís G. Ollivela
Image 2 - Alexandre Merletti
Image 3 - People in Barcelona
Image 4 - Colita
Image 5 - Bernard Plossu
Image 6 - Jacques Leonard, Gypsies in Barcelona
Image 7 - Jacques Leonard, Barcelona
Image 8 - Jacques Leonard, Gypsies in Barcelona
Climate & Metabolism
141

143. References
Image 1 - Josep Lluís Mateo, Dwellings in Borneo Island
Image 2 - Josep Lluís Mateo, Dwellings in Borneo Island
Image 3 - Josep Lluís Mateo, Dwellings in Borneo Island
Image 4 - Iceland map - Encyclopedia Britannica 1878
Image 5 - Faroese fishermen onboard a steamer on their way home from
Icelandic fishing, 1898
Image 6 - Wool Clouds, Sardine Fishery
Image 7 - Fisherman, Kodachrome 64 - 135mm lens May, 1986
Image 8 - Girls Herring Fishery
Construction & Tecnology
Image 1 - Archivo ABC, Calle Serrano
Image 2 - WordPress, Plaza Santa Ana
Image 3 - WordPress, Plaza Santa Ana
*All other images are the author’s or peer’s own creation
City Sciences
142