RSH+P continues to examine the housing crisis with 'saving the city' at the venice biennale

RSH+P continues to examine the housing crisis with ‘saving the city’ at the venice biennale
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‘saving the city’ by british firm rogers stirk harbour + partners explores and showcases their ongoing study of the housing crisis and their development of sustainable massive housing. the exhibition presented inside the giardini at the venice architecture biennale features an array of architectural diagrams, information and intricate scale models that demonstrate the firm’s use of innovative technology in living and work spaces.

tree house, 2016, model 1:50
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examples include their ‘tree house’ project which provides low-cost highly insulated homes, based on a kit of parts that can assembled in low-tech factories on-site using sustainably-sourced timber for the structure. each 75 square meter unit has a highly flexible internal layout, and access to a balcony on the roof of the unit below. additionally, blocks can be stacked up to ten-storeys, and the ground floor hosting public domains.

the zip up house, 1968-69, model 1:20
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‘the zip-up house’ was designed for a 1969 UK competition titled ‘house of today’ and was the prototype for the practice’s flexible housing schemes. constructed from insulated panels used for refrigerated trucks and supported on steel jacks, the house was designed to be quickly and cheaply assembled, extended and adapted. the 200mm thick panels are self supporting and highly insulated – one 3kw heater would generate sufficient warmth for the standard unit.

industrialized housing system, 1992, south korea, scale model 1:100
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‘industrialized housing system’ was a project back in 1992 where the client’s brief was to produce 100,000 studio units at a fifth of the cost of conventional homes. combined with RSHP’s interest in affordable housing, drove this design for modular prefabricated housing in south korea. inside features compact steel units that are fitted out in a factory, craned into place and plugged in a core.

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the firm’s strategy is the deliberate introduction of a ‘spatial inefficiency’. there is a core that concentrates the infrastructure for basic services and vertical circulation, but the way the modules are arranged around the core leaves some voids. they introduce outdoor spaces which complement the land use of any vertical structure with some of the freedom proper of the houses. additionally, these voids introduce a principle of uncertainty that is desirable when look for vital living environments.

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the bright exhibit space located at the giardini
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‘the more you mix functions, incomes and ages, the more human the city becomes’
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graphics and information printed onto the walls at the exhibit
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models are placed as the focus of the rectangular floor plan
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an extensive and detailed display of past and present projects can be viewed by the public
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architect richard rogers at the exhibition in venice
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