Urban densification is good for the environment and good for the cultural fabric of a city, but it raises some architectural questions that PH Lavalleja, a new home in Buenos Aires, does a good job of solving. The townhouse is built in a tightly packed neighborhood, with only 89 square meters of space, but it is designed to maximize the available space for the residents living there.
From the outside, the most notable aspect of PH Lavalleja is the oddly sloped corrugated roof. The angles might look like artistic whim, but they're actually designed to increase the interior space while also allowing more natural light into the sequestered home. On the inside, the home makes use of alternative means of movement through the space: residents can access lofts and upper stories through space-saving ladders and spiral staircases rather than traditional triangle flights.
Narrow Corrugated Townhouses
PH Lavalleja is Slotted Into a Densely Packed Neighborhood
Trend Themes
1. Urban Densification - Solving architectural problems through creative space-saving designs to maximize available space in densely populated neighborhoods.
2. Sustainable Living - Embracing environmentally friendly design by using alternative means of movement and maximizing natural light to support sustainable living in tight spaces.
3. Innovative Roofing - Exploring design opportunities to leverage the corrugated roof's potential through oddly sloped architecture to create more interior space and produce energy-efficient homes.
Industry Implications
1. Architecture - Opportunities for Architects to create unique and innovative designs that solve problems in densely populated neighborhoods while leveraging sustainable and energy-efficient living solutions.
2. Construction - Using advanced construction technologies and techniques to build energy-efficient, sustainable houses in cramped neighborhoods and urban areas.
3. Renewable Energy - Innovations to increase energy efficiency in urban areas, building roofs that generate renewable energy with additional vertical gardens to lessen air pollution and lessen the carbon footprint.