CSH_CAMBODIAN SUSTAINABLE HOUSING

GENERAL CONCEPT

The main driving force behind the project was to somehow recreate the sensation of living in a typical Cambodian house, where people have to mantain their own traditions but in health and safe living conditions. The house interior is an organized space where they could interact, play and work: on the two sides are located all the facilities (toilet-shower-kitchen-rain water tanks) and the furniture (beds-table-chairs) fitted in a structure system; the house is equipped by a veranda useful as a living open space. 

This house six sleeping units are our answer to this. 

ROOF SYSTEM - FACADE 

The house outskin is made by a fabric of bamboo stiks tied together that insulate the house from the solar rays, limiting the rain noise. Above the bamboo corrugated metal sheets are fixed over the wood structure. 

The bamboo weaving technique used on the front and back facades is the same used in local houses and crafts. Most of the bamboo is harvested within a few kilometers of the site. The roof shape enables an effective, natural ventilation, at the same time as it collects the rain water in tanks located on the wall. This renders the areas around the buildings more useful during the rainy season, and gives the possibility of collecting the water in drier periods. 

The simple construction of the open bamboo facades provided ample natural ventilation through out the whole structure. Iron wood make up the solid frame construction and serves as a comfortable floor for the children to play on. The shelves are a floor to ceiling height structure that runs the full length of the house; the floor remains unfurnished to give room different activities 

STRUCTURE 

The iron wood construction is prefabricated and assembled on-site, using bolts to ensure reasonable precision and strength. Most of the materials is delivered on side, and this dependency on tropic timber has led to a line of difficult and complex problems to be addressed. 

LOCATION

CLIENT

YEAR

PROGRAM

PROJECT ARCHITECT

TEAM

PHON PEN, CAMBODIA

Habitat for Humanity & the Cambodian Society of Architects (CSA)

2013

SUSTAINABLE HOUSING 

MATTEO ASCANI

ALESSANDRO MANCINI,

ALICE SORDONI,

ANNA BARTOLOMEOLI,

TIFFANY RAPPICH