The Whole Process.
Nicole Neighborhood Safe House
The Safe House, or 'Gender House' as the locals also call it, is a place that offers accommodation, support, and companionship to women and transgender people facing domestic violence.
| Virrey de Pino, La Matanza. Buenos Aires, province. Argentina. | ARG 003 | ||
| 150 mts.2 |
Finished: December 1, 2019. |
||
| Phase | In use. | Type | Social housing. |
| Target Group | Women. | Partner | Scarcity and Creativity Studio (SCS) - AHO. |
| Client | Asociacion Civil 26 de Julio. | Donor | Equality Foundation, Lund & Slatto Arkitekter, Holt. Nordic. |
| Use of wood, sourcing local materias, self-construction. | |||
1. Observe.
Why, context, challenge.
Lack of housing
AUG and The Scarcity and Creativity Studio teamed up to design and build a social house prototype for the Nicole Neighbourhood. The neighbourhood originated when homeless people invaded the site 20 years ago. It currently has a population of about 6000 inhabitants and has built a school, a health station, a church, water infrastructure and has extended a bus line to provide public transportation.
Sociological accompaniment
This process of local territorial urbanization was realized with the support of sociologists and the community organization "26 de Julio". It refers to providing support, guidance, and monitoring from a sociological perspective.It involved observing and analyzing social dynamics, relationships, and issues to ensure an initiative to addresses the community's needs effectively.
The incremental house
The goal would be to design and build a house prototype to fit the plots within the urban layout designd by AUG.This prototype is one of the 98 houses scheduled in the masterplan for the 30 000m2 plot developed.The area is subject to regular flooding of up to 70 cms, this is the reason why the house needs to be raised a meter off the ground.The plan for the Phases is that residents would be provided with Phase 1, which consists of 25 m2 and includes a bedroom, living-dining-kitchen, and a bathroom. Phase 1 also includes the main structure of Phases 2 and 3, making it possible for these last two phases to be self-built as, and when, the family has the resources to do it.The resident’s association ‘26 de Julio’ decided to use the house as a place where abused women could take regfuge, as at present women suffering from domestic violence have no where to go.
2. Identify.
Who, target, user, facts.
246
246 women, travestites and trans suffered violent deaths in 2023 in Argentina.
168
168 kids and teenagers to be left without their mother.
26hr
A crime of this type happens every 26 hours on average.
3. Approach.
How, strategy, interact
Community involvement
Community involvementOne of the unique aspects of the project was its focus on community involvement from the design to the building phase. The design was developed through a semester-long course, where students from AHO,School of Architecture of Oslo. worked alongside professionals from AUG and Nicole’s community in order to design the housing prototype.This initiative sparked a fantastic cultural exchange between locals and students, creating meaningful connections and strengthening community bonds. While building phase, women from the neighborhood played a vital role by preparing meals for the students and workers, fostering a sense of shared responsibility and unity.The Incremental House Prototype stands as a testament to what can be achieved when diverse groups come together to address housing needs in an inclusive and sustainable way.
4. Design.
Programmering, development, co-create.
The house is a one story building with a mezzanine whith additional bed spaces. Outdoor spaces are small, with area for crops and a ‘parrilla’, the Argentinian BBQ which is an essential part of family and social gatherings.The design consists of three stages. At the ends of the house are the sleeping accommodation and in the center the Kitchen-dining-living room, which extends to the outside under a pergola. Most spaces are flexible, in order to contribute to housing large extended families.
The construction: The construction phase itself took just 37 days, completed by a dedicated team of 21 students from AHO, 2 teachers, 2 members from AUG, and 4 local builders.This rapid development was possible thanks to strong local collaboration, with materials sourced from nearby companies, ensuring both sustainability and support for the local economy.
5. Implement.
Work in the field.
At AUG, we uphold the highest standards of integrity. We prevent dishonesty, corruption, and misconduct in all operations. Every donation is used responsibly to support communities, always impartially, without favoring any political party or religion.
6. Evaluate.
Results.
UN sustainability goals
Who participate
Quique Bayarri Sabariego
Paola Bornaschella
Nerina Gomez
Melina Cauchich
Walter Bosisio
Isabel Lopez Ruiz
Support an Ongoing Project.
Discover our current fundraising campaigns and get involved.
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