Track: Social Housing

Social housing is one of the most regulated building types, and standards meant to ensure quality often lead to standardisation, limiting experimentation. Yet, the increasing diversity in households and lifestyles demands innovation over outdated models. With thirty years of housing practice and projects across Europe—in London, Paris, Brussels, Geneva, and Vienna—I argue we must remain ‘resolutely optimistic’. Designing housing involves navigating spatial and budgetary limits, strict codes, and sustainability goals, while challenging a profit-driven industry. It also requires rethinking the individual–collective relationship and co-designing with communities to meet real needs. The rising interest in reusing and renovating existing buildings may offer a path to challenge current regulations and industry norms, enabling the change we need.

The architecture firm PERIS+TORAL will present the MODULUS MATRIX project, recently awarded the RIBA INTERNATIONAL PRIZE, which proposes a way of living and building with wood suited to the needs of the 21st century.

Industrialized construction is emerging as a key solution to tackle the global challenge of the lack of adequate social housing in cities. This session explores the benefits that this construction model can offer in terms of speed, efficiency, and sustainability, and how it can contribute to meeting the growing demand for public housing. With increasing pressure on urban resources and land scarcity, it is essential to transform traditional construction methods and adopt industrialized systems that enable the delivery of more and better housing, on time. This session will address innovative solutions to integrate industrialized construction into public policy, aiming for a future where access to housing is fairer and more accessible for all.

A project resulting from the collaboration between public entities: Nasuvinsa–Government of Navarra and the City Council of Pamplona.
The building houses 32 rental social housing units for people over 60 and people with disabilities, which include shared-use spaces and several municipal premises on the ground floors that will serve the neighborhood.
Constructed following sustainable and industrialized building standards, it ensures universal accessibility for all users.

We explore how Salas and Molins are redefining the landscape of industrialized social housing. Through real cases and concrete solutions, we will demonstrate how to tackle any construction challenge with efficient, sustainable, and high-impact systems: from industrialized building systems to low-carbon flooring or structural rehabilitation. Because building better also means building for everyone.

IMHAB works from different perspectives to make sustainable, efficient housing a reality, building as quickly as possible and with the highest quality, while directly managing it to respond to current needs. At present, it is working to deliver the greatest amount of housing possible in the city.

SFJ6 is a project of 102 social housing units designed to integrate into the complex urban fabric of the eco-district of Puente de Vallecas in Madrid. In addition to providing high-quality housing, the building addresses and resolves several pre-existing urban issues while creating high-value public spaces, contributing to the improvement of the urban environment.

How the full industrialization of 100% of the affordable homes awarded through the Plan Vive tenders in the Community of Madrid, along with the implementation of a collaborative process among all stakeholders, enabled Culmia to successfully deliver the first awarded batch 6 months ahead of schedule.

Barriers to housing access in Spain demand a comprehensive approach that ensures accessible, affordable, and sustainable homes. This session will address the transformations in living arrangements, the impact of population aging, and the need for innovative solutions that ensure architectural quality and promote social cohesion in both urban and rural environments.

Social housing. A proposal that seeks to soften the strong image of a building of such size by folding it into a gentle zigzag, using parallelepipeds that gradually rotate, ensuring that the orthogonal shape and structure of the apartments is never compromised. The resulting spaces are pleasant and avoid monotony, turning an urban planning constraint into a design advantage.
These homes are a benchmark in efficient and sustainable public housing, with an energy certification and a goal of integrating the urban environment with nature.

In line with the orientations of the government program in the housing sector, the State Direct aid of housing support has been launched in Morocco and will be implemented between 2024 and 2028.

This initiative aims to facilitate access to homeownership, support citizens' purchasing power, and promote social inclusion by granting direct financial aid to buyers.
It also plays a crucial role in stimulating the housing sector, encouraging private sector participation, and boosting employment and financial activity.
The Ministry has put in place a series of measures to ensure the effective implementation of this program, including agreements with key stakeholders to guarantee good governance and transparency in the management of financial aid.
The program offers 100,000 MAD for homes priced at 300,000 MAD or less, including taxes, and 70,000 MAD for homes priced between 300,000 MAD and 700,000 MAD, including taxes.

In Spain, over 500,000 property transfers of dwellings take place annually, with more than 80% involving second-hand homes. The 2023 Housing Rights Law establishes buyers’ right to access relevant information about the property they acquire. Current situation in Spain and Europe, and the proposal of the Technical Warranty Certificate.

Roundtable discussion on the current housing crisis in Spain and Catalonia, focusing on access difficulties, rising prices, and the lack of public housing stock. We will analyze the structural and social causes of this crisis and discuss possible solutions from both the public and private sectors. A space for reflection with expert voices from the region.