Social housing IMPSOL

Molins de Rei | project in progress | 1st prize competition 2022

A tower with 35 social housing units, 10 stories high, is built with a mixed structure of wood and concrete. This tall building responds to its metropolitan status as an urban landmark through a regular and systematized façade composition. Each floor has four corner houses. The housing typology is compact and effective. The rooms, voluntarily non-hierarchical, communicate clearly with each other. The large terrace-gallery provides a generous semi-outdoor space, it also has a climatic function as a thermal cushion and offers an «extra» living space for users.

In a particularly delicate moment regarding energy supplies, there is a commitment to a maximally passive dwelling that requires minimal active energy input. The gallery is a resource that benefits interior climate control, and materials are thoroughly studied to minimize losses through facades and roofs.

A prefabricated CLT (Cross-Laminated Timber) wooden structure is chosen, posing a constructive challenge due to the building’s height. Wood is a well-balanced material in terms of CO2 emissions, lightweight, and allows the integration of prefabrication into the construction system. Prefabrication reduces errors, provides more control in construction, and speeds up the building process.