Tim Moore – Could Sustainability Break Social Housing Stigma?

ACXT Architects – Salburua 

designbuildsource.com.au.  May, 21, 2012.  Social housing – and the architecture and design behind it – is a sensitive and important topic for those both inside and out of this industry.

The limited resources mean that architects are faced with hefty monetary and logistical constraints and challenges when it comes to designing social housing for low-income residents that is cost effective, easily maintainable and perhaps most importantly, free of the components that create the social housing aesthetic stigma.

In what was obviously a sensitive topic for many reasons, our previous social housing exploration sparked debate as to the various reasons that truly contribute to the stigma associated with social housing. While these reasons are all valid, there is no questioning the power of aesthetics in contributing to, or decreasing, the stigma associated with social housing.

Spanish architectural firm ACXT is looking to break the stigma with its social housing development in Salburua. It is overwhelmingly clear that this building does not share the same traits that characterises dated social housing developments. In short, it does not look like a development for low-income residents.

Tim Moore – Could Sustainability Break Social Housing Stigma