The Portuguese office MASSLAB won a competition promoted by the Housing and Urban Rehabilitation Institute (IHRU, IP) for 100 affordable housing units in Lisbon. The competition aimed to integrate the new buildings with heritage values and the city’s urban fabric next to the Estrela Basilica.
The program aims to provide 100 newly constructed affordable homes for the city, aligning with the measures of the Mais Habitação program. In addition, the winning proposal seeks to address the lack of meeting spaces in Lisbon and the lack of outdoor space in residences. The goal is to energize and enhance urban life by creating new public spaces that are intrinsically linked to the surrounding buildings, promoting pedestrian circulation and commercial transparency.
With a strong focus on designing a city for people, integrating buildings and public spaces was the basis for the proposal development. MASSLAB emphasized this intention by creating two large public areas: a green garden and a paved square. Although they may seem like opposing occupations, they complement each other when used by users.
The garden provides many experiences and incorporates multisensory elements such as water, topography, light, vegetation, and visuals. On the other hand, Basilica Square has a regular and geometric shape, connecting to an area of main routes confluence. Therefore, the proposal for public space and landscape integration seeks to fully meet the program needs and specificities of these green spaces and collective use in tune with the surrounding historical context.
In a privileged and sensitive location, the design of the three blocks complements the environment at different scales. It has subtle facades that reduce the intervention's impact. The buildings follow a modular structural design, encompassing typologies ranging from one to four-bedroom apartments, adapting to the needs of new families and new ways of living, as well as promoting a sense of multicultural community.
Circular design principles and the reuse of materials are crucial for a sustainable and viable construction model. The project aims to promote the physical and psychological well-being of residents and users through passive strategies in buildings and public spaces, such as rain gardens, qualified vegetation, and reduction of visual and sound exposure.
Via MASSLAB.
