Venice Bienalle - Lego House by Anupama Kundoo Architects
Relevant Bienalle Theme - Housing Crisis. #ThemeCrisis
Indian architect Anupama Kundoo has completed a prototype house at the Venice Bienalle that can be built in just six days using Lego-like blocks of a material called ferrocement. The speed of construction is particularly appropriate for our Bienalle theme which seeks to study the crisis in housing for the migrant population across Europe.
Ferrocement is a material made by layering mortar or plaster over metal mesh and it is believed that it is a product well suited to creating flexible and cost effiicient housing. The architect experimented with various types from mesh form a typical wire mesh to plastic or fabric strips!
The housing prototype showcases a system of modular ferrocement blocks,
which are stacked up to form walls and built-furniture. This promotes ultimate flexibility and means they can be used to create homes in a variety of shapes and sizes.
The blocks are hollow, so they create great storage potential. This opens up possibilities for play in elevations both externally and internally with solid volumes against open sided boxes.
The material is also easy to tint which allows the blocks tobe manufactured in different colours. This could be used to denote different activities, ranging from food preparation to sleeping and bathing which also enlivens the building both externally and internally.
This prototype was built using materials recycled from the German Pavilion at the Venice Art Biennale 2015. When this year’s Biennale is over, the house will be transported to nearby Marghera to provide a residence for homeless people.
This shelter is a project still very much in development. The house has been designed for the Indian climate and it will be interesting to assess it’s viability for colder climates where heat conservation is a critical requirement.
We're looking forward to seeing how this fascinating project continues to develop...
