Fernando Grenell and Thomas Balbarda from BBOA Architects, based in Rosario, Argentina, are introduced. Established in 2012, their practice has won numerous awards for their architectural projects. Their social housing project in Granadero Baigorria, completed in 2015, is the focus of their presentation. This project deals with increasing density in a suburban area and addresses the challenge of building multiple homes on a lot previously occupied by a single residence.

The presentation discusses the context of social housing in Argentina, highlighting the 'ProCreAr' trust fund initiative in 2012 that provided mortgage loans for housing. Construction companies participated in national competitions, requiring both economic and design proposals. BBOA Architects faced the challenge of balancing government expectations for innovative designs with the company's need for economic efficiency, working with a limited budget and strict design rules while trying to introduce diversity.

The Granadero Baigorria project consists of 120 units across seven buildings. The architects strategically used 'empty space' to create variations within the buildings, improving spatial quality and street interaction. They addressed security concerns by increasing building entrances and promoting residents' control over shared spaces. Despite mandates for uniform square footage and facilities, they developed eight different unit types by subtly altering duplex layouts and bedroom locations relative to entrance levels. Cost-saving measures included using the same window frames and modular structures.

The architects emphasized the importance of circulation spaces as common areas for socialization and personal use, noting how these open spaces contribute to the building's 'breathing' and provide extended outdoor areas for small units. Perforations within the buildings improve natural light and ventilation in the central garden. The project's goal was to foster a sense of belonging and promote individualism within a collective housing context. They later found that residents appreciated these subtle differences, feeling proud that their homes were unique.

The architects elaborate on their approach to foster individuality in projects with repetitive dwelling units. They explain how small changes in unit orientation, bedroom placement in duplexes, and subtle variations in layout create a sense of uniqueness for residents. They also discuss how the design of open circulation spaces encourages social interaction and community appropriation, leading to better maintenance and a stronger sense of shared ownership among neighbors. These 'grey areas' in the rules allowed them to provide additional, unpaid-for communal spaces, enriching the living experience.

George introduces Mark from FAR frohn&rojas architects, a practice and research network with nodes in Berlin, Santiago, and Los Angeles. Mark has worked for OMA and taught at various institutions. Their project, 'Ventilator Apartments' in Berlin, completed in 2019, is highlighted for its innovative use of precast concrete elements. Mark explains that the project addresses Berlin's housing market challenges: the need for fast, cheap housing and the desire for diverse living arrangements, seemingly irreconcilable aspects.

The building uses precast concrete elements, typically found in industrial warehouses, creating a 'stack of six warehouses.' Key elements include columns, beams, and 'TT ceilings' that provide large spans without interior supports, offering significant architectural freedom. Photos of the construction process demonstrate how these elements are assembled, with each floor built in about a week. The use of industrial construction methods results in larger tolerances and wider seams, which the architects adapted for housing, aiming for a refined aesthetic. The unique structural system allows for varied apartment layouts without aligning floor plans vertically.

The Ventilator Apartments offer a wide range of live-work ateliers, from 35 to 110 square meters, with substantially different layouts on each floor. This diversity is achieved while maintaining consistent organizational principles, such as a shared bay for staircases, lifts, and external lodges. The building is located in Berlin's Moabit district, a heterogeneous area largely rebuilt after WWII. The architectural design deliberately leaves the block partially open, blending with the existing urban fabric. The use of full-height sliding doors in the curtain wall allows for open living spaces, particularly in warmer months, which is uncommon in German residential construction as air conditioning is rare.

The interior design exposes the concrete elements, including the TT ceilings, revealing the seams and creating a sense of floating despite their massive weight. This approach reduces material use and considers environmental aspects like urban mining, allowing for easier material separation and recycling at the end of the building's lifespan. The project's methodology is highly replicable, allowing for adaptation to different scales and urban contexts. A new project is underway in East Berlin, an area known for prefabricated housing from the 70s and 80s. This new development contrasts with historical prefabrication by offering diverse plans within a serial, skeletal construction, combining efficiency with flexibility.

Mark explains that their construction method reduces cost and time, making it less dependent on seasonal weather conditions. It also minimizes material use, especially concrete, contributing to environmental sustainability. The skeleton construction allows for clear separation of materials, facilitating recycling and reuse. The elements used are standardized types (columns, beams, TT ceilings) but each piece is bespoke, reinforced according to specific structural calculations. Understanding the system's freedoms and limitations is crucial for architects to optimize cost and design, avoiding unexpected complexities.

Mark clarifies that the innovative use of the precast concrete system originated from the design side. For the Ventilator Apartments, the architects were also involved in the development, driven by a desire to influence housing production in Berlin. They aimed to demonstrate a viable alternative through a built project, emphasizing a practical approach beyond theoretical drawings. This involvement allowed them to showcase a unique way of combining serial construction with diverse living options, setting a precedent for future developments.

George introduces Ramon Bosch, co-founder of Bosch Capdeferro Arquitectures in Girona, Catalonia. Their firm has garnered significant awards and recognition, including at the Venice Biennale. Ramon will present their '6x6 Block' project in Girona, completed in 2020. This building demonstrates their architectural approach and innovative design strategies within a residential context.

Ramon introduces the conceptual framework for their work, using six images to represent six key topics relevant to the 6x6 Block. These include: atmosphere (both physical/scientific and cultural/comfort), the architect's control over design methods, simplification (akin to Picasso's bull engravings), sedimentation/accumulation of data (like Giacometti's portraits), and, finally, climate change responsibility (represented by Banksy's artwork). These topics underscore their commitment to balancing objective data with cultural sensitivity, efficiency with richness, and environmental responsibility with innovative design.

The 6x6 Block is a dwelling block in Girona, situated between two distinct urban grids: the dense grid of Salt and Girona city. Its location is a meeting point of these two urban fabrics. The building is compact due to regulations, measuring approximately 40 meters long by 15 meters deep. It features a central core for vertical communications (staircase and elevators) and two blocks of apartments, all with cross ventilation and dual orientation (south and north). The site benefits from a significant south-facing facade and a green public area to the north, providing pedestrian access and a natural presence in the urban environment.

The project uses passive strategies to minimize environmental impact and maximize thermal comfort. The building's structure is made from CLT (Cross-Laminated Timber) panels to reduce embodied energy, as timber sequesters CO2. The south-facing facade acts as a 'sun space' or greenhouse in winter, preheating incoming air, and as a shaded terrace in summer. This adaptive facade, combined with cross ventilation from north-facing openings, allows the building to achieve comfortable interior conditions with minimal energy demand. This approach significantly reduces the building's carbon footprint.

The interior of the 6x6 Block apartments is designed for high flexibility. Each unit features a central core with kitchen and bathrooms, surrounded by four generic rooms configured by the CLT load-bearing walls. These rooms can be easily reconfigured using sliding doors and furniture to accommodate various needs, from one-bedroom to three-bedroom layouts, or even extraordinary uses like large gatherings or pop-up businesses. This adaptable design allows for changing inhabitants' needs over time and promotes hybrid uses within the building, including shared communal spaces for residents like nurseries, canteens, co-working spaces, or gyms.

The building's construction involves large timber cabinets, forming a grid of load-bearing and bracing walls. This industrialized process allows for pre-dimensioning and cutting of holes and services in the factory, improving efficiency and reducing on-site work. The CLT walls are 12 cm thick, and floors are 15 cm, creating a dense and rigid structure appropriate for timber construction. Ramon explains that while concrete allows for longer spans, lightweight materials like CLT require a more rigid, multi-directional bracing geometry to achieve stability. Different materials have different thermodynamic properties; light timber dissipates energy, so thermal mass is achieved through other elements like flooring.

Ramon discusses the decision to use CLT and its implications. He emphasizes that one cannot simply translate a concrete design to timber; each material dictates its own techniques and spatial possibilities. CLT is well-suited for domestic spans (e.g., 3x4 meter rooms) and allows for a 'very old thing' - a collection of rooms in sequence, promoting flexibility. The design aims for a balance between simplification (minimalist structure) and sedimentation (layers that allow for complex, varied uses). The building's facades, especially the south-facing one with its movable wooden shades, reflect this adaptability to seasonal changes. The entrance and transition spaces emphasize a warm, inviting feel, characteristic of timber.

Elisa Garner and Andre Wetzel from Leon Architecture are introduced. Their practice combines international experience with local knowledge. They will present their ongoing project for the Future Homes Initiative, launched by the Victorian State Government in Australia, aiming to inform planning reforms and propose sustainable medium-density housing solutions. Leon was selected in the first phase and is now working on the implementation phase, which involves delivering 12 new housing units.

Leon's design approach for the Future Homes Initiative is based on four core principles. Firstly, creating 'spatial generosity' with double-height ceilings to offer a sense of spaciousness, akin to suburban detached homes. Secondly, providing direct access from living spaces to a minimum of 25 square meters of private outdoor space, ideally on the ground floor. Thirdly, ensuring 'dual aspect' apartments with two points of entry for optimal light, air, and free movement. Fourthly, integrating shared incidental social spaces within pedestrian and vehicle movement paths, rather than strictly programmed communal areas.

The design starts with a basic unit: a double-height living space connected to an outdoor area, combinable with various bedroom and bathroom units to create studios up to four-bedroom homes. This interlocking arrangement allows for flexible dwelling mixes (e.g., two-bedroom with two-bedroom, or studio with four-bedroom), creating an adaptable 'linear typology' that can be extended, cut, or rotated to suit different site conditions and demographics. This inherent flexibility provides a robust framework for varied housing needs.

The design adapts to typical suburban blocks, focusing on north-south and east-west orientations. Key steps include consolidating suburban blocks, minimizing the building footprint while maximizing height (up to three stories), and orienting living spaces towards the north for optimal solar gain and thermal efficiency. The plan clearly separates vegetated permeable areas for gardens from vehicle access. A communal space is integrated into the pedestrian thoroughfare. Living spaces face north, while bedrooms are typically to the rear. All units feature 25 square meters of private outdoor space, either ground-level gardens or generous rooftop terraces for upper-level units.

The ground floor plan for the Braybrook competition scheme illustrates compact parallel parking to maximize green space. The design anticipates future opportunities for this parking area to become a laneway or play space. The scheme emphasizes consolidated green space and private gardens. An entry communal area along the side boundary integrates services like communal laundry, clotheslines, a bike workshop, and a productive garden, fostering incidental social interactions. Double-height living spaces, primarily north-facing (or east-facing where north isn't possible), seamlessly connect to private gardens. Facade elements like pergolas allow residents to personalize their entryways, contributing to street activation.

The double-height living spaces provide abundant natural light and a 'blank canvas' for residents to personalize, fostering a sense of ownership. Mezzanine spaces are included, with the structural provision for future build-out, enhancing long-term adaptability. Upper-level access is via a bridge between buildings, designed as a 'beautiful space' that promotes resident interaction and features deep soil zones for lush greenery, ensuring privacy. Top-floor units have enclosed, open-to-sky terraces, creating a distinct outdoor room experience with wide views. The scheme ensures a mix of dwelling types, from studios to four-bedroom units, showcasing how a standardized grid can accommodate diverse needs.

The scheme's context emphasizes generous setbacks to create open space, buffer neighboring developments, and allow for extensive landscaping. The landscape design aims to make the open-air driveway (not under the building) as welcoming as possible with green planting, shade, and a basketball court, increasing usability. Private gardens are for residents, and a productive garden faces the street. A 'ferny forest walk' between the two buildings creates a lush, shaded passageway. Sustainability is key, with north orientation for solar gain. Collaboration with Finding Infinity optimized initiatives for reduced energy, water, and waste. The use of timber, specifically cross-laminated timber (CLT), significantly reduces embodied carbon compared to concrete.

The competition design was adapted for a public housing project by Homes Victoria, currently in the planning process. The brief required 12 social housing units with a specific mix (one, two, and three bedrooms), including two special disability apartments (SDAs) on the ground floor, and importantly, no split-level apartments. The site on Ballarat Road in Braybrook features a mix of existing housing types and emerging townhouse developments. The project confronts the challenge of reconciling medium-density development within existing suburban contexts, aiming to set a new precedent for quality rather than simply maximizing yield with compromised interiors.

The design moves away from typical 'stepped back' forms found in status quo developments that prioritize yield over deep soil zones and quality interiors. Instead, it draws inspiration from enduring examples with simpler forms, better thermal performance, and larger setbacks, relying on landscape as a buffer. The ground floor plan includes a mezzanine entry lobby with a pedestrian right-of-way and a garden, along with a lightweight stair. Two SDA units face the street, and three-bedroom apartments are in the rear volume. Maximized northern frontage with balconies and terraces is a key feature. The project aims to establish a positive precedent for future development along Ballarat Road, presenting as a three-story building with substantial setbacks and natural tree buffers.

The design provides windows with shading shutters on the east facade and views into the garden with canopy trees. The car park is de-scaled through ground treatments and parasitic planting. A conscious decision was made to keep all circulation open-air, allowing the public space to 'bleed through' the building, fostering a pedestrian-friendly environment. Views from the rear street integrate the building into the neighborhood, with dormer windows subtly breaking down its scale. An arbor at the entry balances privacy with the ability to look out, demarcating the entrance and promoting a sense of place within the community.

Elisa and Andre reflect on the original competition brief, noting its initial overwhelming density of requirements actually helped define the core building block. While the brief focused solely on apartments, they came to understand the necessity of density for affordability in amalgamated lots. Regarding design guidelines, they found them helpful for providing structure, and their design itself aims to be adaptable. They hope their work sets a precedent that balances adherence to principles with flexibility for site-specific responses. They confirm that the model could indeed go higher, but they have optimized the current design for a three-story building to preserve key qualities like private outdoor space and direct access, which might be challenged at greater heights.