The construction industry is currently facing a multitude of challenges: pandemics, wars, social unrest, economic downturns, rising costs, and shortages of labor and materials. Financing has become scarce, interest rates have increased, and there is a pressing lack of infrastructure and housing. Climate change adds further uncertainty, while natural disasters demand urgent action.
In this critical context, what can architects, designers, and builders do? How can we make architecture and construction accessible to those who currently see them as distant or unattainable?
Partnering with ‘Andean Home,’ our construction company has developed an industrialized building system based on component logic, inspired by industries like automotive and aerospace. To showcase this concept, we have built a prototype.
This system employs sustainable materials such as wood, alongside reusable materials like steel. Utilizing modular coordination, we minimize material waste during production. The result is a multifunctional, lightweight system featuring a sleek yet durable metal frame encased in a wooden shell, which forms the exterior walls.
The components are designed to be interchangeable and reusable. They can be disassembled, stored, and later reassembled in new locations for various applications. This component-based structure optimizes warehouse space, allows for easy storage, and can be transported efficiently by medium-sized trucks with cranes—offering greater flexibility than traditional prefabricated structures.
The assembly and disassembly process is quick and requires only a small team. The system is straightforward to assemble following the predefined logic, eliminating the need for specialized training. Only torque wrenches and electric screwdrivers are necessary, helping to keep both time and costs down.
This highly flexible system can be expanded both horizontally and vertically. While originally developed for residential use, it is also suitable for mid-rise buildings, schools, and medical facilities.
The ventilated exterior walls and roofs, equipped with wide metal eaves, offer an economical and low-maintenance cladding solution. They are easy to replace and promote air circulation, enabling passive ventilation. When combined with wood fiber insulation, these features significantly enhance the quality of walls, floors, and ceilings, resulting in substantial energy savings.
The prototype and its components are designed as a universal system. This means their elements, methods, and principles are accessible, adaptable, and open to continuous development and improvement. Our aim is to optimize the system for different environments, making it more efficient, sustainable, and effective over time.
Project Information
△ Base schematic diagram
△ Plan view
△ Elevation drawing
△ Structural schematic diagram
△ Structural analysis diagram
△ Local sectional perspective
Project Details
Architect: Ignacio Rojas Hirigoyen Arquitectos, The Andes House
Project Year: 2022
Photographers: Cristóbal Valdes, Marcos Zegers
Manufacturers: Aza, CMPC
Lead Architect: Ignacio Rojas Hirigoyen
Design Studio: The Andes House
Architectural Partners: Ciro Barraza, Angelo Melio
Construction Company: Fernando Gajardo
Structural Monitoring: Pedro Bartolome, Katherine Gentina, Jose Andres Allende
Construction Party: Ignacio Rojas Hirigoyen Constructors
Location: Casablanca, Chile
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