Fifty years of groundbreaking contributions by the Minimum Cost Housing Group (MCHG).
The MCHG was established at McGill University’s School of Architecture in 1971 to search for architectural solutions related to housing and infrastructure in the Global South. The postgraduate program and independent research unit sought to comprehensively address issues of minimum cost housing by considering alternative, environmentally conscious building materials and technologies.
Over five decades, under the directorship of Alvaro Ortega, Witold Rybczynski, and Vikram Bhatt, the MCHG developed innovative architectural research, hands-on experimentation, and common-sense building solutions. The Group tested out-of-the-box ideas using tools and materials that are widely available, from the hardware store to the kitchen, focused on learning by doing through trial and error. They organized field demonstrations, constructed full-scale housing prototypes on the McGill campus, and established community, institutional, and private partners in Quebec and across the globe. Research dissemination and self-publishing constituted an integral part of these activities, connecting them to a network of likeminded individuals and research groups.
This exhibition traces the MCHG’s extensive output along five thematic axes: Upcycle, Harness, Plan, Leverage, and Hack. Themed sections trace how the Group transformed industrial waste into building materials, reduced the environmental impacts of construction, developed culturally appropriate and context-specific design norms, promoted urban agriculture, and challenged conventional urban design and policy. Selected archival materials—including photographs, drawings, research reports, videos, tools, and artifacts—showcase the MCHG’s wide-ranging contributions.
The MCHG was committed to architectural research addressing housing issues for a global majority. As rising costs, inequalities, and inadequate and insufficient housing continue to afflict communities worldwide, Design for the Global Majority revisits the lessons of the MCHG as inspiration for contemporary architects to help us navigate our uncertain future.
Title
Design for the Global Majority - Minimum Cost Housing Group Exhibition at McGill UniversityType
ExhibitionWebsite
Organizers
From
October 02, 2023 09:00 AMUntil
October 27, 2023 05:00 PMVenue
McGill University Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture, Room 114Address