Experimental

At a time when the supply of affordable housing is scarce, a small group of housing cooperators approached us with a clear request: to develop a simple, economical, and analogue project.

The goal was to create the greatest possible number of dwellings on a gently sloping plot on the outskirts of Fátima — an area lacking compact and accessible residential solutions, particularly those based on more open and shared urban models inspired by Central European examples.

The proposal is based on the concept of a “green archipelago” — a dispersed housing system with no physical barriers, remaining permeable and integrated into the surrounding urban fabric. The dwellings are laid out in a free yet orderly manner: small, ground-floor units, always with dual orientation, ensuring thermal comfort, natural lighting, and high spatial quality. On the upper level, larger typologies are arranged, designed for larger families.

More than a formal exercise, this is a housing project designed for community living — based on principles of sharing, constructive economy, and urban integration. A proposal that values the essential, fosters collective life, and responds pragmatically to the housing challenges of our time.