Modular Affordable Portable Housing Design
Toronto, like so many cities around the world, is struggling with a very serious affordable housing problem. The purpose of this project is to demonstrate to the real estate development industry, all three levels of government and the community at large, that modular housing can be one of the more immediate and implementable affordable housing solutions.
What is Modular Construction?
Modular construction is a type of prefabricated construction where whole box-like structural units are built in a plant and transported to be assembled on site. Prefabricated modular systems can have a number of advantages over traditional on-site construction and panelized (non-modular) prefabricated systems:
1. Better Quality Control
The modules are built and fitted off-site in a controlled environment leading to fewer mistakes and better quality-control.
2. Faster Construction
Off-site fabrication is quicker than on-site construction as it is independent of the weather and site constraints and it can be done simultaneously with foundation work to save time.
3. Sustainable Innovation
Off-site fabrication reduces material waste compared to traditional construction.
While the design of the affordable housing component of the program must align with modular construction techniques and limitations, it is up to the developer to decide what site conditions are needed – there is no specific location defined for this design approach, as such designs should be versatile and adaptable, and investigate how these modular units can fit within this space.
Competition Criteria:
Demographics
There are a number of groups that are in need of immediate affordable housing: vulnerable lower and mixed-income populations, e.g. workers in the essential service sector, students, newcomers, special needs populations- developmental and mental health challenges, and lower income households, families, single parent households and singles – different and diverse populations.
Site
The ideal site for this proposal is one located in an urban environment in which a greater density would be supported. The proposal could be constructed on a parking-lot sized site for a period of 5-10 years while the site is undergoing pre-development phases and municipal approvals, and then should be able to move to another similar size site for a similar period of time. The proposal may or may not identify a specific site. Entrants should assume that it will be a fully-serviced City or government-owned property with access to services, parks and schools.
Built Form
we determined the optimal size per unit and number of units for this proposal based on the creativity of the massing and the aesthetic whole of the combined units.
