B.PUBLIC Microhome Competition 2021 - Shortlisted!
ABOUT THE COMPETITION:
The MICROHOME 2021 Competition challenged architects from all over the globe to submit designs for an off-grid, modular structure for a hypothetical young professional couple. The competition encouraged out-of-the-box thinking, pushing architects to rethink spatial organization and include new technologies, unique aesthetics, and innovative materials. The only requirement was not to exceed 25m², 269 sqft.
B.PUBLIC SUBMISSION: Casa Calibri
Santa Fe, New Mexico faces an affordable housing crisis. The city’s rental market is among the least equitable in the US, with a deficit of 7,300 units. This shortage has triggered a 46% increase in rent since 2016. Rent for a one-bedroom apartment now approaches $1,400. The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated an influx of retirees and wealthy remote workers, causing home prices to skyrocket. In 2021, the mean home price reached $600; a couple would need to earn 120,000 per year to afford this price, twice the city’s median household income.
As a result of these historic shifts, Santa Fe has seen an exodus of educators and young creatives. If current trends continue, the very people who drive the vibrant cultural economy of Santa Fe will be priced out. The city government is seeking proposals for public-private developments on city-owned land.
Casa Calibri envisions a dense, off-grid community of micro homes clustered around shared open space on a parcel currently held by the city. As a grassroots housing cooperative the development targets teachers and young workers employed in Santa Fe’s arts & culture sector. Utilizing an innovative and cost-competitive system of prefabricated panels and Passive House performance, the project will set a new standard for resilience and low-carbon construction while fostering the next generation of Santa Fe’s workforce.
The project is 249 sqft and build with B.PUBLIC high-performance prefab panels. Additionally, the design includes a solar array, a rainwater harvesting system, and an ERV system that maximizes the home’s efficiency.
B.PUBLIC Team: Natasha Ribeiro & JD Scott, AIA
Congratulations on the great work on this project. Check out the International Projects Winners. linked
